US 2026/0200183 A1 · SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MITIGATING INTERNAL THERMAL STRESSES IN THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITE LAYUPS

Abstract

A method of constructing a composite article having a first surface and a second surface is provided. Composite material is deposited with an automated fiber placement (AFP) robot to form at least one ply of the composite article. The composite article is flipped over in relation to the AFP robot from a first orientation in which the first surface of the composite article faces the AFP robot to a second orientation in which the second surface of the composite article faces the AFP robot. At least one new ply is deposited onto the composite article in the second orientation using the AFP robot. The composite article can the bee flipped back over to the first orientation and the preceding steps may be repeated until the composite article is formed.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of constructing a composite article having a first surface and a second surface, the method comprising:

depositing a composite material with an automated fiber placement (AFP) robot to form at least one ply of the composite article;
flipping the composite article over in relation to the AFP robot from a first orientation in which the first surface of the composite article faces the AFP robot to a second orientation in which the second surface of the composite article faces the AFP robot;
and
depositing at least one new ply onto the composite article in the second orientation using the AFP robot.

1 more element

A system for constructing a composite article, the system comprising:

an Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) robot, the AFP robot configured to deposit strips of composite material to form the composite article;
a dynamic support robot opposite the AFP robot, the dynamic support robot configured to track the AFP robot in space so that, as the AFP robot moves to deposit the strips of composite material, the dynamic support robot continuously positions itself to provide, uninterrupted, a support surface against which the AFP robot presses the strips of composite material;
a reference frame defining a forming space configured to support end portions of the deposited strips of composite material such that the composite article is formed in the forming space, the reference frame being rotatable about an axis of rotation in relation to the AFP robot between a first position in which the reference frame is positioned to hold the composite article so that a first surface of the composite article faces the AFP robot and a second position in which the reference frame is positioned to hold the composite article so that a second surface of the composite article faces the AFP robot.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

19/448,683Filed 14 Jan 2026

Priority

14 Jan 2025

Published

16 Jul 2026

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B29C 70/38
Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould,…:…
B29C 70/384
Automated fiber placement [AFP]: fiber placement heads, e.g. component parts, details or accessories
B29C 70/382
Automated lay-up, e.g. using robots, laying filaments according to predetermined patterns: automated fiber placement [AFP]
B29C 70/386
Automated lay-up, e.g. using robots, laying filaments according to predetermined patterns: automated tape laying [ATL]

Systems and methods for mitigating internal thermal stresses in thermoplastic composite layups

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for mitigating internal thermal stresses in thermoplastic composite layups

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20