Method and system for fabrication of composite parts
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorMark G. McGee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system for fabrication of composite parts with tools determines a layout pattern within an autoclave based upon the heating variance of the autoclave and the thermal performance of each selected tool. The layout pattern can provide for production goals such as minimizing processing time for a given selection of tools in an autoclave. The layout pattern is displayed with an easy to use graphical user interface or through a printout that allows an autoclave operator to quickly and efficiently determine an optimal loading pattern and load an autoclave accordingly.
Claims22
A system for fabrication of plural composite parts, the system comprising:
- plural tools for fabrication of the plural composite parts, each tool having a thermal performance;
- an autoclave having a thermal characteristic and comprising an autoclave heating container for holding the tools during the fabrication of the parts, the autoclave further having a thermal controller for controlling thermal energy applied to the autoclave heating container;
- and
- a computer for determining a layout pattern for fabrication of predetermined composite parts in the autoclave, the computer comprising:
- a tool library for storing thermal performances of tools for the fabrication of composite parts;
- an autoclave library for storing thermal characteristics of at least one autoclave;
- a graphical user interface for displaying tools stored in the tool library to an autoclave user, and for accepting tool selections from the autoclave user, the tool selections corresponding to a selection of composite parts;
- and
- a layout engine determining a layout pattern in a selected autoclave for the tool selections, the thermal performances of tools associated with the tool selections and the selected autoclave thermal characteristics to determine a layout pattern for the selected tools in the autoclave heating container, the layout engine further generating the layout pattern on the graphical user interface.
A method for fabrication of a plurality of parts simultaneously in an autoclave, comprising:
- creating a library of a plurality of tools for fabrication of parts in the autoclave;
- storing a thermal performance of the plurality of tools in a thermal performance database;
- storing the thermal characteristics of the autoclave;
- selecting tools from the library for fabrication of parts in the autoclave;
- and
- determining a layout pattern for the selection of tools, the thermal performance of the selected tools and the thermal performance of the autoclave.
A method for fabrication of a plurality of parts simultaneously in an autoclave, comprising:
- creating a library of a plurality of tools for fabrication of parts in the autoclave;
- storing the thermal performance of the plurality of tools in a thermal performance database;
- storing in a library database a heat distribution map of an autoclave heating container;
- selecting tools from the library of available tools for fabrication of desired parts in the autoclave heating container;
- and
- communicating the tool selection to a layout engine for determining a layout pattern based on the selection of tools, the thermal performance of the selected tools and the heat distribution map of the autoclave heating container, the determined layout pattern minimizing thermal interference in the autoclave heating container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.