Composite spar drape forming machine

An apparatus for forming composite materials, comprising:

• a frame;
• at least one beam attached to the frame, the at least one beam having a length, the at least one beam being adjustably and reconfigurably conformable along the length into a shape for forming a composite charge;
• a mandrel having a first surface, the mandrel being receivable within the frame in alignment with the at least one beam, the mandrel being arranged to form the composite charge when the mandrel is received within the frame;
• and
• a lifting device configured to raise the mandrel at least partially into the frame.

An apparatus for forming composite materials, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame;
• at least one beam attached to the frame, the at least one beam being longitudinally segmented into at least two segments, the at least two segments being adjustably orientable with respect to each other to define a variety of non-linear segmented longitudinal axes;
• a mandrel with a first surface, the mandrel receivable within the frame in alignment with the at least one beam, the mandrel being arranged to form a composite charge;
• a pulling device movably attached to a frame to pull a composite charge to a predetermined location on the mandrel;
• an indexing device arranged to stop the pulling device when the composite charge is at the predetermined location on the mandrel;
• and
• a transport device, arranged to transport the mandrel and lift the mandrel into the frame.

An apparatus for forming a composite material, comprising:

• at least one elongated beam adjustably conformable along its length;
• an elongated mandrel having a forming surface configured to cooperate with the at least one elongated beam to form the composite material;
• and
• a lifting device configured to raise the mandrel to position the forming surface proximate the at least one elongated beam.