# US 9,434,117 B2 · Airfoil manufacturing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,434,117 B2 - Document ID: US9434117B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/084,616 - Filed: 2013-11-20 - Published: 2014-03-20 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-15 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Raymond Neil Henderson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434117B2 ## CPC - B29C 70/30: 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, former or core - B29C 70/38: Automated lay-up, e.g. using robots, laying filaments according to predetermined patterns {(application heads for tyres B29D30/28)} - B29D 99/001: {Producing wall or panel-like structures, e.g. for hulls, fuselages, or buildings (articles with hollow walls B29D24/00)} - B29D 99/0028: {hollow blades} - B29C 70/342: {using isostatic pressure} - B29C 70/382: {Automated fiber placement [AFP]} - B29C 70/384: {Fiber placement heads, e.g. component parts, details or accessories} - B29C 70/541: {Positioning reinforcements in a mould, e.g. using clamping means for the reinforcement (positioning inserts in moulds B29C33/12; lay-up on a mould B29C70/30)} - Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An apparatus and method for shaping an airfoil. A prepreg assembly is positioned relative to a part in a plurality of parts for a tool for the airfoil using a positioning section for a frame. The positioning section is configured to move relative to the tool and a base of the frame and move a number of parts in the plurality of parts for the tool relative to each other. A number of sections in the prepreg assembly are heated. A force is applied to the number of sections in the prepreg assembly that have been heated to conform to the tool to cause the number of sections in the prepreg assembly that have been heated to conform to the tool with a shape for a component of the airfoil. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for shaping an airfoil comprising: positioning a prepreg assembly relative to a tool using a positioning section of a frame, the tool comprising a first mandrel and a second mandrel, the frame comprising a base and the positioning section, wherein the positioning section is configured to hold the prepreg assembly, move relative to the tool and a base of the frame, and move the second mandrel, which is connected to the positioning section, relative to the first mandrel; heating a number of sections in the prepreg assembly; and applying a force to the number of sections in the prepreg assembly that have been heated to conform to the tool to cause the number of sections in the prepreg assembly that have been heated to conform to the tool with a shape for a component of the airfoil. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: repeating the positioning, heating, and applying steps for a number of additional prepreg assemblies using other mandrels until the airfoil is complete. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 further comprising: curing the airfoil after the airfoil is complete. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning section comprises a connection system, and further comprising: connecting the second mandrel to the connection system; and moving the second mandrel relative to the first mandrel by moving the second mandrel using the positioning section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the heating the number of sections in the prepreg assembly is performed by a heating system associated with the frame and configured to move relative to the prepreg assembly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: loading the prepreg assembly into a channel of the positioning section. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein applying the force to the number of sections in the prepreg assembly that have been heated to conform to the tool to cause the number of sections in the prepreg assembly that have been heated to conform to the tool with the shape for the component of the airfoil comprises moving the positioning section relative to the base. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein applying the force to the number of sections in the prepreg assembly that have been heated to conform to the tool to cause the number of sections in the prepreg assembly that have been heated to conform to the tool with the shape for the component of the airfoil further comprises moving a force application assembly relative to the frame, wherein the force application assembly is moveably associated with the positioning section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein moving the force application assembly relative to the frame comprises moving a bladder relative to the frame. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein moving the force application assembly relative to the frame changes a gap in a shaping system associated with the frame. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: positioning a prepreg assembly relative to a tool using a positioning section of a frame, the tool comprising a first mandrel and a second mandrel, the frame comprising a base and the positioning section, wherein the positioning section is configured to hold the prepreg assembly, move relative to the tool and a base of the frame, and move the second mandrel, which is connected to the positioning section, relative to the first mandrel; heating a number of sections in the prepreg assembly; and applying a force to the number of sections in the prepreg assembly that have been heated to change the prepreg assembly from an original shape into a shape for a component for an airfoil. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: repeating the positioning, heating, and applying steps for a number of additional prepreg assemblies using other mandrels until the airfoil is complete. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 further comprising: curing the airfoil after the airfoil is complete. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the positioning section comprises a connection system, and further comprising: connecting the second mandrel to the connection system; and moving the second mandrel relative to the first mandrel by moving the second mandrel using the positioning section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the heating the number of sections in the prepreg assembly is performed by a heating system associated with the frame and configured to move relative to the prepreg assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising: loading the prepreg assembly into a channel of the positioning section. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein applying the force to the number of sections in the prepreg assembly that have been heated to change the prepreg assembly from the original shape into the shape for the component for the airfoil comprises moving the positioning section relative to the base. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein applying the force to the number of sections in the prepreg assembly that have been heated to change the prepreg assembly from the original shape into the shape for the component for the airfoil further comprises moving a force application assembly relative to the frame, wherein the force application assembly is moveably associated with the positioning section. ### Claim 19 A method comprising: loading a first prepreg assembly into a channel of a positioning section of an apparatus, the apparatus comprising a frame and a tool, the frame comprising a base and the positioning section, the tool comprising a first mandrel and a second mandrel, wherein the positioning section is configured to hold a prepreg assembly, move relative to the tool and a base of the frame, and move the second mandrel, which is connected to the positioning section, relative to the first mandrel; positioning the first prepreg assembly relative to the tool using the positioning section by moving the positioning section relative to the base of the frame; heating a number of sections in the first prepreg assembly using a heating system associated with the frame and configured to move relative to the first prepreg assembly; applying a force to the number of sections in the first prepreg assembly that have been heated to change the first prepreg assembly from an original shape into a shape for a first component for an airfoil, wherein applying the force comprises: moving the positioning section relative to the base; and moving a force application assembly relative to the frame, wherein the force application assembly is moveably associated with the positioning section; loading a second prepreg assembly into the channel of the positioning section of the apparatus; positioning the second prepreg assembly relative to the tool using the positioning section by moving the positioning section relative to the base of the frame; applying a force to the number of sections in the second prepreg assembly that have been heated to change the second prepreg assembly from an original shape into a shape for a second component for an airfoil; and curing the airfoil after the airfoil is complete. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the positioning section comprises a connection system, and further comprising: connecting the second mandrel to the connection system; and moving the second mandrel relative to the first mandrel by moving the second mandrel using the positioning section.