Mobile system for automated layup and compaction of composite laminates
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMatthew R. DesJardien, James N. Buttrick, Terrence J. Rowe, Daniel Mark McDonagh, Silas Lawton Studley, Tracy E. Zimmerman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mobile vehicle is used to place, compact and inspect composite plies at selected locations on a tool. The vehicle includes an on-board supply of composite plies, a transfer platen for transferring plies to the tool, a compactor for compacting plies on the tool, and an inspection device for inspecting plies on the tool, each operated and manipulated by an on-board manipulator such as a robot.
Claims21
Apparatus for laying up and compacting composite plies on a tool, comprising:
- a mobile vehicle;
- a ply supply on the vehicle, the ply supply including a plurality of composite plies;
- a platen on the vehicle for picking up and transferring the plies from the ply supply to the tool;
- and
- a compactor on the vehicle for compacting the plies on the tool.
Apparatus for laying up and compacting composite plies on an elongate tool, comprising:
- a mobile vehicle movable along a length of the tool;
- end effectors on the vehicle for placing and compacting plies on the tool;
- and
- a manipulator on the vehicle for manipulating the end effectors.
A method of laying up and compacting plies on a tool, comprising:
- loading a supply of composite plies on a mobile vehicle;
- moving the vehicle to each of a plurality of locations along the tool;
- robotically transferring plies from the vehicle to the tool;
- and
- robotically compacting the plies on the tool.
A method of placing a composite ply on a tool, comprising:
- drawing the ply against a generally curved platen face;
- bringing the ply into a substantially line contact with the tool;
- rolling the curved platen face to pivot around a corner of the tool;
- and
- releasing the ply from the curved platen face as the curved platen face rolls over the tool so that the ply is wrapped around and onto the tool corner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.