System and method associated with drape forming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10259176-B2
Application number	US-201615227889-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2016
Priority date	Aug 3, 2016
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

A system includes a bladder configured to deform to at least partially surround a draping tool. The bladder has a pattern configured to distort as the bladder deforms. The system also includes an imaging device configured to generate image data of a sequence of images of the pattern of the bladder as the bladder deforms about the draping tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a memory configured to store image data of a bladder configured to deform to at least partially surround a draping tool, the bladder having a pattern configured to distort as the bladder deforms wherein the image data includes a sequence of images of the pattern of the bladder as the bladder deforms about the draping tool; and
a processor configured to receive the image data and to detect, based on distortion of the pattern indicated by the sequence of images, a characteristic associated with formation of a part using the draping tool and the bladder.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bladder includes a first surface facing the draping tool and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the second surface has the pattern, and wherein the pattern includes a plurality of lines, a grid of lines, an array of shapes, or a noise pattern.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the pattern is included in or formed by a coating applied to the second surface of the bladder.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plate supporting the draping tool; and
a pump coupled to the plate and configured to generate vacuum pressure to deform the bladder about the draping tool.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more draping supports configured to modify the deformation of the bladder about the draping tool.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more plies disposed on the draping tool, wherein the one or more plies are configured to, responsive to movement of the bladder, deform about the draping tool to form a part; and
a heat generation device configured to apply heat to the bladder, to the one or more plies, or to both.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate strain data indicative of a strain in the bladder based on the image data.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate surface fixation data based on the strain data, the image data, or both, and wherein the surface fixation data indicates a sequence of surface fixation of regions of the bladder against the draping tool as the bladder deforms about the draping tool.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine, based on the surface fixation data, at least one modification to the draping tool, to a draping support, or to a variable of a drape forming process.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic indicates a potential wrinkle in the part, a potential tension zone of the part, a potential compression zone of the part, or a combination thereof.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate, based on the characteristic, a notification that indicates a modification of the part, a modification of a drape forming process associated with the part, or a combination thereof.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a display device configured to present a graphical user interface (GUI) that indicates the notification.

13. A method comprising:
receiving, at a processor and from a memory, image data of a bladder that deforms to at least partially surround a draping tool, the bladder having a pattern that distorts as the bladder deforms wherein the image data includes a sequence of images of the pattern of the bladder as the bladder deforms about the draping tool; and
detecting, by the processor and based on distortion of the pattern indicated by the sequence of images, a characteristic associated with formation of a part using the draping tool and the bladder.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the bladder includes a coating having the pattern, and wherein the pattern includes a random or pseudorandom set of reference points.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
generating, by the processor, output data indicating the characteristic;
simulating formation of the part based on the output data to generate a simulated part; and
based on the output data, generating a notification indicating a modification of a component or of a variable of a drape forming process to form the part.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising sending a command to drape forming equipment, wherein the command instructs the drape forming equipment to modify a temperature or a vacuum pressure of a drape forming process based on the output data.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein detecting the characteristic includes:
comparing first positions of a set of reference points of the pattern in a first image of the sequence of images to second positions of the set of reference points of the pattern in a second image of the sequence of images to determine a distortion of the pattern;
determining a deformation based on the distortion of the pattern; and
determining a strain based on the deformation.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein detecting the characteristic includes, for each of a plurality of regions of the bladder, determining an order that the plurality of regions fixate to the draping tool based on the image data.

19. A computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to initiate, perform, or control operations, the operation comprising:
receiving, at a processor and from a memory, image data of a bladder that deforms to at least partially surround a draping tool, the bladder having a pattern that distorts as the bladder deforms wherein the image data includes a sequence of images of the pattern of the bladder as the bladder deforms about the draping tool; and
detecting, by the processor and based on distortion of the pattern indicated by the sequence of images, a characteristic associated with formation of a part using the draping tool and the bladder.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein detecting the characteristic includes:
comparing first positions of a set of reference points of the pattern in a first image of the sequence of images to second positions of the set of reference points of the pattern in a second image of the sequence of images to determine a distortion of the pattern;
determining a deformation based on the distortion of the pattern; and
determining a strain based on the deformation.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Deck Eric E
• Burpo Steven J

Classifications

• B29C70/543

  Fixing the position or configuration of fibrous reinforcements before or during moulding (for non-woven fabrics D04H3/08) · CPC title

• B29C70/44

  using isostatic pressure, e.g. pressure difference-moulding, vacuum bag-moulding, autoclave-moulding or expanding rubber-moulding · CPC title

• B29C70/342 Primary

  using isostatic pressure · CPC title

• B29C70/541

  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) · CPC title

• B29C70/36

  and impregnating by casting, e.g. vacuum casting · CPC title