Reconfigurable manufacturing system and method for manufacturing composite laminates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11059235-B2
Application number	US-201916449215-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2019
Priority date	Sep 28, 2018
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A manufacturing system includes a first mandrel, a second mandrel, and laminate securing mechanisms. The first mandrel has a first mandrel surface and a first mandrel surface edge. The second mandrel has a second mandrel surface and a second mandrel surface edge, and is positionable in a closed position in which the first mandrel surface edge and the second mandrel surface edge are in contact to form a continuous mandrel surface collectively defined by the first mandrel surface and the second mandrel surface. The second mandrel translates to an open position defining a gap between the first mandrel surface edge and the second mandrel surface edge for receiving a forming die. The laminate securing mechanisms secure the composite laminate on at least one of the first mandrel and the second mandrel during trimming and/or forming of the composite laminate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manufacturing system, comprising:
a first mandrel, comprising a first-mandrel surface and a first-mandrel surface edge;
a second mandrel, comprising a second-mandrel surface and a second-mandrel surface edge, wherein
the second mandrel is positionable so that the first-mandrel surface edge and the second-mandrel surface edge abut each other in side-by-side relation and so that a continuous mandrel surface is collectively formed by the first-mandrel surface and the second-mandrel surface, at least for trimming of a composite laminate,
the continuous mandrel surface is devoid of steps, gaps, breaks, interruptions, or discontinuities, and
the second mandrel is configured to translate relative to the first mandrel in a direction, perpendicular to the first-mandrel surface edge, so that the first-mandrel surface edge and the second-mandrel surface edge are spaced apart from each other such that a gap is formed between the first-mandrel surface edge and the second-mandrel surface edge for receiving a forming die for forming the composite laminate; and

at least one laminate-securing mechanism, configured to secure the composite laminate to at least one of the first mandrel and the second mandrel, at least during trimming and forming of the composite laminate, and also configured to non-movably secure the composite laminate to the first mandrel while translating the second mandrel relative to the first mandrel so that the first mandrel is spaced apart from the second mandrel.

2. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one laminate-securing mechanism comprises at least one of:
first apertures formed in the first-mandrel surface, and second apertures, formed in the second-mandrel surface, wherein the first apertures and the second apertures are fluidically coupled to a vacuum source for generating vacuum pressure securing the composite laminate to the first mandrel and the second mandrel; and
at least one pinch mechanism configured to mechanically clamp the composite laminate to at least one of the first-mandrel surface and the second-mandrel surface.

3. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one laminate releasing mechanism configured to release the composite laminate from the second-mandrel surface and to enable relative motion between the composite laminate and the second-mandrel surface while translating the second mandrel relative to the first mandrel.

4. The manufacturing system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one laminate releasing mechanism comprises:
second apertures formed in the second-mandrel surface and fluidically coupled to a positive-air-pressure source for generating positive air pressure that forces the composite laminate away from the second-mandrel surface to enable the second mandrel to be translated relative to the first mandrel.

5. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an upper forming die, downwardly translatable into contact with a portion of the composite laminate spanning the gap between the first-mandrel surface edge and the second-mandrel surface edge and
the upper forming die configured to urge the composite laminate into the gap for forming the composite laminate.

6. The manufacturing system of claim 5 , further comprising:
a lower forming die, movable into the gap between the first-mandrel surface edge and the second-mandrel surface edge and
the lower forming die configured to support the composite laminate against forming pressure applied by the upper forming die.

7. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a forming station configured for forming the composite laminate on the first mandrel and the second mandrel;
at least one of a layup station, configured for laying up the composite laminate on the first mandrel and the second mandrel with the first-mandrel surface edge and the second-mandrel surface edge abutting each other, and a trimming station configured for trimming the composite laminate on the first mandrel and the second mandrel with the first-mandrel surface edge and the second-mandrel surface edge abutting each other; and
an interstation transfer mechanism, configured to transfer the composite laminate from at least one of the layup station or the trimming station to the forming station,
wherein the at least one laminate-securing mechanism is configured to maintain the composite laminate in alignment with the at least one of the layup station or the trimming station and the forming station while the composite laminate is being transferred from the at least one of the layup station or the trimming station to the forming station.

8. The manufacturing system of claim 7 , wherein the interstation transfer mechanism comprises interconnected longitudinal rails that extend along the at least one of the layup station or the trimming station and the forming station;
the first mandrel and the second mandrel are configured to be supported on the interconnected longitudinal rails and to translate along the interconnected longitudinal rails while supporting the composite laminate; and
the at least one laminate-securing mechanism is configured to maintain the composite laminate in a fixed position on at least one of the first mandrel and the second mandrel when the first mandrel and the second mandrel are translated between the at least one of the layup station or the trimming station and the forming station.

9. The manufacturing system of claim 7 , wherein the interstation transfer mechanism comprises an upper clamping mechanism and a lower clamping mechanism, each configured to clamp onto a respective portion of the composite laminate, spanning the gap between the first-mandrel surface edge and the second-mandrel surface edge
the upper clamping mechanism and the lower clamping mechanism are configured to transfer the composite laminate between the at least one of the layup station or the trimming station and the forming station while the first mandrel and the second mandrel at each of the at least one of the layup station or the trimming station and the forming station are stationary; and
the lower clamping mechanism is configured to move within the gap at the layup station and at the forming station while the composite laminate is being transferred between the at least one of the layup station or the trimming station and the forming station.

10. The manufacturing system of claim 9 , wherein the upper clamping mechanism comprises an upper forming die, configured to urge the composite laminate into the gap at the forming station, for forming the composite laminate; and
the lower clamping mechanism comprises a lower forming die, configured to support the composite laminate against forming pressure applied to the composite laminate by the upper forming die at the forming station.

11. A manufacturing system, comprising:
a first mandrel, comprising a first-mandrel surface and a first-mandrel surface edge, the first-mandrel surface comprising first apertures;
a second mandrel, comprising a second-mandrel surface and a second-mandrel surface edge, the second-mandrel surface comprising second apertures, wherein
the second mandrel is positionable so that the first-mandrel surface edge and the second-mandrel surface edge abut each other and so that a continuous mandrel surface is collectively formed by the first-mandrel surface and the second-mandrel surface, at least for trimming of a composite laminate, and
the second mandrel is configured to translate relative to the first mandrel in a direction, perpendicular to the first-mandrel surface edge so that the first-mandrel surface edge and the second-mandrel surface edge are spaced apart and so t

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Kendall James R
• Suriyaarachchi Raviendra S
• Shaw Paul D
• Jones Darrell D
• Mccann Lance O

Classifications

• B29C70/30

  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 · CPC title

• B29C66/02242 Primary

  Perforating or boring · CPC title

• B29C31/08 Primary

  of preforms {to be moulded, e.g. tablets, fibre reinforced preforms, extruded ribbons, tubes or profiles; Manipulating means specially adapted for feeding preforms, e.g. supports conveyors (B29C31/066, B29C37/001, B29C43/085 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B32B38/0004

  Cutting, tearing or severing, e.g. bursting; Cutter details (cutting in general B26D; laminating combined with punching or perforating B32B38/04; removing all or part of the layers B32B38/10; cutting in combination with laying up and registration B32B38/185 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B32B38/1808

  characterised by the laying up of the layers · CPC title