Actuator-based compensation for deformation of a mandrel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11344942-B2
Application number	US-201916419190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2019
Priority date	May 22, 2019
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

A system to manufacture an object includes a headstock, a tailstock, and a mandrel having a first end coupled to the headstock and a second end coupled to the tailstock. The system also includes an actuator coupled to one or more of the headstock, the tailstock, or the mandrel, the actuator operable to apply a force to the one or more of the headstock, the tailstock, or the mandrel, to oppose deformation of the mandrel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system to manufacture an object, the system comprising:
a headstock;
a tailstock;
a mandrel having a first end coupled to the headstock and a second end coupled to the tailstock;
one or more processors configured to detect a deformation of the mandrel; and
an actuator coupled to one or more of the headstock, the tailstock, or the mandrel, the actuator operable to apply a force to the one or more of the headstock, the tailstock, or the mandrel, to oppose the detected deformation of the mandrel.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the force has a component that opposes a deformation force that includes a force due to gravity.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the force has a component that opposes a deformation force that includes a force due to contact with a fiber placement head.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is coupled to the headstock and is operable to change an orientation of the headstock.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is coupled to the tailstock and is operable to change an orientation of the tailstock.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is coupled to the mandrel and is operable to apply one or more of a tensional force or a compressional force on the mandrel.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the actuator is further operable to apply one or more of a second tensional force or a second compressional force on the mandrel.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mandrel includes deformation sensors configured to detect deformation of the mandrel.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are coupled to the actuator and configured to control the actuator based on rotation of the mandrel and detected deformation.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the object corresponds to an aircraft part or a spacecraft part.

11. A device comprising:
a mandrel;
a sensor configured to detect deformation of the mandrel; and
an actuator at least partially inside the mandrel and coupled to multiple attachment points of the mandrel to enable the actuator to apply a force to one or more of the attachment points to oppose the detected deformation of the mandrel.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the force includes a compressional force.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein the force includes a tensional force.

14. The device of claim 11 , wherein the deformation sensor is coupled to the mandrel.

15. A method for manufacturing an object, the method comprising:
using a processor to perform operations including:
detecting a deformation of a mandrel; and s
ending a command to adjust an actuator to apply a force to one or more of a headstock, a tailstock, or the mandrel, to oppose deformation of the mandrel.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising: receiving a sensor input from one or more deformation sensor of the mandrel; and processing the sensor input to detect the deformation.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the command causes the actuator to change an orientation of one or more of the headstock or the tailstock.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the command causes the actuator to apply one or more of a tensional force or a compressional force on the mandrel.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising controlling the actuator based on rotation of the mandrel and detected deformation of the mandrel.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the force has a first component that opposes a gravity component of a deformation force and has a second component that opposes a fiber placement head component of the deformation force.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Kimball Nicklaus Cummings
• Mcnulty Michael John
• Loftus Robert

Classifications

• B29L2031/3076

  Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08) · CPC title

• B29C70/32 Primary

  on a rotating mould, former or core · CPC title

• B29C33/76

  Cores (B29C33/02 - B29C33/70, {B29C41/40, B29C53/74, B29C53/82} take precedence) · CPC title

• B21D22/16 Primary

  over shaping mandrels or formers · CPC title

• B29C53/82

  Cores or mandrels · CPC title