Zonal lamination for composite parts in a moving line

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12319015-B2
Application number	US-202117454257-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2021
Priority date	Nov 18, 2020
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating composite parts. The method includes subdividing a laminate into zones, laying up tows of fiber reinforced material for the laminate over a layup mandrel via multiple laminations such that each lamination head applies tows in a different zone, and splicing the zones together to form the laminate during the laying up of the tows while moving the layup mandrel in a process direction during fabrication of the composite parts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for fabricating a composite part, the method comprising:
subdividing laying up of a laminate into zones;
applying tows of fiber reinforced material for the laminate over a layup mandrel via multiple lamination heads such that each lamination head applies tows in a different zone;
splicing the zones together to form the laminate during the laying up of the tows by cutting through applied tows and offsetting cut positions for neighboring plies of the cut applied tows; and
moving the layup mandrel in a process direction during fabrication of the composite part.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the layup mandrel comprises a mandrel for a half-barrel section; and
subdividing the laying up of the laminate into zones comprises assigning lamination head to zones.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the layup mandrel comprises a layup mandrel for a wing panel; and
subdividing the laying up of the laminate into zones comprises assigning lamination heads to zones proceeding from a tip of the wing panel to a root of the wing panel.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the layup mandrel comprises a layup mandrel for a wing panel; and
subdividing the laying up of the laminate into zones comprises assigning lamination heads to zones proceeding from a fore of the wing panel to an aft of the wing panel.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying additional tows of fiber reinforced material at the same time via the lamination heads such that each lamination head applies tows in a different zone.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
indexing the layup mandrel to the lamination heads; and
applying additional tows of fiber reinforced material at the same time via the lamination heads, wherein each of the lamination heads applies tows in a new zone.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
applying the tows comprises:
operating the lamination heads along a shared track to lay up the tows.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
applying the tows comprises:
operating the lamination heads along individual tracks to lay up the tows.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
applying the tows comprises:
applying tows by a first lamination station and applying tows by a second lamination station.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying regions at the laminate which will receive pad-ups, wherein:
subdividing the laying up of the laminate into zones comprises assigning lamination heads to perform layup in each zone, and placing splices between the zones in locations that do not intersect pad-ups at the laminate.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
subdividing the laying up of the laminate into zones comprises assigning lamination heads to perform layup in each zone, and placing splices between the zones in a staggered pattern.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
hardening the laminate onto the layup mandrel.

13. A method for designing a laminate, the method comprising:
subdividing a design for a laminate into zones for lamination heads, such that different zones receive layup from different lamination heads; and
placing splices into the design between the zones within contiguous regions by cutting through applied tows and offsetting cut positions for neighboring plies of the cut applied tows.

14. A method for inserting a splice into a laminate, the method comprising:
cutting through an applied tow to form a splice between zones assigned to different lamination heads in a design for a laminate;
identifying a neighboring ply; and
offsetting a cut position for the neighboring ply from the cut.

15. A method for fabricating a composite part from a laminate, the method comprising:
moving a layup mandrel in a process direction during fabrication of a composite part to expose zones for lamination-to-lamination heads;
subdividing the laying up of a laminate into zones;
applying tows of fiber reinforced material to a layup mandrel via multiple lamination heads such that each lamination head applies tows in a different zone; and
splicing the zones together to form a single laminate while applying the tows by cutting through applied tows and offsetting cut positions for neighboring plies of the cut applied tows.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the layup mandrel comprises a mandrel for a half-barrel section; and
the subdividing the laying up of the laminate into zones comprises assigning lamination head to zones.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the layup mandrel comprises layup mandrel for a wing panel; and
the subdividing the laying up of the laminate into zones comprises assigning lamination heads to zones proceeding from a tip of the wing panel to a root of the wing panel.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the layup mandrel comprises a layup mandrel for a wing panel; and
the subdividing the laying up of the laminate into zones comprises assigning lamination heads to zones proceeding from a fore of the wing panel to an aft of the wing panel.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
applying additional tows of fiber reinforced material at the same time via the lamination heads such that each lamination head applies tows in a different zone.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
indexing the layup mandrel to the lamination heads; and
applying additional tows of fiber reinforced material at the same time via the lamination heads, wherein each of the lamination heads applies tows in a new zone.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
applying the tows comprises:
operating the lamination heads along a shared track to lay up the tows.

22. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
applying the tows comprises:
operating the lamination heads along individual tracks to lay up the tows.

23. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
applying the tows comprises:
applying tows by a first lamination station and applying tows by a second lamination station.

24. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
identifying regions at the laminate which will receive pad-ups, wherein:
the subdividing the laying up of the laminate into zones comprises assigning lamination heads to perform layup in each zone, and placing splices between the zones in locations that do not intersect pad-ups at the laminate.

25. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the subdividing the laying up of the laminate into zones comprises assigning lamination heads to perform layup in each zone, and placing splices between the zones in a staggered pattern.

26. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
hardening the laminate onto the layup mandrel.

27. A method for fabricating a composite part from a laminate, the method comprising:
subdividing the laying up of a laminate into zones;
moving a layup mandrel in a process direction;
applying tows of fiber reinforced material to the layup mandrel simultaneously via multiple lamination heads such that each lamination head applies tows in a different zone; and
splicing the zones together to form a single laminate while applying the tows by cutting through applied tows and offsetting cut positions for neighboring plies of the cut applied tows.

28. A method for fabricating a composite part from a laminate, comprising:
moving a layup mandrel in a process direction;
indexing the layup mandrel to lamin

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Smith Daniel R
• Jones Darrell D
• Louie Michael Kenneth-Que
• Miller Ii Richard Allen
• Erickson Jordan Seth

Classifications

• B29L2031/3076

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

• B29K2307/04

  Carbon · CPC title

• B29K2105/0881

  unidirectional · CPC title

• B29C70/545

  Perforating, cutting or machining during or after moulding · CPC title

• B29C70/304

  In-plane lamination by juxtaposing or interleaving of plies, e.g. scarf joining · CPC title