Apparatus and method for automated layup of composite structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016263879-A1
Application number	US-201514656424-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 12, 2015
Priority date	Mar 12, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for forming a material layer onto a form tool may include at least one nosepiece configured to laterally sweep a ply carrier onto a form tool contour. The apparatus may include a pair of tension arms configured to support opposing lateral sides of a ply carrier having a material layer mounted to a lower surface thereof. The apparatus may include one or more actuators configured to position the tension arms during forming of the ply carrier to the form tool contour. The one or more actuators may be configured to sense and control lateral tension in the ply carrier during forming of the ply carrier to the form tool contour.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for forming a material layer onto a form tool, comprising:
at least one nosepiece configured to laterally sweep a ply carrier onto a form tool contour; a pair of tension arms configured to support opposing lateral sides of a ply carrier having a material layer mounted to a lower surface thereof; one or more actuators configured to position the tension arms during forming of the ply carrier to the form tool contour; and the one or more actuators being configured to sense and control lateral tension in the ply carrier during forming of the ply carrier to the form tool contour.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuators of the tension arms include:
a tension arm vertical position actuator operative to translate at least one of the tension arms and sense lateral tension in the ply carrier.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , further including:
a vertical counterbalance cylinder operative to counterbalance a mass of the tension arm during translation in such a manner allowing the tension arm vertical position actuator to sense and maintain lateral tension in the ply carrier within a predetermined range.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuators of the tension arms include:
a rotational position actuator operative to adjust an angular position of the tension arms and sense lateral tension in the ply carrier.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further including at least one of:
a rotational counterbalance cylinder operative to counterbalance a mass of the tension arm during pivoting in such a manner allowing the rotational position actuator to sense and maintain lateral tension in the ply carrier within a predetermined range.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further including:
a chord frame having opposing ends and supporting the tension arms; and one or more Z actuators at each end of the chord frame operative to adjust a pitch angle of the chord frame relative to the form tool.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further including:
at least one stomp foot actuator operative to clamp the ply carrier to the form tool.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , further including:
a stomp beam coupled to a chord frame and supporting the stomp foot actuator; and at least one stomp beam actuator configured to vertically position the stomp beam relative to the chord frame.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further including:
at least one nosepiece configured to sweep along the form tool and conform the ply carrier and material layer to the form tool contour.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further including:
one or more forming module actuators configured to sense and control compaction pressure applied by the nosepiece onto the ply carrier.

11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further including:
a pair of forming beams coupled to a chord frame and supporting an array of forming modules each having a nosepiece; and a pair of forming Z′ actuators and a pair of forming Y actuators at each of opposing ends of each one of the forming beams and configured to translate the forming beams relative to the chord frame.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the ply carrier has a higher degree of elasticity along a lengthwise direction of the form tool than along a lateral direction.

13 . A stringer forming apparatus for laying up a course of composite material on a form tool, comprising:
a tension management system, including:
a pair of tension arms configured to support opposing lateral sides of a ply carrier having a course mounted thereto;
one or more actuators configured to sense and control lateral tension in the ply carrier during forming to a form tool contour;
a stomp system, including:
an array of stomp foot actuators configured to clamp the ply carrier onto the form tool; and
a forming system, including:
an array of forming modules each including a nosepiece configured to form the ply carrier to the form tool contour and sense and control compaction pressure applied by the nosepiece onto the ply carrier.

14 . A method of laying up a material layer, comprising the steps of:
positioning a ply carrier over a form tool, the ply carrier having a material layer mounted to a lower surface of the ply carrier; conforming the ply carrier to a form tool contour; and maintaining lateral tension in the ply carrier within a predetermined range during the conforming of the ply carrier to the form tool contour.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of maintaining lateral tension in the ply carrier comprises:
supporting the ply carrier on opposing lateral sides using a pair of tension arms actuated by one or more actuators; counterbalancing a mass of the tensions arms; sensing, using the one or more actuators, the lateral tension in the ply carrier based on force remaining on the tension arms after counterbalancing the mass; and adjusting, using the one or more actuators, the position of the tension arms in such a manner to maintain the lateral tension with the predetermined range.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further including the step of:
peeling the ply carrier away from the form tool.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of peeling the ply carrier includes:
sensing and maintaining lateral tension in the ply carrier within a predetermined range during the peeling of the ply carrier.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of conforming the ply carrier includes:
laterally sweeping a nosepiece across the form tool.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of laterally sweeping the nosepiece includes:
compacting the ply carrier and material layer against the form tool during sweeping of the nosepiece.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of compacting the ply carrier and material layer includes:
sensing and maintaining, using at least one of a forming module actuator and a cylinder, compaction pressure of the nosepiece on the ply carrier within a predetermined range.

21 . The method of claim 14 , further including:
stomping the ply carrier onto the form tool prior to conforming the ply carrier to the form tool contour.

22 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of positioning the ply carrier includes:
adjusting a pitch angle of the ply carrier to be complementary to a local chord angle of the form tool prior to conforming the ply carrier to the form tool contour.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Desjardien Matthew R
• Rafferty Blake
• Karas Michael
• Bunker Mark S
• Lund Erik
• Hanson Garrett C
• Holley Stephen G
• Lee Benjamin B
• O'Connell John D
• Morris John D
• Flolid Derek J
• Howard Bruce S
• Boberg Mark C
• Walker Eric J
• Studley Silas L
• Willis Derek

Classifications

• B29C70/38

  Automated lay-up, e.g. using robots, laying filaments according to predetermined patterns {(application heads for tyres B29D30/28)} · CPC title

• B29L2031/3085

  Wings · CPC title

• B32B37/14

  characterised by the properties of the layers · CPC title

• B29C70/386 Primary

  Automated tape laying [ATL] · CPC title

• B32B2309/16

  Tension · CPC title