Systems and methods for using light to indicate defect locations on a composite structure

• US 20050225753A1
• Filed: 04/12/2004
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Engelbart, Roger W., Speno, Frank Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,193,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/237.100
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/384 Fiber placement heads, e.g. component parts, details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8472 Investigation of composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/418 Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control [DNC], flexible manufacturing systems [FMS], integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] or computer integrated manufacturing [CIM]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31048 Project on workpiece, image of finished workpiece, info or a spot
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A method for using light to indicate locations of flaws and defects on a composite structure generally includes electronically accessing positional data defining one or more defect locations on a composite structure. The positional data can be extracted from a part fabrication file in which resides numerical control (NC) data that can be used by a material placement machine to fabricate the composite structure. The method also includes automatically causing at least one light source to direct light at the composite structure to indicate the defect locations as defined by the positional data. Accordingly, the light allows the defect locations to be readily ascertained for later action, such as manual defect repair and/or FOD removal by an operator.

Claims

1. A method for indicating defect locations on a composite structure, the method comprising:

electronically accessing positional data defining a defect location on a composite structure; and

automatically causing a light source to direct light at the composite structure to indicate the defect location as defined by the positional data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronically accessing includes extracting the positional data from a part fabrication file, the part fabrication file including numerical control (NC) data for a material placement machine to fabricate the composite structure.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the electronically accessing includes receiving a signal indicating detection of a defect by an inspection system inspecting the composite structure for defects, and extracting the positional data from the part fabrication file in response to the received signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the electronically accessing includes, upon completion of a ply of the composite structure by the material placement machine, accessing the extracted positional data defining defect locations on the completed ply; and

the automatically causing including automatically causing the light source to direct light at the completed ply to indicate the defect locations on the completed ply.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically causing includes creating a program to automatically generate instructions, in connection with the positional data, for automatically causing the light source to direct light at the composite structure to indicate the defect location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically causing includes, upon completion of a ply of the composite structure by a material placement machine, automatically causing the light source to direct light at the completed ply of the composite structure to indicate the defect locations on the completed ply.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically causing includes automatically causing the light source to direct light at the defect location to illuminate the defect location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a laser.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the automatically causing includes automatically splitting the light emitted by the laser to indicate a plurality of defect locations on the composite structure.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically causing includes using light to indicate and distinguish among one or more different types of defects.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically causing includes using light to indicate and distinguish among one or more different categories of acceptance criteria for defects.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically causing includes having the light source direct light at composite structure to indicate the defect location at least until the defect at the defect location is repaired.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a defect is unacceptable, and wherein the automatically causing includes having the light source direct light at the composite structure to indicate only defect locations of defects determined to be unacceptable.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically causing includes indicating one or more defect locations within a region on the composite structure by having the light source direct light to indicate the region.

15. A system for indicating defect locations on a composite structure, the system comprising:

at least one light source;

a controller associated with the light source to control operation of the light source;

a program executable by the controller, the program including;

a computer executable module for electronically accessing positional data defining a defect location on a composite structure; and

a computer executable module for automatically generating instructions for automatically causing the controller to operate the light source such that the light source directs light at the composite structure to indicate the defect location as defined by the positional data.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a computer executable module for extracting the positional data from a part fabrication file including numerical control (NC) data for a material placement machine to fabricate the composite structure.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a computer executable module for receiving a signal indicating detection of a defect by an inspection system inspecting the composite structure for defects, and wherein the positional data is extracted from the part fabrication file in response to the received signal.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a computer executable module for accessing, upon completion of a ply of the composite structure by the material placement machine, the extracted positional data defining defect locations on the completed ply; and

wherein the controller operates the light source such that the light source directs light at the completed ply to indicate the defect locations on the completed ply.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller operates the light source, upon completion of a ply of the composite structure by a material placement machine, such that the light source directs light at the completed ply to indicate the defect locations on the completed ply.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the light source comprises a laser.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a light-splitting device to split the light emitted by the laser to indicate a plurality of defect locations on the composite structure.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the program includes a computer executable module for communicating with an inspection system inspecting the composite structure for defects.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein the program includes a computer executable module for communicating with a material placement machine fabricating the composite structure.

24. A program comprising:

a computer executable module for electronically accessing positional data defining a defect location on a composite structure; and

a computer executable module for automatically generating instructions for automatically causing a light source to direct light at the composite structure to indicate the defect location as defined by the positional data.

25. The program of claim 24, further comprising a computer executable module for extracting the positional data from a part fabrication file, the part fabrication file including numerical control (NC) data for a material placement machine to fabricate the composite structure.

26. The program of claim 25, further comprising a computer executable module for receiving a signal indicating detection of a defect by an inspection system inspecting the composite structure for defects, and wherein the positional data is extracted from the part fabrication file in response to the received signal.

27. The program of claim 26, further comprising a computer executable module for accessing, upon completion of a ply of the composite structure by the material placement machine, the extracted positional data defining defect locations on the completed ply, and wherein the instructions automatically cause the light source to direct light at the completed ply to indicate the defect locations on the completed ply.

28. The program of claim 24, further comprising a computer executable module for communicating with an inspection system capable of inspecting the composite structure.

29. The program of claim 24, further comprising a computer executable module for communicating with a material placement machine fabricating the composite structure.