METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMPOSITE PART DATA EXTRACTION

• US 20090112540A1
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Fisher, Phillip J., Shirron, Paul J., Mullins, Donald M., Kessel, Jamie A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,442,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/8
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/10 using patches sealing on the surface of the article B29C73/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/008 Cut plane or projection plane definition

Abstract

A computer implemented method for generating a section cut in a model of a part. A location on the part is identified. An axis system is created at the location in the model of the part, wherein the axis system has an axis that is normal to a surface at the location in the model of the part. Section cuts intersecting the surface and plies below the surface are created. A plurality of sampling points on the surface is identified based on the section cuts. Core sampling is preformed using the plurality of sampling points to generate sampled data.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for generating a section cut in a model of a part, the computer implemented method comprising:

identifying a location on the part;

creating an axis system at the location in the model of the part, wherein the axis system has an axis that is normal to a surface at the location in the model of the part;

creating section cuts intersecting the surface and plies below the surface;

identifying a plurality of sampling points on the surface based on the section cuts; and

performing core sampling using the plurality of sampling points to generate sampled data.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating an output file from the sampled data.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the creating step comprises:

creating the axis system having a damage axis at the location in the model of the part, wherein the damage axis is normal to the surface of the part at the location in the model of the part.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the section cuts and the axis system in the model of the part.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the plurality of sampling points in a plurality of files; and

creating a master file identifying the plurality of files.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the performing step comprises:

selecting a file from the plurality of files using the master file to form a selected file;

performing the core sampling of a point identified in the selected file, wherein information about a set of plies associated with the point is identified; and

storing the information in the sampled data.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6 further comprising:

repeating the selecting step, the performing step, and the storing step until all of the plurality of files have been processed.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a data extraction tool capable of identifying a location on a part;

creating an axis system at the location in a model of the part, wherein the axis system has an axis that is normal to a surface at the location in the model of the part;

creating section cuts intersecting the surface and plies below the surface;

identifying a plurality of sampling points on the surface based on the section cuts; and

performing core sampling using the plurality of sampling points to generate sampled data; and

a data processing system, wherein the data extraction tool executes on the data processing system.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data extraction tool is capable of generating an output file from the sampled data.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the axis system has a damage axis that is normal to the surface of the part at the location in the model of the part.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data extraction tool is further capable of storing the section cuts and the axis system in the model of the part.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data extraction tool is further capable of storing the plurality of sampling points in a plurality files, and creating a master file identifying the plurality of files.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein in performing the core sampling using the plurality of sampling points to generate the sampled data, the data extraction tool is capable of selecting a file from the plurality of files using the master file to form a selected file;

performing the core sampling of a point identified in the selected file, wherein information about a set of plies associated with the point is identified; and

storing the information in the sampled data.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the data extraction tool comprises:

a core identification unit;

a surface generation unit;

a core sampling unit; and

an output generation unit.

15. A computer program product comprising:

a computer recordable storage medium,

program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for identifying a location on a part;

program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for creating an axis system at the location in a model of the part, wherein the axis system has an axis that is normal to a surface at the location in the model of the part;

program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for creating section cuts intersecting the surface and plies below the surface;

program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for identifying a plurality of sampling points on the surface based on the section cuts; and

program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for performing core sampling using the plurality of sampling points to generate sampled data.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for generating an output file from the sampled data.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for creating the axis system at the location in the model of the part, wherein the axis system has the axis that is normal to the surface at the location in the model of the part comprises:

program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for creating the axis system at the location in the model of the part, wherein the axis system has a damage axis that is normal to the surface of the part at the location in the model of the part.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for storing the section cuts and the axis system in the model of the part.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for storing the plurality of sampling points in a plurality of files; and

program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for creating a master file identifying the plurality of files.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for performing the core sampling using the plurality of sampling points to generate the sampled data comprises:

program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for selecting a file from the plurality of files using the master file to form a selected file;

program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for performing the core sampling of a point identified in the selected file, wherein information about a set of plies associated with the point is identified; and

program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for storing the information in the sampled data.