AUTOMATED FIBER PLACEMENT USING NETWORKED AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for fabricating a composite structure, comprising:
- a plurality of independently operable vehicles, the vehicles respectively performing differing tape application tasks; and
,a control system for controlling the independent operation of the vehicles.
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Abstract
A composite laminate is laid up by applying differently configured courses of composite tape over different sectors of a tool surface using a plurality of independently controlled tape application vehicles.
105 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for fabricating a composite structure, comprising:
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a plurality of independently operable vehicles, the vehicles respectively performing differing tape application tasks; and
,a control system for controlling the independent operation of the vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for fabricating a composite laminate structure, comprising:
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a tool surface over which plies of composite tape may be laid; a plurality of vehicles independently movable over the tool surface and respectively including differently configured composite tape application heads for independently applying differently configured courses of composite tape over the tool surface; and
,control means coupled with the vehicles for controlling the independent movement of the vehicles over the tool surface, and for controlling the operation of the tape application heads. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of applying at least one course of composite tape over a tool surface, comprising:
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coupling a plurality of autonomous vehicles in a network; equipping each of the vehicles with a composite tape application head for at applying at least one courses of composite tape over the tool surface; and coordinating the operation of the vehicles within the network, including dispatching the vehicles to apply courses of composite tape in different areas of the tool surface. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of laying up a composite laminate, comprising:
applying differently configured courses of composite tape over different sectors of a tool surface using a plurality of independently controlled tape application vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for fabricating a composite laminate aircraft part, comprising:
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a tool surface over which plies of composite tape may be applied; a plurality of autonomous vehicles each movable over the tool surface; a plurality of differently configured tape application heads respectively mounted on the vehicles for applying differently configured courses of composite tape over the tool surface; a wireless receiver on each of the vehicles; means for guiding the vehicles over the tool surface; a wireless transmitter for transmitting control signals to each of the receivers; a communications hub coupled with the wireless transmitter for routing the control signals to the vehicles; a processor coupled with the communications hub for assigning tape application tasks to each of the vehicles; data defining the part and used by the processor to assign the tape application tasks to the vehicles; and a program used by the processor to optimize the assignment of the tasks.
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25. A method of fabricating a composite laminate aircraft part, comprising:
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providing a tool surface over which composite tape may be applied; dividing the tool surface into a plurality of sectors; providing a plurality of autonomous vehicles; equipping the vehicles with differently configured tape application heads for applying courses of composite tape in different configurations; coupling the vehicles in a network; retrieving a ply definition of the part; optimizing tape application tasks to be performed by the vehicles based on the retrieved ply definition of the part; assigning tape application tasks to each of the vehicles; dispatching the vehicles from a staging area to the sectors based on the task assigned to the vehicles; and
,using the vehicles to independently apply courses of composite tape based on the tasks assigned to the vehicles.
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Specification