Visual Fiber Placement Inspection

• US 20110017381A1
• Filed: 10/05/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ingersoll Machine Tools Incorporated (Camozzi Industries SpA)
• Original Assignee: Ingersoll Machine Tools Incorporated (Camozzi Industries SpA)
• Inventors: Oldani, Tino
• Application Number:
  US12/897,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20110017381A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/64
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2037/903 by means of a computer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2037/906 using visualisation means or linked accessories, e.g. screens, printers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/382 Automated fiber placement [AFP]
• 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: G01N 21/8851 Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for performing, on-the-fly, real time inspection of a composite structure formed by an automated fiber placement machine, through comparison of a visual image of at least a portion of the composite structure to a virtual image of the composite structure. Proper formation of the structure, and/or anomalies within the structure, are determined by comparing the visual image to the virtual image. The automated fiber placement machine, and/or tooling upon which the fiber is placed, are manipulated, and a visual indicator are provided to facilitate inspection and/or repair of any detected anomalies during fabrication of the composite structure.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting a composite structure formed from one or more composite tows by an automated fiber placement machine, the method comprising:

providing a composite comparison device (CCD);

capturing by the CCD a visual image of at least a portion of the composite structure;

comparing by the CCD the visual image of at least a portion of the composite structure to a virtual image of the at least a portion of the composite structure.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, determining proper formation of the structure, by comparing the visual image of at least a portion of the part to the virtual image of the part.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, determining improper formation of the structure, by comparing the visual image of at least a portion of the structure to the virtual image of the part.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising manipulating the automated fiber placement machine to facilitate inspection and/or repair of the improper formation.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein, the method includes providing a visual indication of a detected imperfection.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising, providing a location of the imperfection on the structure.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, providing a visible indication of the location of the imperfection.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, the visible indication is provided by an automatically directed laser pointer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, moving the structure and/or at least a portion of the automated fiber placement machine to a position whereat the imperfection may by indicated by the laser pointer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure is formed from one or more plies having multiple tows, and the method further includes comparing a visual image of the tows in a given ply to a virtual image of the tows in a given ply.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the visual image of the tows is a two dimensional profile plot of an outer surface of the tows.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the automated fiber placement machine includes a fiber placement head, and the visual image is taken by a vision capture element operatively connected to the fiber placement head.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the vision capture element is mounted on the fiber placement head.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the fiber placement head includes a feed roller for feeding out one or more tows of material, and the method further comprises utilizing a rotation sensor operatively connected to the feed roller for synchronization of the visual image with the virtual image.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein one or both of the virtual image and the visual image are located along a U-axis extending through at least a portion of at least one course of material laid down by the automated fiber placement head during formation of the composite structure.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, having further computer executable instructions for performing the step of determining proper formation of the structure, by comparing the visual image of at least a portion of the part to the virtual image of the part.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, having further computer executable instructions for performing the step of determining improper formation of the structure, by comparing the visual image of at least a portion of the structure to the virtual image of the part.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, having further computer executable instructions for performing the step of manipulating the automated fiber placement machine to facilitate inspection and/or repair of the improper formation.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, having further computer executable instructions for performing the step of providing a location of the imperfection on the structure.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, having further computer executable instructions for performing the step of providing a visible indication of the location of the imperfection.

22. A method for inspecting a composite structure, formed by an automated fiber placement machine from a plurality of fiber tows laid down by the automated fiber placement machine, the method comprising:

constructing a virtual image of the structure, prior to forming the composite structure, defining a proper placement and configuration of each of the plurality of fiber tows within the composite structure;

providing a composite comparison device (CCD);

taking a visual image of the appearance of the tows forming at least a portion of the composite structure by the CCD, in real time, as the composite structure is formed by the automated fiber placement machine; and

then

comparing, by the CCD, the visual image of the appearance of the tows in the at least a portion of the structure to the proper configuration and placement of the fiber tows as defined in the virtual image of the at least a portion of the composite structure.

23. The method of claim 22, having further computer executable instructions for performing the step of determining proper formation of the structure, by comparing the visual image of at least a portion of the part to the virtual image of the part.

24. The method of claim 22, having further computer executable instructions for performing the step of determining improper formation of the structure, by comparing the visual image of at least a portion of the structure to the virtual image of the part.

25. The method of claim 24, having further computer executable instructions for performing the step of manipulating the automated fiber placement machine to facilitate inspection and/or repair of the improper formation.

26. The method of claim 22, having further computer executable instructions for performing the step of providing a location of the imperfection on the structure.

27. The method of claim 22, having further computer executable instructions for performing the step of providing a visible indication of the location of the imperfection.

28. An apparatus for inspecting a composite structure formed from one or more composite tows by an automated fiber placement machine, the apparatus comprising, a composite comparison device (CCD), for comparing a visual image of at least a portion of the composite structure to a virtual image of the at least a portion of the composite structure.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising, a vision capture element, for taking a visual image of a ply profile in the at least a portion of the composite structure, in real-time, on-the-fly, as the ply is laid down by the automated fiber placement machine, and for providing the visual image to the CCD.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising, a vision capture element, for taking a visual image of a ply profile in the at least a portion of the composite structure, in real-time, on-the-fly, as the ply is laid down by the automated fiber placement machine, and for providing the visual image to the CCD.