Apparatus and method for manufacturing composite structures

• US 4,591,402 A
• Filed: 07/05/1983
• Issued: 05/27/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. (Triumph Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LTV Aerospace and Defense Company
• Inventors: Murray, William J., Evans, Charles B.
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMMONS, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US06/511,441
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 156/350, 156/361, 156/353, 156/521, 156/522, 156/504, 156/523, 156/540-541, 156/152, 156/247, 156/249, 156/344, 156/574, 156/517, 83/71
• US Class Current: 156/350
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/388 Tape placement heads, e.g. component parts, details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/545 Perforating, cutting or machining during or after moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/51 Automobile
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/182 characterised by the machine tool function, e.g. thread cutting, cam making, tool direction control G05B19/21 - G05B19/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45238 Tape, fiber, glue, material dispensing in layers, beads, filling, sealing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49015 Wire, strang laying, deposit fluid, welding, adhesive, hardening, solidification, fuse
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50071 Store actual surface in memory before machining, compare with reference surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50353 Tool, probe inclination, orientation to surface, posture, attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50356 Tool perpendicular, normal to 3-D surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1322 Severing before bonding or assembling of parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1348 Work traversing type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1705 Lamina transferred to base from adhered flexible web or sheet type carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1788 Work traversing type and/or means applying work to wall or static structure

Abstract

An apparatus for forming composite, fiber/resin components with fibrous, resin-impregnated tape is disclosed. The apparatus employs a gantry for positioning a tape dispensing head assembly over a mold structure, which defines a mold surface of planar or contoured configuration. A control system is employed having sensing devices for generating signals indicative of relative positions of components of the apparatus in several axes of permissible movement, and tape application is effected by means of major and secondary command inputs to appropriate servomotor devices. Primary and initial movement is controlled in accordance with a sequence command program in cooperation with a resident program in a digital computer, and a second, adaptive control system is alternatively employed for enabling the tape dispensing head to follow vertical contours of the mold surface during X-Y movement across the surface.

Claims

1. An apparatus for applying a composite tape to a mold, comprising:

a tape dispenser head for dispensing the composite tape;

a mold having a surface adapted for receiving the tape;

gantry means for translating the dispenser head over the mold in a desired pattern;

control means for defining a preselected pattern of tape lengths on the mold surface by activating the dispenser head to cut the tape into lengths corresponding to respective lateral dimensions of a selected pattern;

the tape dispenser head having a supply reel comprising means adapted to receive a composite tape structure having a fibrous tape layer impregnated with an uncured resin, and a backing strip adjacent the fibrous strip;

further comprising means having a stylus blade with a cutting edge oriented substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the dispensed fibrous tape layer and means for moving the blade across and through the fibrous tape layer and adjacent the backing strip, the means translating the blade comprising means preventing severing of the backing strip.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the cutting means comprising means for cutting fibrous composite tape extending between the supply reel and the applicator means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, including means mounting the cutting blade means and exposing a selectable cutting blade height projecting toward the tape structure by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the fibrous tape.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

control means for moving said blade across the composite tape while said gantry means is translating the dispenser head over the mold and the tape is being dispensed from the tape dispenser head.

5. Apparatus for applying a composite tape, adhered to a backing strip, to a mold surface, comprising:

an applicator means for urging the composite tape against the mold and for adhering the composite tape to the mold surface;

means for separating the backing strip from the fibrous strip adhered to the mold surface, said means including take-up reel means for collecting the backing strip and for imparting tension to the backing strip for stripping it from the composite tape;

cutting means for cutting the fibrous tape, the means for separating the fibrous tape from the backing tape further comprising tensioning means for collecting the backing strip which is separated from the fibrous tape while sustaining tension on the backing strip extending between the supply reel and the take-up reel;

further comprising means for translating the applicator means and the tensioning means between a first relative orientation, in which the applicator means is positioned adjacent the mold surface and comprises means urging the tape structure against the mold surface and in which the tensioning means is spaced from the mold surface and comprises means guiding the backup tape along a path spaced from the mold surface and spaced from the fibrous tape applied to the mold surface, and a second relative orientation in which the applicator means is spaced from the mold surface and the tensioning means is positioned adjacent the mold surface and comprises means urging a portion of the backing strip which has been separated from the fibrous tape into contact with the fibrous tape which has been adhered to the mold surface, the applicator means and the tensioning means comprising, when in their second relative orientation, means guiding the fibrous tape from the applicator means toward the tensioning means and into contact with the mold surface and thereby defining a tensioned length of the fibrous tape extending between the applicator means and the tensioning means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, cutter means comprising means for cutting the tensioned length of fibrous tape extending between the applicator means and the tensioning means when the applicator means and tensioning means are in their second relative orientation.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, the cutting means comprising means for cutting composite tape which is adjacent a backing strip.

8. An apparatus for manufacturing three dimensionally contoured composite structures comprised of layers of adherently bonded flexible tape formed in a desired pattern on a removeable contoured receiving surface, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a support structure;

(b) first means moveably mounted on said support structure including tape dispenser means for controllably dispensing said tape and cutter means for controllably cutting said tape;

(c) a bed member for supporting a mold having a contoured receiving surface;

(d) second means for selectively at least horizontally moving said first means with respect to said contoured receiving surface along selected paths, said first means being controllable to dispense said tape over said receiving surface as said first means is selectively moved with respect thereto;

(e) control means including;

(i) user programable third means coupled to said second means and responsive to digital coordinate data for controlling said second means to selectively move said first means over the receiving surface to dispense said tape on said receiving surface and for controlling said cutter means to selectively cut said tape into lengths corresponding to the outer dimensions of said receiving surface as defined by said digital coordinate data while said first means is being moved across said receiving surface; and

,

(ii) automatic fourth means operating independently of said third means including sensor means for detecting the contour of said surface and means coupled to said second means for vertically positioning said first means with respect to said contoured receiving surface.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 where said programmable third means includes means for grossly controlling the vertical position of said first means and said automatic fourth means includes means for finely controlling the vertical position of said first means.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said first means is radially moveable about an axis and wherein said automatic fourth means includes means for controlling the position of said first means about said axis to follow the contour of said receiving surface.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 where said programmable third means includes means for grossly controlling the angular position of said first means and said automatic fourth means includes means for finely controlling the angular position of said first means.

12. An apparatus for manufacturing a composite structure, the apparatus being of the type operable for applying composite tape in a desired pattern on a receiving surface, comprising:

(a) structure defining a mold surface;

(b) first means for containing and dispensing the composite tape;

(c) second means, for translating the first means across the mold surface along selected paths;

(d) third means, having programmable control means, for defining a preselected pattern of tape lengths to be cut for application on the mold surface by cutting the tape into lengths corresponding to respective spatial dimensions of a desired configuration; and

(e) fourth means including tape cutting means having blade means and control means for transversely moving said blade means across the tape while the first means is being translated in a continuous motion across the mold surface and the tape is continuously being dispensed by the first means over the mold surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the third means includes operator controllable data input means for altering the preselected pattern defined by the programmable means.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the fourth means comprises a scribe member, mounting means for holding the scribe in a preselected position, movable means for moving the mounting means, with the scribe member held thereby, traversely across the tape, and means for actuating the movable means when the first means reaches a preselected position relative to the mold surface.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the mounting means includes a face surface adapted to slidably contact the tape, and comprises a means utilizing the surface of the tape as a reference plane from which cutting depth is derived.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the fourth means is coupled to the third means and is controlled thereby.

17. An apparatus for manufacturing a composite structure of the type adapted for applying composite tape in a desired pattern to a receiving surface, comprising:

structure defining a mold surface;

first means for containing and dispensing the tape;

second means, for translating the first means across the mold surface along selected paths;

third means, having operator programmable means, for defining a preselected pattern of tape lengths on the mold surface by cutting the tape into lengths corresponding to respective spacial dimensions of a desired configuration while said first means is being translated across said mold surface;

fourth means, responsive to elevationed variances in the mold surface, for causing the first means to track the contour of the mold surface during translation of the first means across the mold surface.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, the control means further comprising fourth means having sensing means for producing signals variable in correspondence with the position of the dispenser head relative to the mold, for enabling the first means to follow the contour of the mold surface as the first means is translated across the mold surface.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, the control means including a numerically controlled digital computer and program means for directing the formation of the desired configuration, further comprising means for actuating the fourth means independently of the program means upon the first means being translated across the mold surface.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, the second means having Z-axis positioning means for translating the first means toward and away from the mold, and R-axis positioning means for arcuately translating the first means about an axis substantially parallel to the direction of translation of the first means along the mold surface.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, the fourth means comprising sensing means adapted to contact the mold surface and provide a variable output related to the position of the first means relative to the mold surface, the second means comprising servocontrol means for effecting position corrective translation of the first means at a velocity which corresponds with the intensity of an output signal derived from the sensing means.

22. An apparatus for applying a composite tape to a mold, comprising:

a tape dispenser head for dispensing the composite tape;

a mold having a surface adapted for receiving the tape;

gantry means for translating the dispenser head over the mold in a desired pattern;

control means for defining a preselected pattern of tape lengths on the mold surface by activating the dispenser head to cut the tape into lengths corresponding to respective lateral dimensions of a selected pattern;

the tape dispenser head having a supply reel comprising means adapted to receive a composite tape structure having a fibrous tape layer impregnated with an uncured resin and adapted to be cured to form a structural unit, and a backing strip adjacent the fibrous strip;

further comprising means having a blade with the cutting edge oriented selectively at an angle ranging from a first to a second position wherein the first position is with the blade substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and the second position is with the blade substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the dispensed fibrous tape layer and means for translating the blade across and through the fibrous tape layer and adjacent the backing strip, the means translating the blade comprising means preventing serration of the backing strip.

23. An apparatus for applying a composite tape to a contoured mold comprising:

a tape dispenser means for dispensing tape therefrom;

dispenser translating means for translating the dispenser means over the mold in a desired pattern;

numerically controlled digital computer and program means for defining a preselected pattern of tape lengths on the mold surface for cutting the tape into lengths corresponding to respective spatial dimensions of a desired configuration while said translating means is translating said tape dispenser means across said mold surface;

control means for controlling the movement of said tape dispenser means such that said dispenser means is capable of following the contour of the mold surface as said dispenser means is translated across the mold surface, and

means for actuating said control means independently of said program means upon translation of said dispenser means across the mold surface.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said dispenser translating means comprises:

a gantry extending over the mold and gantry supporting track means adapted to be mounted adjacent the mold.

25. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said tape dispenser means includes a tape dispenser head for dispensing tape therefrom, and

wherein said sensor means for detecting the contour of said surface controls the vertical position of the head relative to the mold contour.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said sensor means further comprises means for detecting the angular relationship of the dispenser head relative to the mold surface and for arcuate movement of said head relative to the mold surface such that said head is maintained substantially flat against said mold surface as said head moves across the surface.

27. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said tape dispenser means includes a tape dispenser head for dispensing tape therefrom, and wherein said sensor means for detecting the contour of said surface controls the angular relationship of the dispenser head relative to the mold surface to position said head substantially flat against the mold surface.

28. An apparatus for manufacturing a composite structure of the type adapted for applying composite tape in a desired pattern to a receiving surface, comprising:

structure defining a contoured mold surface;

first means for containing and dispensing the tape;

second means for translating the first means across the mold surface along said selected paths;

third means having operator programmable means for defining a preselected pattern of tape lengths on the mold surface by cutting the tape into lengths corresponding to the respective spatial dimensions of a desired configuration while said first means is being translated across the mold surface;

fourth means independent of the programmable third means responsive to elevational variances in the mold surface for causing the first means to track the contour of the mold surface during translation of the first means across the mold surface.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said second means for translating the dispenser means over the mold comprises:

a gantry extending over the mold and gantry support track means adapted to be mounted adjacent the mold.

30. The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said tape dispenser means includes a tape dispenser head for dispensing tape therefrom, and wherein said sensor means for detecting the contour of said surface controls the vertical position of the head relative to the mold surface.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30 wherein said sensor means further comprises means for detecting the angular relationship of the dispenser head relative to the mold surface and for arcuate movement of said head relative to the mold surface such that said head is maintained substantially flat against said mold surface as said head moves across the surface.

32. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said tape dispenser means includes a tape dispenser head for dispensing tape therefrom, and

wherein said sensor means for detecting the contour of said surface detects the angular relationship of the dispenser head relative to the mold surface and provides arcuate movement of said head relative to the mold surface such that said head is maintained substantially flat against said mold surface as said head moves across the surface.

33. An apparatus for manufacturing three dimensionally contoured composite structures comprised of layers of adherently bonded flexible tape formed in a desired pattern on a contoured receiving surface, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a support structure;

(b) first means movably mounted on said support structure including tape dispenser means for controllably dispensing said tape and cutter means for controllably cutting said tape;

(c) a bed member for supporting a mold having a contoured receiving surface;

(d) second means for selectively at least horizontally moving said first means with respect to said contoured receiving surface along selected paths, said first means being controllable to dispense said tape over said receiving surface as said first means is selectively moved with respect thereto;

(e) control means including;

(i) user programmable third means coupled to said second means and responsive to digital coordinate data for controlling said second means to selectively move said first means over the receiving surface to dispense said tape on said receiving surface and for controlling said cutter means to selectively cut said tape into lengths corresponding to the predetermined dimensions of said receiving surface as defined by said digital coordinate data while said first means is being moved across said receiving surface; and

(ii) automatic fourth means operating independently of said third means including sensor means for detecting the contour of said surface and means coupled to said second means for angularly positioning said first means with respect to said contour receiving surface.