Production system for producing fibre composite material components

• US 9,375,907 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broetje-Automation GMBH (City of Shanghai), Deutsches Zentrum Fã¼R Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V.
• Original Assignee: Broetje-Automation GMBH (City of Shanghai), Deutsches Zentrum Fã¼R Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V.
• Inventors: Rstermundt, Dirk, Boge, Christian, Pause, Bernhard, Meyer, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): BELL, WILLIAM P
• Application Number:
  US13/819,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20130153154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 156/557, 156/574, 156/577
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/02 travelling along a guideway
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0084 comprising a plurality of manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/38 Automated lay-up, e.g. using robots, laying filaments according to predetermined patterns application heads for tyres B29D30/28
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/382 Automated fiber placement [AFP]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/386 Automated tape laying [ATL]
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3076 Aircrafts blades, propellers B29L2031/08
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/18 Handling of layers or the laminate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/12 Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with cutting, punching, piercing, severing or tearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1702 For plural parts or plural areas of single part

Abstract

To produce a fiber composite material component, a production system has a mold providing unit with at least one component mold. Fiber composite material can be applied to the at least one component mold by means of at least two production units. The at least two production units can be moved for this purpose on a guide path. The guide path runs round the mold providing unit so that the at least two production units can travel round the mold providing unit along the guide path. The productivity and flexibility of production can thereby be increased.

Claims

1. A production system for producing fibre composite material components, the production system comprising:

a mould providing unit, having at least one component mould for a fibre composite material component arranged on a mould support;

at least two production units movably arranged on a guide path for applying a fibre composite material to the at least one component mould, said guide path being configured to run around the mould providing unit; and

,

the at least two production units being driveable around the mould providing unit along the guide path, wherein the guide path comprises a first peripheral path for producing the fibre composite material component and a second peripheral path comprising a maintenance path portion which is separate from the first peripheral path for maintaining the at least two production units, wherein the maintenance path portion separates an interior maintenance space from an exterior maintenance space, and wherein a plurality of dead end-type station path portions are arranged on the maintenance path portion to form maintenance stations; and

,

said dead end station path portions extending into the interior maintenance space.

2. A production system according to claim 1, wherein the guide path forms at least one rectangular peripheral path.

3. A production system according to claim 1, wherein the guide path has a plurality of pivoting stations in right angle corners thereof, and wherein the at least two production units are pivotable to change the direction of travel.

4. A production system according to claim 1, wherein the guide path has two production path portions, whereby the two production path portions are arranged relative to the mould providing unit in such a way that the fibre composite material is applicable on two sides to the at least one component mould.

5. A production system according to claim 4, wherein the two production path portions are linear.

6. A production system according to claim 1, comprising at least five production units, wherein the at least five production units are self-sufficiently formed and are movable independently of one another.

7. A production system according to claim 1, wherein each of the production units comprises:

a slide, movable on the guide path;

a positioning device arranged on the slide;

a machining tool arranged on the positioning device for applying the fibre composite material;

a material store arranged on the slide for providing the fibre composite material;

an energy supply device arranged on the slide and configured in such a way that the production unit is freely movable along the entire guide path; and

,

a control device arranged on the slide.

8. A production system according to claim 7 wherein the material store is coolable.

9. A production system according to claim 7 wherein the energy supply device has a first sliding contact in contact with a second sliding contact arranged on the guide path to transmit electrical energy.

10. A production system according to claim 7, wherein the positioning device is configured as a robot and has at least four pivoting axes for the machining tool.

11. A production system according to claim 7, wherein the positioning device is configured as a robot and has at least five pivoting axes for the machining tool.

12. A production system according to claim 7, wherein the positioning device is configured as a robot and has at least six pivoting axes for the machining tool.

13. A production system according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the production units has a plurality of machining tools, and wherein each of the machining tools is replaceably fastened on the positioning device.

14. A production system according to claim 7, wherein the control device is configured in such a way that data is wirelessly transmittable to the control device by a master control device.

15. A production system according to claim 7, wherein the control device is configured in such a way that the control device controls the movement of the production unit independently of a master control unit.