US 11,654,641 B2
Composite ply placement system and method
Long Ly, Renton, WA (US); Scott Krajca, Seattle, WA (US); Darrell Jones, Mill Creek, WA (US); Chace Wilcoxson, Kent, WA (US); Mark Bunker, Seattle, WA (US); Joel Crain, Renton, WA (US); and Keegan Chamberlain, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Nov. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/516,050.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/199,095, filed on Dec. 7, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0176650 A1, Jun. 9, 2022
Int. Cl. B32B 41/00 (2006.01); B29C 70/38 (2006.01); B29C 70/54 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/38 (2013.01) [B29C 70/54 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for placing a composite ply, the system comprising:
a transfer end effector that is movable relative to a carrier transfer device, configured to convey a ply carrier that supports the composite ply; and
a placement end effector that is movable relative to the transfer end effector and to a forming tool,
wherein:
the transfer end effector comprises a magnetic chuck that is configured to magnetically engage the ply carrier, supporting the composite ply, to remove the ply carrier from the carrier transfer device and to position the ply carrier for removal by the placement end effector; and
the placement end effector is configured to remove the ply carrier from the transfer end effector and to apply the composite ply to the forming tool.