US 11,911,977 B2
Machine configured to form a composite structure
Michael Kenneth-Que Louie, Renton, WA (US); Robert Graham Albers, Bellevue, WA (US); Jeron D. Moore, Lynnwood, WA (US); Luis A. Perla, Sammamish, WA (US); Gagandeep Saini, Snohomish, WA (US); Brice A. Johnson, Federal Way, WA (US); and Marcin A. Rabiega, Everett, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on May 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/313,074.
Application 17/313,074 is a division of application No. 15/977,981, filed on May 11, 2018, granted, now 11,020,913.
Prior Publication US 2021/0252807 A1, Aug. 19, 2021
Int. Cl. B29C 70/38 (2006.01); G05B 19/18 (2006.01); G05B 19/19 (2006.01); G05B 19/414 (2006.01); B29C 70/54 (2006.01); B32B 41/00 (2006.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/38 (2013.01) [B29C 70/388 (2013.01); B29C 70/54 (2013.01); B32B 41/00 (2013.01); G05B 19/182 (2013.01); G05B 19/19 (2013.01); G05B 19/414 (2013.01); B29L 2031/3076 (2013.01); B32B 2041/04 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45238 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A machine that comprises:
a composite placement machine programmed with a tool path defining a laydown surface of a single build composite structure comprising a plurality of composite plies;
measuring equipment configured to produce a measurement of an intermediate surface of the composite structure defined by at least one of the composite plies, wherein an accuracy of the measurement of the intermediate surface is within a tolerance for the composite structure; and
a tool path generator configured to modify the tool path, the modified tool path corresponding to a modified laydown surface for the composite placement machine, wherein formation of the modified tool path depends upon whether a difference between the measurement of the intermediate surface and an expected measurement of the intermediate surface exceeds a threshold, and wherein the modified laydown surface matches the measurement of the intermediate surface;
wherein the composite placement machine is configured to continue laying down, based upon the modified tool path, the composite plies on the intermediate surface.