US 12,246,497 B2
Edge stability
Hauke Seegel, Hamburg (DE); and Dominic Bloom, Bristol (GB)
Assigned to AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED, Bristol (GB); and AIRBUS OPERATIONS GmbH, Hamburg (DE)
Filed by AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED, Bristol (GB); and AIRBUS OPERATIONS GmbH, Hamburg (DE)
Filed on Dec. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/557,895.
Claims priority of application No. 2020412 (GB), filed on Dec. 22, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0194029 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 70/54 (2006.01); B29K 307/04 (2006.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/545 (2013.01) [B29K 2307/04 (2013.01); B29L 2031/3076 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of cutting a fabric using an automated ply cutter, the fabric comprising a binder, and the automated ply cutter comprising a dispenser, a local heating unit, a pressure source, and a cutter, the method comprising:
identifying a cutting path on the fabric and moving the automated ply cutter along a cutting path, wherein the step of moving the automated ply cutter along the cutting path comprises:
using the dispenser to dispense binder onto the fabric along the cutting path;
using the local heating unit to activate the binder along the cutting path by heating the fabric; and
using the pressure source to compress the fabric along the cutting path; and
using the cutter to cut the fabric along the cutting path;
wherein the cutter, the pressure source, the heating unit, and the dispenser are positioned in sequence with respect to a direction of travel of the automated ply cutter.