US 11,953,880 B2
Dynamic indexing for moving parts in a fabrication environment
Jordan Seth Erickson, Federal Way, WA (US); and Michael Kenneth-Que Louie, Renton, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Nov. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/454,252.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/115,029, filed on Nov. 18, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0155754 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 70/38 (2006.01); B32B 37/00 (2006.01); B32B 38/18 (2006.01); G05B 19/401 (2006.01); G05B 19/4099 (2006.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01)
CPC G05B 19/4099 (2013.01) [B29C 70/38 (2013.01); B29C 70/384 (2013.01); B32B 37/00 (2013.01); B32B 37/0053 (2013.01); B32B 38/1841 (2013.01); G05B 19/401 (2013.01); B29L 2031/3082 (2013.01); B32B 2309/72 (2013.01); G05B 2219/49114 (2013.01)] 33 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for indexing a layup mandrel for a composite part, the method comprising:
identifying a first side surface and a layup surface of the layup mandrel, wherein the layup mandrel travels in a process direction between serially arranged workstations during fabrication of the composite part;
placing a lamination head in contact with the first side surface;
traversing the first side surface of the layup mandrel with the lamination head;
acquiring a stream of 3D coordinates of the lamination head as the lamination head traverses the first side surface;
characterizing the layup mandrel based on the stream of 3D coordinates; and
altering a Numerical Control (NC) program that directs layup of fiber reinforced material on the layup surface at the layup mandrel, based on a difference between an alignment of the layup mandrel and a nominal alignment of the layup mandrel.