Dynamic heater control for automated fiber placement machines
US10974466B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 27, 2019 |
| Grant date | Apr 13, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 27, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB29C70/384
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for dynamically managing heater position for an Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) machine. One embodiment is a method that includes retrieving distance data indicating predicted distances of a heating surface of a heater of the AFP machine to a surface of a laminate being laid-up by the AFP machine, for each of multiple locations along a path. The method also includes directing the AFP machine to lay up the laminate in accordance with a Numerical Control (NC) program, identifying a current location of the heater in the path, determining a speed at which the heater of the AFP machine is moving, correlating the current location of the heater with a predicted distance, and adjusting an amount of power for the heater at the current location based on the predicted distance that was correlated with the current location, and the speed at the current location.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.