Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080259325 | VISION INSPECTION SYSTEM DEVICE AND METHOD - A course material that is applied to a substrate during fabrication of a composite item is inspected by a system that includes a vision assembly. The vision assembly includes an area light, a line generator, a sensor, and an image processor. The area light illuminates an area of the course material. The line generator generates a line of illumination across the area. The sensor captures an image of the area. The image processor analyzes the image. The image processor is configured to identify debris on the course material in response to the area light being activated and the image processor is configured to identify placement aberrations in response to the line generator being activated. | 10-23-2008 |
20090153847 | VERIFICATION OF TOW CUT FOR AUTOMATIC FIBER PLACEMENT - The operation of tow cutters in an automatic fiber placement machine are monitored to determine if inconsistencies in fiber placement are related to cutter operation. A machine vision system detects inconsistencies in tow placement, and timing signals are generated that represent the actuation of the cutters. The timing signals are correlated with recorded images of the placed tows to determine if the inconsistency in tow placement are related to cutter operation. | 06-18-2009 |
20090169056 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING CUMULATIVE TOW GAP WIDTH - A system for determining cumulative tow gap width includes an in-process vision system having at least one camera adapted to record images of a composite material and a data analysis computer communicating with and adapted to receive image data from the in-process vision system. The data analysis computer may be adapted to calculate a cumulative gap width of tow gaps in the composite material. A user interface may communicate with and be adapted to receive data analysis results from the data analysis computer. A method for determining cumulative tow width gap of tow gaps in a composite structure is also disclosed. | 07-02-2009 |
20100263505 | Verification of Tow Cut for Automatic Fiber Placement - The operation of tow cutters in an automatic fiber placement machine are monitored to determine if inconsistencies in fiber placement are related to cutter operation. A machine vision system detects inconsistencies in tow placement, and timing signals are generated that represent the actuation of the cutters. The timing signals are correlated with recorded images of the placed tows to determine if the inconsistency in tow placement is related to cutter operation. | 10-21-2010 |
20110017380 | MAPPING TOW SPLICES IN COMPOSITE STRUCTURES - The three dimensional (3-D) locations of splices in pre-preg tows placed by an automatic fiber placement machine to form a laminated composite structure are mapped to allow visualization of alignment patterns in the splices. | 01-27-2011 |
20120216957 | Mapping Tow Splices in Composite Structures - The three dimensional (3-D) locations of splices in pre-preg tows placed by an automatic fiber placement machine to form a laminated composite structure are mapped to allow visualization of alignment patterns in the splices. | 08-30-2012 |
20120328159 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING CUMULATIVE TOW GAP WIDTH - A system for determining cumulative tow gap width includes an in-process vision system having at least one camera adapted to record images of a composite material and a data analysis computer communicating with and adapted to receive image data from the in-process vision system. The data analysis computer may be adapted to calculate a cumulative gap width of tow gaps in the composite material. A user interface may communicate with and be adapted to receive data analysis results from the data analysis computer. A method for determining cumulative tow width gap of tow gaps in a composite structure is also disclosed. | 12-27-2012 |