Movable Tool Surface for Composite Wing Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft wing structures are labor-intensive and difficult to modify, making it challenging to economically develop a family of aircraft wings with varying sizes and capacities by increasing wing area, which limits the range of aircraft size options and operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A tool assembly with a movable support system and telescoping actuators that automatically change the shape of a tool surface to manufacture composite laminates for different wing configurations, allowing for the production of a family of aircraft wings with varying wing areas, spans, and aerodynamic characteristics using fiber-reinforced resin materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional aluminum metal structures are used for aircraft wings, then structural strength is achieved, but manufacturing becomes extremely labor intensive and difficult to modify for different aircraft models
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by replacing conventional aluminum metal structures with fiber-reinforced resin composite materials. This allows the wing structures to maintain required strength while enabling automated manufacturing processes and easier modification for different aircraft models, directly resolving the contradiction between structural strength and manufacturing ease
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes material parameters by transitioning from metallic materials to composite materials with different physical and chemical properties. This parameter change enables new manufacturing methods such as automated fiber placement and allows for more flexible tooling designs that can accommodate different aircraft configurations
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom handmade components are used for each aircraft model, then specific aircraft requirements are met, but development costs increase and economies of scale are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing tooling systems and composite manufacturing processes that can serve multiple aircraft models within a family. The same basic tooling infrastructure can produce wings for different aircraft variants by adjusting parameters such as fiber placement patterns and tool surface configurations, reducing development costs and enabling economies of scale while maintaining model-specific adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the tooling system adjustable and reconfigurable rather than fixed. The tool surfaces and support structures can be dynamically modified to accommodate different wing geometries and configurations, allowing a single tooling system to produce multiple aircraft models without requiring completely custom tooling for each variant
3Productivity
If fuselage stretching is used to increase passenger capacity, then operational efficiency improves, but the range of aircraft size options is limited compared to wing growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by enabling the wing structure itself to be dynamically scaled and reconfigured for different aircraft models. Through adjustable tooling and composite manufacturing processes, wings can be grown or modified in size while maintaining structural integrity, providing broader aircraft size options beyond what fuselage stretching alone can achieve
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and systems (100) for manufacturing composite aircraft wings and other structures are disclosed herein. A tool assembly (100) for use in manufacturing composite laminates in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a tool plate (120) carried by a movable support system (126). The tool plate includes a tool surface (122) configured to support fiber-reinforced resin material and define an outer mold line (OML) of the fiber-reinforced resin material. The movable support system is configured to respond to signals from a controller (130) to automatically change the shape of the tool surface and alter the OML of the finished part to suit the particular application. In one embodiment, the movable support system can include a plurality of telescoping actuators (124) operably coupled to the tool plate. The aircraft wing comprises two wing skins (140) having rib grooves and a plurality of wing ribs (156) extending between the first and second wing skins.