Robotic End Effector for In Situ Stringer Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional manufacturing of aircraft stringers is highly tooling intensive, requiring extensive labor, equipment, and factory space, making it costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
The development of robotic systems with end effectors that include a rotatable reel, forming shoe, and compression mechanisms to form and deposit composite material directly onto application surfaces, reducing the need for extensive tooling and material handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional manufacturing methods are used for aircraft stringers, then structural integrity is maintained, but extensive tooling, labor, and factory space are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the stringer formation process from traditional heavy tooling and separates it into a portable end effector system. The forming shoe within the end effector provides the necessary forming capability without requiring extensive fixed tooling infrastructure, allowing the stringer to be formed directly on the application surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The end effector acts as an intermediary device between the composite material strip and the application surface. It includes a forming shoe that shapes the material and a compression mechanism that consolidates the stringer, mediating the transformation from flat strip to formed stringer without requiring traditional heavy tooling.
2Productivity
If traditional manufacturing methods are used for aircraft stringers, then quality stringers are produced, but labor and time requirements are high
Solution Approach 1:
The composite material is supplied as a pre-cut strip with predetermined dimensions and fiber orientation. The end effector then performs formation and consolidation in a single continuous operation, eliminating the need for subsequent machining or shaping operations and reducing overall manufacturing cycle time.
Solution Approach 2:
The end effector combines multiple functions into a single device: material forming through the forming shoe, consolidation through the compression mechanism, and direct deposition onto the application surface. This integration of operations into one step significantly reduces manufacturing cycle time compared to traditional multi-step processes.
3Strength
If traditional manufacturing methods are used for aircraft stringers, then structural support is ensured, but equipment weight and handling requirements are high
Solution Approach 1:
The compression mechanism within the end effector applies pressure to consolidate the composite layers and form the stringer structure in-situ. This self-contained consolidation capability ensures proper bonding and structural integrity without requiring external heavy pressing equipment or additional handling steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The stringer is formed from a continuous strip that can be cut to length, and the end effector processes the stringer in manageable sections. This segmentation allows the equipment to handle and form stringers of appropriate sizes without requiring excessively heavy equipment capable of handling entire fuselage sections at once.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables automated, on-site formation and deposition of stringers, significantly reducing labor and equipment requirements, improving efficiency and reducing factory space needs while maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The forming shoe may further include a vacuum system to suction air through a plurality of ports along the forming surface to urge the strip of material against the forming surface.
Implementation Method 2
The robotic end effector may further comprise a compression mechanism for applying pressure to the formed stringer ply to position the formed stringer ply on the application surface. The compression mechanism may be further configured to join the formed stringer ply to one or more of the following: the application surface and another formed stringer ply.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are systems and apparatuses for manufacturing aircraft support structures. An example robotic end effector comprises a rotatable reel with a flat strip of material wound around the reel. The end effector further includes a forming shoe including a forming surface contacting the strip of material. A first end of the forming surface corresponds to a start shape and a second end of the forming surface corresponds to an end shape. As the strip of material passes from the first end of the forming surface to the second end of the forming surface, the strip of material transitions from the first shape to the end shape and is deposited as a formed stringer ply onto an application surface. The forming shoe may further include a vacuum system to suction air through a plurality of ports along the forming surface to urge the strip of material against the forming surface.