Tow End Placement Verification Using Start-Stop Latency Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for verifying tow end placement in composite laminate layup are time-consuming and less accurate, often requiring manual imaging and measurement, leading to longer interruptions and potential inaccuracies in the layup process.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize sensor systems and control systems to detect start and stop latencies during the layup process, adjusting timing offsets to ensure tow ends are placed within desired ranges, eliminating the need for manual verification and imaging by using latency measurements to verify and manage tow end placement in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual imaging and measurement methods are used to verify tow end placement, then verification can be performed, but the process is time-consuming and causes longer interruptions in the layup process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual imaging and measurement systems with a timing-based verification system that uses sensors to detect tow movement and measures latency between commands and actual movement. This substitution eliminates the need for time-consuming manual verification while maintaining accuracy through precise timing measurements of start and stop latencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The verification system performs self-verification by automatically measuring its own timing parameters (start latency and stop latency) during the layup process. The system uses internal sensors and timing mechanisms to monitor tow movement and determine whether placement is within tolerances without requiring external manual intervention, thus reducing interruptions.
2Reliability
If manual verification of tow end placement is performed, then placement accuracy can be checked, but the process is less accurate and more time-consuming than desired
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring tow movement timing and comparing measured latencies against expected ranges. The sensor system provides real-time data about actual tow start and stop times, which are fed back to the control system to determine whether placement is within tolerances, enabling automatic verification without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the verification approach from spatial measurement (manual imaging and physical measurement of tow positions) to temporal measurement (timing-based latency detection). By measuring the time parameters of tow movement rather than directly measuring physical positions, the system achieves higher accuracy and efficiency through parameter transformation.
3Manufacturing precision
If timing offsets are adjusted based on latency measurements, then tow placement accuracy is improved, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary timing measurements during the layup process to determine start and stop latencies before final placement decisions are made. By measuring and evaluating timing parameters in advance, the system can adjust timing offsets proactively to ensure accurate placement without requiring complex real-time calculations during critical placement operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for managing tow end placement. A time at which movement of a tow is initiated or stopped during a layup process is detected. A latency between the time and a command time corresponding to a command to begin movement or stop movement of the tow is determined. A determination is made as to whether the latency is within a desired range. A timing offset used by a control system that controls tow layup is adjusted in response to a determination that the latency is not within the desired range.