Abstract: A method implemented by a computing system that facilitates formation of an object from a material comprises receiving an object model that specifies a top surface and a side surface connected to an edge of the top surface via a fillet that extends along the edge. At a particular region along the edge, adjacent planar regions of the side surface define an obtuse angle therebetween. The fillet is adjusted along the edge to have a first radius at a particular distance from the particular region and to have a second radius, smaller than the first radius, proximate the particular region. Output data associated with an adjusted model is communicated to equipment configured to form a mandrel that facilitates formation of the object. Adjusting the fillet to have a smaller radius proximate the particular region facilitates elimination of wrinkles in the material when draped over the mandrel to form the object.

Abstract: A method performed by a computing system that facilitates formation of an object comprises receiving manufacturing process data associated with an object to be formed via a drape-forming operation. The computing system receives a parametric model of the object. The parametric model facilitates specification of a radius of a fillet within a region associated with the object. The computing system determines, based on the parametric model of the object, a unit vector field associated with a surface of the object and the manufacturing process data. The computing system adjusts the radius of the fillet of the parametric model within the region to reduce an average divergence of the vector field to a minimum amount, and communicates output data associated with an adjusted parametric model to equipment configured to form a mandrel that facilitates formation of the object.

Abstract: A rib is disclosed for use in a torque box of a wing structure provided on an aircraft. The wing structure has a skin panel and a stringer coupled to the skin panel. The rib includes a web defining at least one stringer hole sized to receive the stringer, a shear tie coupled to the web and configured to engage the skin panel, and a clip positioned adjacent the at least one stringer hole. The clip has a base coupled to and aligned with the web, a head extending at an angle relative to the base and configured to engage the stringer, and a transition portion extending between the base and the head.

Abstract: A rib is disclosed for use in a torque box of a wing structure provided on an aircraft. The wing structure has a skin panel and a stringer coupled to the skin panel. The rib includes a web defining at least one stringer hole sized to receive the stringer, a shear tie coupled to the web and configured to engage the skin panel, and a clip positioned adjacent the at least one stringer hole. The clip has a base coupled to and aligned with the web, a head extending at an angle relative to the base and configured to engage the stringer, and a transition portion extending between the base and the head.

Abstract: A load cell having a measurement beam and a pivotal support for either coupling a load to the beam or supporting opposite ends of the beam. In one embodiment, opposite ends of a beam are secured to the upper surface of a frame, and the load is applied to the upper surface of the beam at its mid-point through a load applying member and a sphere positioned between the load applying member and the beam. Bolts positioned symmetrically about the sphere pass loosely through the load applying member and are threaded into the beam. The bolts maintain the sphere in contact with the load applying member and beam while allowing relative angular movement between the beam and the load applying member. In another embodiment of load cell, opposite ends of a beam are supported on a frame through respective, generally spherical members, and the load is applied to the center of the beam.

Abstract: An improved fuser cleaning purge cycle system of cleaning imaging material from a fuser (particularly, a fuser roll) of a copy reproducing apparatus after an inadvertent interruption of the operation of the apparatus, such as by a paper jam, in which the fuser was potentially contaminated with imaging material from a copy sheet being fused, wherein the reproducing apparatus has an alternative duplex copying path; comprising, automatically, sequentially feeding a preset limited number of preexisting conventional clean copy sheets in the copy reproducing apparatus through the fuser to function as fuser cleaning sheets to remove the potentially contaminating imaging material, then feeding the same fuser cleaning sheets through the alternative duplex copying path back to and through the fuser a second time, with sheet inversion, so that they are inverted before feeding through the fuser the second time, and then purging these fuser cleaning sheets.

Abstract: A touch sensitive user interface of the type having a display screen for displaying an image; control logic responsive to the touch sensitive user interface for determining the contact position of a probe, such as a finger, thereon; a display menu of operating features, represented by a plurality of images on the display screen, so that a user may make touch selections on the images corresponding to operating features desired; a system controller for identifying a contact zone of a predetermined size with respect to the display screen, the control logic actuating the feature within the system represented by a displayed image in response to user touch within a corresponding contact zone, the system controller enlarging the contact zone of a selected feature upon selection thereof, to a size accommodating a probe tip, without overlapping on adjacent areas and upon completion of option selection, returning the expanded contact areas to said predetermined size.