Abstract: A motorized head for applying fiber composite material to an application surface includes a drive roll assembly for applying fiber composite material to an application surface. The drive roll assembly includes a drive roll and a backup roll and a drive roll nip formed between the drive roll and the backup roll. At least one cutter is mounted on the drive roll for cutting fiber composite material, and an anvil is mounted on the backup roll to provide a shear surface for the cutter blade.

Abstract: A motorized head for applying fiber composite material to an application surface includes a drive roll assembly for applying fiber composite material to an application surface. The drive roll assembly includes a drive roll and a backup roll and a drive roll nip formed between the drive roll and the backup roll. At least one cutter is mounted on the drive roll for cutting fiber composite material, and an ejector mechanism is mounted on the drive roll behind the cutter mechanism. The ejector mechanism positively displaces the leading end of the cut tow material away from the surface of the drive roll to ensure that the cut tow material does not misfeed as it approaches the fiber path chute downstream from the cutter.

Abstract: A system for applying composite fiber to a lay-up tool has a fixed creel for supplying fiber to the fiber placement dispensing head and a fixed arm having a first end attached to the creel and having a second end attached to the dispensing head. The dispensing head is fixed on the end of the arm. A robot having a first and second pivot axis and at least a first wrist supports the lay-up tool. The robot manipulates the tool for application of fiber from the head to the tool. Manipulating the tool instead of the dispensing head allows the path length for the fiber between the creel and head to be fixed in length and orientation during application of fiber to the tool.

Abstract: A tuned damped absorber arrangement is used to attenuate the response of an encoder. A vibration problem occurs on rotary axis heads which are used in machining operations. When using long slender tools, a vibration can be created which causes the encoder to lose its position. The device uses a tuned damped absorber that is attached to the input shaft of the encoder to dampen unwanted vibration.

Abstract: A motorized head for applying fiber composite material to an application surface includes a drive roll and a backup roll for feeding fiber composite material toward the application surface, a compaction roll for pressing fiber composite material onto the application surface, and a restart pinch roll assembly located between the drive roll and the compaction roll for driving fiber composite material received from the drive roll to the compaction roll. The drive roll nip between the drive roll and the backup roll forms a drive zone that grips and drives the composite material, a clamp zone that prevents movement of the composite material after it has been cut, and a free zone that allows composite material to be freely pulled through the head. Two cutters mounted on the drive roll mesh with a single anvil on the backup roll to cut the composite material to the desired length.

Abstract: A rotary clamp mechanism for a fiber placement head comprises a one-way bearing and a freewheeling roller mounted upstream of the restart mechanism. An actuating mechanism brings the freewheeling roller and the one-way bearing into contact with the fiber tow and allows the tow to be fed through the head from the upstream to the downstream end, but prevents the fiber tow from traveling in the reverse direction through the head. The rotary clamp is put into contact with the fiber tow prior to cutting the tow, and remains in contact with the tow until the restart mechanism has advanced the cut tow to the delivery end of the head. The rotary clamp eliminates the need for precise timing between the cutting and clamping mechanisms, and increases the application rate of fiber tow by the head.

Abstract: A method of controlling a multiple spindle machine includes measuring the motor currents provided to a first spindle and a second spindle over a period of time, establishing an amount of time between impacts on a workpiece of a cutting tooth of the first spindle relative to a cutting tooth of the second spindle based on the measured motor currents of the first spindle and the second spindle, determining an angle to shift the second spindle relative to the first spindle, and increasing or decreasing the amount of time between impacts to obtain the determined shift angle for the second spindle.

Abstract: A machine tool has pass-through pallet loading allowing pallets to be loaded or discharged from either side of the machine. The pallet receiver is mounted on the X-axis of the machine, and the pallet is loaded onto the pallet receiver with the pallet in a vertical orientation. Cross axis rollers on the pallet receiver support the pallet and spacing rollers maintain the pallet spaced from Z-axis locating pads as it moves to a centered position on the pallet receiver. The Z-axis pads present a relatively large surface area to the rear face of the pallet, and are configured to provide vacuum clamping to lock the pallet in all three axes once it is centered on the pallet receiver. A rotating key is provided to center and lock the pallet relative to the pallet receiver before the vacuum clamping is applied.

Abstract: An operator station is positioned on the outside of a machine tool on the same side of the machine as the tool magazine and the automatic tool changer, to improve the ergonomics of the machine by keeping the tool loading access as close as possible to the operator. This location also allows easy visual access to the tools in the magazine and in the ready position in the tool changer. An angled “tunnel” window passing across the front of the tool magazine and the Y-axis column allows direct visual observation of the working zone of the machine tool from the operator station. A door on the side of the machine allows access from the operator station to a utilities panel located just inside of the door permitting ready operator access to switches, valves, fill points, filters and gages that are located on the panel.

Abstract: The frame of a machine tool forms a closed force loop design that surrounds a workzone containing the spindle head. The X and Y-axis drive motors are mounted on stationary elements of the machine. The Y-axis column is fixed, and supports a Z-axis ram. The mounting and positioning of the Z-axis ram minimizes the change in droop and the effects of acceleration forces on the Z-axis structure. The X, Y, and Z-axis drive motors are all mounted outside of the workzone to shield them from contamination and debris generating during the machining process, and for ease of maintenance.

Abstract: A fiber placement machine includes a movable wrist with a fiber placement head at one end of the wrist. A roller system for delivering fibers to the fiber placement head includes a J-axis roller located spaced from the ends of the wrist, a K-axis roller at the end of the wrist that supports the head, and an A-axis roller at the opposite end of the wrist. The axis of the K-axis rollers swivel depending on the rotation of the head, and the A-axis rollers swivel as a function of the swiveling of the K-axis rollers. As the A-axis rollers swivel, at least one end of the A-axis roller is displaced toward the J-axis roller to maintain a constant path length for the fiber tows between the A-axis roller and the J-axis roller.

Abstract: The frame of a machine tool forms a closed force loop design that surrounds a workzone containing the spindle head. The X, Y, and Z-axis drive systems are all mounted outside of the machine to shield them from contamination and debris generating during the machining process, and for ease of maintenance without having to enter the machine or remove workzone covers to access them. The X and Y-axis drives are mounted on stationary parts of the machine, eliminating the need for flexible cables to power and control these drives and reducing the mass of the moving elements of the machine.

Abstract: A fiber placement machine has a creel that supplies a fiber band to a presser member that applies the fiber band to a tool or form. The presser member is part of a head that is attached to the creel of the machine by a wrist that provides movement about yaw, pitch and roll axes with respect to the creel. The fiber band is supplied by a fiber band delivery system that is associated with the wrist and that is characterized by a capability to twist the fiber band in two stages about the yaw axis or the roll axis.