Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for replacing a creel in a fiber placement machine, by sequentially moving replaceable creels into place on the fiber placement machine, via tracks and/or guide rails, as one or more spools in a previously operating creel are exhausted, and removing the creel having the one or more exhausted spools, to thereby allow fiber placement to continue from the replacement creel while the creel having one or more exhausted spools of material is replenished. An auto-splice apparatus and method are incorporated into the replaceable creel and fiber placement machine, for assisting in the exchange of replaceable creels.

Abstract: An apparatus and invention are provided for accelerating an added tow to match the lay-down speed of other tows exiting a compaction roller of a fiber placement head, by driving the added tow with an add roller operatively coupled to be driven at the same peripheral speed as a feed roller having a peripheral speed matching the peripheral speed of the compaction roller.

Abstract: A compact fiber placement apparatus includes a fiber placement head, an articulated wrist apparatus, and a wrist mounting adapter for connecting the compact fiber placement apparatus to a fiber placement machine. The components of the compact fiber placement apparatus are operatively connected to one another by a wrist rotation torque motor, a head rotation torque motor, and a wrist pivot torque motor, to provide pivoting and rotating motion. A redirect arrangement includes a pivot redirect element driven by the wrist rotation torque motor at one half of the rotational speed at which a first and second wrist element of the articulated wrist apparatus pivot with respect to one another.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for guiding and/or redirecting a filament tow or tape in an automated fiber placement process, through use of a gas bearing having a porous wall defining an internal guide, and/or a channel by means of which the tow or tape is routed and supported by a flow of pressurized gas, such as air or nitrogen, that is fed through the porous wall to create a gas bearing effect for supporting, guiding, and redirecting the tow or tape within the tubular bushing in such a manner that contact between the tow or tape. A porous section of the gas bearing may be constructed layer-by-layer by a process such as stereolithography.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for adding material to a workpiece mounted on a machine tool, while the workpiece is mounted on a machine tool, by melting a portion of the workpiece, in a zone of addition of the workpiece, using a material addition device including a laser, to form a puddle of molten material of the workpiece in the zone of addition, and feeding the material to be added into the puddle of molten material while continually applying heat with the laser. The melting and feeding are performed while the workpiece remains mounted in the same set-up that is used for machining the workpiece on the machine tool, except for replacing machining cutters used during machining operations with the material addition device. The machine tool may be a lathe, a grinder, a milling machine, a jig bore, or any other type of machine tool.

Abstract: An improved automated method and apparatus are provided for forming composite structures, by calendering two or more elements of a pre-impregnated composite material into a band of uncured composite material, and then forming the uncured band of composite material into one or more formed, uncured composite structures.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for forming a composite part on a tool surface, during an automated fiber placement process, by depositing the composite material onto the tool surface with two or more fiber placement heads which are capable of simultaneous movement independently from each other and the tool surface, but dynamically synchronized for operation with respect to a common time base. Fiber placement heads, and creels for holding composite materials supplied to the fiber placement heads are replaceable during fabrication of the composite part.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for forming a composite structure with an automatic placement head, through the use of a non-rotating tooling tablet having first and second substantially oppositely facing surfaces thereof, joined around the peripheries thereof by a side surface of the tablet, with at least one of the first or second surfaces forming a tool surface of the tablet. Layers of pre-impregnated fiber or tape are applied to the tool surface of the tablet by the automated fiber placement head.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for performing a high-speed event, such as a cut/add of a tow, in an automated fiber placement process, by initiating the high-speed event prior to a fiber placement head reaching a location along a tool path of the fiber placement head at which it is desired to have the high-speed event completed.