Abstract: A system including a supervisory controller configured to receive one or more mission objectives for an aircraft mission, and condition data; a memory for storing program instructions; at least one local supervisory controller, operatively coupled to the memory, and in communication with the supervisory controller and operative to execute program instructions to: simulate execution of the aircraft mission to address at least one of the one or more mission objectives; receive data output from at least one subsystem, the data output including a measurement of an aircraft physical system; generate a mission plan executable to address at least one of the one or more mission objectives via manipulation of the at least one subsystem; receive the generated mission plan at a subsystem controller directly from the at least one local supervisory controller; and automatically execute the generated mission plan to operate an aircraft.

Abstract: An end effector for welding composite components includes an end effector housing and a welding member mounted to the end effector housing. The end effector further includes a leading roller mounted to the end effector housing forward of the welding member and at least one follower roller mounted to the end effector housing aft of the welding member. The end effector further includes at least one first cooling air jet positioned to direct a first stream of cooling air toward the at least one follower roller.

Abstract: An end effector for welding composite components includes an end effector housing and a welding member mounted to the end effector housing. The end effector further includes a leading roller mounted to the end effector housing forward of the welding member and at least one follower roller mounted to the end effector housing aft of the welding member. The end effector further includes at least one first cooling air jet positioned to direct a first stream of cooling air toward the at least one follower roller.

Abstract: A material deposition process including in situ sensor analysis of a component in a formation state is provided. The material deposition process is implemented in part by a sensor device of an additive manufacturing machine producing the component. The material deposition process includes sensing, by the sensing device, in situ physical properties of an area of interest of the component during a three-dimensional object production. Compliance to specifications or defects are then detected in the in situ physical properties with respect to pre-specified material requirements. The defects are analyzed to determine corrective actions, and an updated three-dimensional object production, which includes the corrective actions, is implemented to complete the component.

Abstract: A material deposition process including in situ sensor analysis of a component in a formation state is provided. The material deposition process is implemented in part by a sensor device of an additive manufacturing machine producing the component. The material deposition process includes sensing, by the sensing device, in situ physical properties of an area of interest of the component during a three-dimensional object production. Compliance to specifications or defects are then detected in the in situ physical properties with respect to pre-specified material requirements. The defects are analyzed to determine corrective actions, and an updated three-dimensional object production, which includes the corrective actions, is implemented to complete the component.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes an additive manufacturing (AM) device, a first sensor device, and a compute device. The AM device is configured to form a bulk component in a layer-by-layer manner, by at least iteratively depositing a first layer of raw material onto a working surface in a deposition chamber, consolidating the initial layer into an initial additive portion of the bulk component, then forming subsequent additive portions of the bulk component by depositing and consolidating a subsequent plurality of layers of the raw material onto the first additive portion. The first sensor device is configured to measure an actual composition of at least one first byproduct portion formed upon consolidation of one of the first or subsequent layers of raw material in the deposition chamber. The compute device includes a processor and a memory, and is communicatively coupled to the additive manufacturing device and first sensor device.

Abstract: A robotic deburring process that automatically, accurately, and efficiently removes burrs from a workpiece. The robotic deburring process uses CAM location data to establish deburring trajectory, physics based machining models to predict burr type and size, and force control functions to compensate inaccuracies due of inaccuracies of robots arms.

Abstract: A method of providing additive manufacturing includes the steps of (a) developing a plurality of layers to result in a final shape product, (b) developing a space filling algorithm to develop a path, (c) estimating a temperature at a location along the path in an existing direction of the path, and (d) comparing the estimated temperature to a desired temperature and altering the existing direction of the path should the estimated temperature differ from the desired temperature by a predetermined amount. An additive manufacturing system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A process of deburring a workpiece comprising installing a workpiece onto a machine table proximate a robot, the workpiece having a surface, the robot having at least one force sensor and a spindle load sensor associated with a spindle coupled to a cutting tool, the robot having at least one joint configured to be actuated by a joint actuator; the robot being coupled to a controller; generating joint encoder signals with the controller, the joint encoder signals configured to direct the joint actuator; sensing contact forces between the cutting tool of the robot and the surface of the workpiece; determining a deburring path of the cutting tool to deburr the workpiece; and controlling the robotic deburring process by use of the joint encoder signals, a physics based model of burr size and material removal, a nominal trajectory and an actual trajectory of the cutting tool center point position.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes an additive manufacturing (AM) device, a first sensor device, and a compute device. The AM device is configured to form a bulk component in a layer-by-layer manner, by at least iteratively depositing a first layer of raw material onto a working surface in a deposition chamber, consolidating the initial layer into an initial additive portion of the bulk component, then forming subsequent additive portions of the bulk component by depositing and consolidating a subsequent plurality of layers of the raw material onto the first additive portion. The first sensor device is configured to measure an actual composition of at least one first byproduct portion formed upon consolidation of one of the first or subsequent layers of raw material in the deposition chamber. The compute device includes a processor and a memory, and is communicatively coupled to the additive manufacturing device and first sensor device.

Abstract: A robotic deburring process that automatically, accurately, and efficiently removes burrs from a workpiece. The robotic deburring process uses CAM location data to establish deburring trajectory, physics based machining models to predict burr type and size, and force control functions to compensate inaccuracies due of inaccuracies of robots arms.

Abstract: A material deposition process including in situ sensor analysis of a component in a formation state is provided. The material deposition process is implemented in part by a sensor device of an additive manufacturing machine producing the component. The material deposition process includes sensing, by the sensing device, in situ physical properties of an area of interest of the component during a three-dimensional object production. Compliance to specifications or defects are then detected in the in situ physical properties with respect to pre-specified material requirements. The defects are analyzed to determine corrective actions, and an updated three-dimensional object production, which includes the corrective actions, is implemented to complete the component.

Abstract: A method of providing additive manufacturing includes the steps of (a) developing a plurality of layers to result in a final shape product, (b) developing a space filling algorithm to develop a path, (c) estimating a temperature at a location along the path in an existing direction of the path, and (d) comparing the estimated temperature to a desired temperature and altering the existing direction of the path should the estimated temperature differ from the desired temperature by a predetermined amount. An additive manufacturing system is also disclosed.