Abstract: A method of detecting defects in a composite layup includes capturing, using an infrared camera, reference images of a reference layup being laid up by a reference layup head. The method also includes manually reviewing the reference images for defects, and generating reference defect masks indicating defects in the reference images. The method further includes training, using the reference images and reference defect masks, a neural network, creating a machine learning model that, given a production image as input, outputs a production defect mask indicating the defect location and the defect type of each defect. The method also includes capturing, using an infrared camera, production images of a production layup being laid up by the production layup head, and applying the model to the production images to automatically generate a production defect masks indicating each defect in the production images.

Abstract: A composite forming apparatus includes an end effector, a forming feature, and a non-contact heater. The forming feature is coupled to the end effector. The end effector moves the forming feature relative to a composite ply to form the composite ply over a forming tool or a prior formed composite ply. The non-contact heater heats to a portion of the composite ply before the portion of the composite ply is formed over the forming tool or the prior formed composite ply.

Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a plurality of rails, a plurality of head manipulating mechanisms respectively coupled to the rails, and a plurality of automated fiber placement (AFP) heads respectively coupled to the head manipulating mechanisms. The rails are arranged around a barrel-shaped layup tool, and each rail is parallel to a tool axis. Each head manipulating mechanism moves along a rail. The head manipulating mechanisms position the AFP heads in circumferential relation to each other about a tool surface of the layup tool. A total quantity of AFP heads comprises the maximum number of AFP heads that can be circumferentially arranged in longitudinal alignment with each other on the layup tool without interfering with each other while applying layup material over the tool when the layup tool is stationary and during rotation about the tool axis, to thereby fabricate a green state layup having a barrel shape.

Abstract: A computer system concurrently displays a plurality of panes in a user interface. The panes include a first pane that displays a flow diagram having one or more nodes. Each node contains one or more icons. Each icon represents a respective data transformation operation. The panes include a second pane that displays a plurality of data rows and/or data columns for an intermediate dataset corresponding to a user-selected node. The computer system receives a user input, in the first pane, to perform a first data transformation operation at a selected node. In response to receiving the user input, the computer system performs the first data transformation operation. The computer system displays, in the first pane, an additional icon corresponding to the first data transformation operation at the selected node. The computer system updates the second pane in accordance with the first data transformation operation.

Abstract: An illustrative example of the present disclosure provides a machine configured to form a composite structure. The machine includes a composite placement machine, measuring equipment, a tool path generator, and compaction equipment. The composite placement machine lays up composite plies. The measuring equipment measures surfaces of the composite plies to form measurements during layup of the composite plies. A computer includes a model of the composite plies for a structure. The tool path generator forms a modified tool path based upon a difference between the measurements and expected measurements for the composite plies in the model.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for designing a composite hollow body. A computer system selects ply layers for the hollow composite body. The ply layers comprise courses having course edges. The computer system positions the course edges between the ply layers throughout the hollow composite body to create a staggering of the course edges between the ply layers for a design of the hollow composite body.

Abstract: There is provided a method that includes directing one or more infrared cameras at a compaction roller of a composite laying head of a composite layup machine. The one or more infrared cameras are mounted aft of the compaction roller. The method includes applying heat to a substrate by a heater. The heater is mounted forward of the compaction roller. The method further includes using the one or more infrared cameras, to obtain one or more infrared images of the compaction roller, during laying down of one or more composite tows of a composite layup onto the substrate by the compaction roller. The method further includes identifying, based on the one or more infrared images, one or more temperature profiles of the compaction roller, and analyzing identified temperature profiles, to determine one or more of, a layup quality of the composite layup, and a heat history of the composite layup.

Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a plurality of rails, a plurality of head manipulating mechanisms respectively coupled to the rails, and a plurality of automated fiber placement (AFP) heads respectively coupled to the head manipulating mechanisms. The rails are arranged around a barrel-shaped layup tool, and each rail is parallel to a tool axis. Each head manipulating mechanism moves along a rail. The head manipulating mechanisms position the AFP heads in circumferential relation to each other about a tool surface of the layup tool. A total quantity of AFP heads comprises the maximum number of AFP heads that can be circumferentially arranged in longitudinal alignment with each other on the layup tool without interfering with each other while applying layup material over the tool when the layup tool is stationary and during rotation about the tool axis, to thereby fabricate a green state layup having a barrel shape.

Abstract: A composite forming apparatus includes an end effector, a forming feature, and a non-contact heater. The forming feature is coupled to the end effector. The end effector moves the forming feature relative to a composite ply to form the composite ply over a forming tool or a prior formed composite ply. The non-contact heater heats to a portion of the composite ply before the portion of the composite ply is formed over the forming tool or the prior formed composite ply.

Abstract: A method of detecting defects in a composite layup includes capturing, using an infrared camera, reference images of a reference layup being laid up by a reference layup head. The method also includes manually reviewing the reference images for defects, and generating reference defect masks indicating defects in the reference images. The method further includes training, using the reference images and reference defect masks, a neural network, creating a machine learning model that, given a production image as input, outputs a production defect mask indicating the defect location and the defect type of each defect. The method also includes capturing, using an infrared camera, production images of a production layup being laid up by the production layup head, and applying the model to the production images to automatically generate a production defect masks indicating each defect in the production images.

Abstract: There is provided a method that includes directing one or more infrared cameras at a compaction roller of a composite laying head of a composite layup machine. The one or more infrared cameras are mounted aft of the compaction roller. The method includes applying heat to a substrate by a heater. The heater is mounted forward of the compaction roller. The method further includes using the one or more infrared cameras, to obtain one or more infrared images of the compaction roller, during laying down of one or more composite tows of a composite layup onto the substrate by the compaction roller. The method further includes identifying, based on the one or more infrared images, one or more temperature profiles of the compaction roller, and analyzing identified temperature profiles, to determine one or more of, a layup quality of the composite layup, and a heat history of the composite layup.

Abstract: A composite manufacturing system is provided. The composite manufacturing system comprises a fiber placement head, a compaction roller associated with the fiber placement head, and a temperature regulation system associated with the compaction roller. The temperature regulation system is configured to actively control a temperature of the compaction roller. The temperature regulation system comprises a number of temperature sensors, a cooling system, and a controller. The number of temperature sensors are configured to detect the temperature of the compaction roller. The cooling system is associated with the compaction roller and is configured to cool the compaction roller. The controller is in communication with the number of temperature sensors and the cooling system. The controller is configured to cool the compaction roller such that the temperature is below a threshold temperature.

Abstract: A computer system concurrently displays a plurality of panes in a user interface. The panes include a first pane that displays a flow diagram having one or more nodes. Each node contains one or more icons. Each icon represents a respective data transformation operation. The panes include a second pane that displays a plurality of data rows and/or data columns for an intermediate dataset corresponding to a user-selected node. The computer system receives a user input, in the first pane, to perform a first data transformation operation at a selected node. In response to receiving the user input, the computer system performs the first data transformation operation. The computer system displays, in the first pane, an additional icon corresponding to the first data transformation operation at the selected node. The computer system updates the second pane in accordance with the first data transformation operation.

Abstract: A method that prepares data for analysis includes displaying a user interface that includes a data a data flow pane that displays a flow diagram having a plurality of nodes, each node specifying a respective primary operation, a change list pane corresponding to a user-selected node in the data flow pane, and a data pane that displays a plurality of rows for an intermediate dataset of the user-selected node. The method also includes, in response to receiving a user input to perform a secondary operation at the user-selected node: (i) displaying, in the change list pane, an ordered list of secondary operations performed at the user-selected node, including displaying the secondary operation, and (ii) updating the data pane in accordance with the secondary operation, including updating the plurality of rows for the intermediate dataset.

Abstract: A method compares data sets in a data preparation application. The method displays a user interface including a flow diagram having a plurality of nodes. Each of the nodes corresponds to a data set having a plurality of data fields. A user selects two nodes from the flow diagram. In response to the user selection, the method forms a composite data set comprising a union of two data sets corresponding to the two nodes and groups data values for each of a plurality of data fields in the composite data set to form a respective set of bins. The method then displays distributions of data values for the plurality of data fields in the composite data set. Each distribution comprises the respective set of bins for a respective data field. Each displayed bin depicts counts of data values in the respective bin originating from each of the two data sets.

Abstract: A composite manufacturing system is provided. The composite manufacturing system comprises a fiber placement head, a compaction roller associated with the fiber placement head, and a temperature regulation system associated with the compaction roller. The temperature regulation system is configured to actively control a temperature of the compaction roller. The temperature regulation system comprises a number of temperature sensors, a cooling system, and a controller. The number of temperature sensors are configured to detect the temperature of the compaction roller. The cooling system is associated with the compaction roller and is configured to cool the compaction roller. The controller is in communication with the number of temperature sensors and the cooling system. The controller is configured to cool the compaction roller such that the temperature is below a threshold temperature.

Abstract: A composite structure is fabricated by laying up at least one ply of fiber reinforcement and at least one layer of resin on a tool. The resin film layer is formed by laying strips of resin film. The fiber reinforcement is infused with resin from the resin layer.

Abstract: A composite manufacturing system is provided. The composite manufacturing system comprises a fiber placement head, a compaction roller associated with the fiber placement head, and a temperature regulation system associated with the compaction roller. The temperature regulation system is configured to actively control a temperature of the compaction roller. The temperature regulation system comprises a number of temperature sensors, a cooling system, and a controller. The number of temperature sensors are configured to detect the temperature of the compaction roller. The cooling system is associated with the compaction roller and is configured to cool the compaction roller. The controller is in communication with the number of temperature sensors and the cooling system. The controller is configured to cool the compaction roller such that the temperature is below a threshold temperature.

Abstract: An automated fiber-placement method comprises delivering a first quantity of pulsed energy to first discrete portions of at least one fiber-reinforced tape strip, and delivering a second quantity of pulsed energy to second discrete portions of at least the one fiber-reinforced tape strip, alternating with the first discrete portions. The first quantity of pulsed energy heats the first discrete portions to a first temperature. The second quantity of pulsed energy heats the second discrete portions to a second temperature. The automated fiber-placement method further comprises laying down at least the one fiber-reinforced tape strip against a substrate along a virtual curvilinear path, such that (i) at least the one fiber-reinforced tape strip is centered on the virtual curvilinear path, and (ii) the first discrete portions are transformed into discrete tape-regions, geometrically different from the first discrete portions.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for peeling a liner away from a substrate. The apparatus comprises a first member rotatable about an axis. The apparatus also comprises a second member disposed on the first member and for generating a suction force to be applied to the liner to peel a portion of the liner away from the substrate when the suction force of the second member is applied to the liner and the first member is rotating about its axis. The apparatus further comprises a third member synchronized to rotation of the first member about its axis such that the third member clamps the peeled portion of the liner against the first member while the second member is applying suction force to the liner and the first member is rotating about its axis.