Abstract: There is provided an automated removal apparatus for selectively removing one or more trimmed portions of a laminated ply in a ply-by-ply fabrication process. The automated removal apparatus includes a rotatable reel having a plurality of retractable vacuum panels attached around the rotatable reel. Each retractable vacuum panel has one or more retractable vacuum pad assemblies, and each retractable vacuum pad assembly has a vacuum pad with a vacuum port and a self-sealing valve. The automated removal apparatus further includes actuator assemblies attached to the plurality of retractable vacuum panels, friction reducing elements attached around the rotatable reel, a drive assembly attached to the rotatable reel, and a pneumatic system attached to the rotatable reel and including a valve manifold operable to control an air flow to the actuator assemblies and to one or more vacuum generators to generate a vacuum flow.

Abstract: A system (20) for generating tasks related to electronic image files. System (20) includes an electronic document manager (EDM) (22) that is in communication with a task engine (24). EDM (22) receives electronic image file (EIF) batches (26) generated by a scanning device application (28) and scanning device (30) and third-party generated EIF batches (32). As discussed further below, EDM (22) shares information derived from EIF batches (26) and (32) with task engine (24). In turn, task engine (24) generates EIF-related tasks. Another aspect is a method (170) that sorts or filters the electronic image files stored in EIF database (80) and returns either a list or images of the sorted or filtered files to first portion (120) of graphical user interface (90) for display to a user. Another aspect is a method (180) of generating tasks related to electronic image files.