Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a composite preform from tape material, including feeding a tape section into a tape section guide that suspends the tape across a tooling surface, moving at least one of the tape section guide and the tooling surface relative to each other to position the tape section at a desired location and orientation relative to the tooling surface, moving the tape section toward a pre-existing tape section disposed on the tooling surface, and tacking the tape section to the pre-existing tape section. A corresponding apparatus for manufacturing composite preforms is also disclosed.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 24, 2008
Publication date:
April 23, 2009
Applicant:
FIBERFORGE CORPORATION
Inventors:
DAVID R. CRAMER, Neal J. Beidleman, Colin R. Chapman, Don O. Evans, Michael K. Passmore, Michael L. Skinner
Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a composite preform from tape material, including feeding a tape section into a tape section guide that suspends the tape across a tooling surface, moving at least one of the tape section guide and the tooling surface relative to each other to position the tape section at a desired location and orientation relative to the tooling surface, moving the tape section toward a pre-existing tape section disposed on the tooling surface, and tacking the tape section to the pre-existing tape section. A corresponding apparatus for manufacturing composite preforms is also disclosed.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 30, 2012
Date of Patent:
April 9, 2013
Assignee:
Fiberforge Corporation
Inventors:
David R. Cramer, Neal J. Beidleman, Colin R. Chapman, Don O. Evans, Michael K. Passmore, Michael L. Skinner
Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a composite preform from tape material, including feeding a tape section into a tape section guide that suspends the tape across a tooling surface, moving at least one of the tape section guide and the tooling surface relative to each other to position the tape section at a desired location and orientation relative to the tooling surface, moving the tape section toward a pre-existing tape section disposed on the tooling surface, and tacking the tape section to the pre-existing tape section. A corresponding apparatus for manufacturing composite preforms is also disclosed.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 24, 2008
Date of Patent:
November 1, 2011
Assignee:
Fiberforge Corporation
Inventors:
David R. Cramer, Neal J. Beidleman, Colin R. Chapman, Don O. Evans, Michael K. Passmore, Michael L. Skinner
Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a composite preform from tape material, including feeding a tape section into a tape section guide that suspends the tape across a tooling surface, moving at least one of the tape section guide and the tooling surface relative to each other to position the tape section at a desired location and orientation relative to the tooling surface, moving the tape section toward a pre-existing tape section disposed on the tooling surface, and tacking the tape section to the pre-existing tape section. A corresponding apparatus for manufacturing composite preforms is also disclosed.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 3, 2011
Date of Patent:
May 1, 2012
Assignee:
Fiberforge Corporation
Inventors:
David R. Cramer, Neal J. Beidleman, Colin R. Chapman, Don O. Evans, Michael K. Passmore, Michael L. Skinner
Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a composite preform from tape material, including feeding a tape section into a tape section guide that suspends the tape across a tooling surface, moving at least one of the tape section guide and the tooling surface relative to each other to position the tape section at a desired location and orientation relative to the tooling surface, moving the tape section toward a pre-existing tape section disposed on the tooling surface, and tacking the tape section to the pre-existing tape section. A corresponding apparatus for manufacturing composite preforms is also disclosed.