Patent ID: 11951698
Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 9:
10. A method of positioning a composite charge onto a forming tool using a composite charge positioning assembly, the method comprising:
positioning a first charge support arm of the composite charge positioning assembly relative to a forming surface of the forming tool;
positioning a second charge support arm of the composite charge positioning assembly relative to the forming surface of the forming tool;
placing the composite charge onto a first surface of the first charge support arm of the composite charge positioning assembly and a second surface of the second charge support arm of the composite charge positioning assembly;
lowering the first charge support arm and the second charge support arm toward the forming tool so that the composite charge is placed in contact with a portion of a forming surface of the forming tool;
locking the forming tool between a first charge support arm assembly and a second charge support arm assembly, wherein the first charge support arm assembly comprises the first charge support arm, and wherein the second charge support arm assembly comprises the second charge support arm, wherein the first charge support arm assembly and the second charge support arm assembly are used to both restrain the forming tool and position the composite charge; and
adjusting a number of supports to set an alignment of a base of the composite charge positioning assembly relative to a manufacturing floor, wherein the alignment comprises pitch and roll.