Patent ID: 11969960
Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  Y | IPC B

Claim 11:
12. A composite fabrication system, comprising:
a molding tool that includes a forming surface upon which one or more composite layers are placed to form a layup, wherein at least a portion of the forming surface is disposed within a constrained space;
a foamable material activated to expand into an expanded material within the constrained space;
a curing device configured to cure the layup while the expanded material presses the layup against the molding tool to form a composite part; and
a removal tool configured to bore a hole through the expanded material after curing, and comprising a cutting wire threaded through the hole in the expanded material, and a manipulator comprising a robotic arm and controlled with a controller to perform automated tasks of:
grasping opposing ends of the cutting wire with end effectors that make an electrical coupling with the cutting wire;
heating the cutting wire with current applied through the cutting wire via the electrical coupling, and
moving the cutting wire within the constrained space to cut the expanded material into pieces;

the removal tool is configured to remove the pieces from the constrained space.