Patent ID: 11958244
Assignee: nan
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 10:
11. A composite layup system, comprising:
a layup tool having a barrel shape, a tool surface, and a tool axis about which the layup tool is rotatable;
at least three rails arranged in non-planar parallel relation to each other around the layup tool, and each is rail oriented approximately parallel to the tool axis;
at least three head manipulating mechanisms, each coupled to a dedicated one of the rails, and each head manipulating mechanism is movable along a lengthwise direction of a corresponding rail; and
at least three automated fiber placement (AFP) heads, each coupled to a dedicated one of the head manipulating mechanisms;
wherein the head manipulating mechanisms are configured to position the AFP heads in circumferential relation to each other about the tool surface of the layup tool, a total quantity of AFP heads comprises a maximum number of AFP heads that can be circumferentially arranged in longitudinal alignment with each other at a point of maximum circumference on the layup tool without interfering with each other while the at least three AFP heads apply courses of layup material to the tool surface or to previously applied layup material when the layup tool is stationary and during rotation of the layup tool about the tool axis, to thereby fabricate a green state layup having a barrel shape.