Patent ID: 11931975
Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A forming system configured to form an elongate charge of composite material to a predefined material shape, the forming system comprising:
an elongate forming tool having an elongate forming surface with a forming surface shape that corresponds to the predefined material shape; and
an elongate end effector, wherein the elongate end effector is configured to tension the elongate charge of composite material across the elongate forming surface, and further wherein the elongate end effector includes:
(i) an elongate vacuum distribution manifold including a vacuum inlet, which is configured to receive an applied vacuum, and a vacuum outlet;
(ii) a porous elongate vacuum region, which is configured to receive the applied vacuum from the vacuum outlet to generate a pressure differential that is configured to retain the elongate charge of composite material in contact with the porous elongate vacuum region, wherein a ratio of a length of the porous elongate vacuum region to a width of the porous elongate vacuum region is at least 100; and
(iii) an elongate friction surface, which extends along a length of the porous elongate vacuum region, wherein the elongate friction surface is configured to generate a frictional force that resists a sliding motion between the elongate end effector and the elongate charge of composite material and exhibits a coefficient of kinetic friction that is greater than that of the porous elongate vacuum region.