Patent ID: 11953880
Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  B | IPC B  G

Claim 29:
30. A system for indexing an arcuate tool for composite part fabrication, the system comprising:
an indexing head comprising an indexing end and position sensors that measure 3D coordinates of the indexing head with respect to the indexing end;
an arcuate tool comprising at least one groove formed in an arcuate portion of the arcuate tool and extends circumferentially along the arcuate portion of the arcuate tool;
a rotatable support that is configured to retain the arcuate tool, and further configured to rotate the arcuate tool relative to the indexing head such that the indexing end traverses the groove; and
a controller that identifies the groove formed in the arcuate portion of the arcuate tool, that directs placement of the indexing head with respect to the arcuate tool, directs the rotatable support to rotate the arcuate tool, acquires a stream of 3D coordinates indicative of a position of the indexing head as the indexing end traverses the groove, determines an alignment of the arcuate tool with respect to a nominal tool alignment based on the acquired stream of 3D coordinates, and alters a Numerical Control (NC) program that directs composite layup work at the arcuate tool, based on a difference between the determined alignment of the arcuate tool and the nominal alignment of the arcuate tool.