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

Claim 22:
23. A system for indexing a rigid tool with respect to a lamination machine, the system comprising:
an indexing head comprising an indexing end;
position sensors that measure 3D coordinates of the indexing end of the indexing head; and
a controller that:
identifies a groove formed in the rigid tool, the groove extending in a process direction and wherein the rigid tool travels in the process direction during fabrication of a composite part;
directs placement of the indexing end into the groove;
directs the indexing head to traverse the groove;
acquires a stream of 3D coordinates of the indexing head via the position sensors as the indexing head traverses the groove with the indexing end therein;
determines an alignment of the rigid tool based on the acquired stream of 3D coordinates; and
alters a Numerical Control (NC) program that directs work at the rigid tool, based on a difference between the determined alignment of the rigid tool and a nominal alignment of the rigid tool.