Patent ID: 6168358
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: B23Q,B29C,B29K,Y10T

Abstract:
A hybrid lay-up tool serving both as a form on which constituent materials are applied for bonding or curing into a part in a desired configuration, and for holding said materials in the originally applied position during subsequent machining of a peripheral edge of said part by a CNC machine tool while said lay-up tool is positioned on a bed of said machine tool, said CNC machine tool operating in accordance with a part program read by a CNC machine tool controller, said hybrid lay-up tool comprising: a tool body made of composite material having a facing surface configured to a desired shape of one surface of a part to be made on said tool, said tool body having a reference plane whose orientation and height above said machine tool bed are specified in said part program; a substantially continuous groove in said tool body opening in said facing surface; a supporting structure supporting said tool body to maintain said facing surface in said desired shape: said supporting structure having ground-engaging pads, each having a contact surface by which said supporting structure contacts and is supported by said machine tool bed, said contact surfaces defining an ""A"" datum plane; attachments on said tool body for supporting said tool body on said supporting structure with said reference plane of said tool body parallel to said ""A"" datum plane; whereby said materials for said part are applied on said tool body, bonded or cured, and edge trimmed thereon, all while on said tool body in said originally applied position, said edge trimming being performed by said CNC machine tool following said part program to move a cutter extending into said groove to engage the full thickness of said part, said groove corresponding in space to the position represented by said cutter path of travel in said part program by virtue of accurate relationship of said tool body reference plane and said ""A"" datum plane.