Patent ID: 8236222

Claim:
A method for positioning a composite charge for forming composite materials, comprising: providing a composite charge; attaching the composite charge to a pulling device of a drape forming machine; positioning a boom of the drape forming machine at a first predetermined position with respect to a mandrel of the drape forming machine; pulling the composite charge over the mandrel with the pulling device; stopping the pulling device at a predetermined position with respect to the boom to position the composite charge with respect to the mandrel; supporting the composite charge on a first charge support and a second charge support, the first charge support and the second charge support positioned on opposing sides of the mandrel; lifting the mandrel to move the composite charge from a first elevation to a second elevation relative to a plurality of former beams of the drape forming machine, the second elevation being closer to the plurality of former beams than the first elevation; and inflating forming bladders of the plurality of former beams to force the composite charge to conform to the mandrel.