EXPANDABLE TOOLING SYSTEMS AND METHODS
    1.
    发明公开

    公开(公告)号:US20240059029A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-02-22

    申请号:US18493789

    申请日:2023-10-24

    IPC分类号: B29C70/34 B29C43/10

    摘要: Methods of manufacturing composite workpieces that include adding an expandable element to an internal volume of a constraining container proximate to a uncured composite workpiece supported on a rigid form, where the expandable element is configured to expand when a predetermined change is produced in an attribute of the expandable element; expanding the expandable element by producing the predetermined change in the attribute of the expandable element, so that an expansion of the expandable element applies pressure to the workpiece supported on the rigid form within the internal volume, and curing the composite workpiece while the resulting pressure is applied to the workpiece supported on the rigid form.

    METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR INDICATING A SANITATION STATUS OF A SURFACE

    公开(公告)号:US20220152258A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-05-19

    申请号:US17468744

    申请日:2021-09-08

    IPC分类号: A61L2/28

    摘要: A method for indicating a sanitation status of a surface may comprise contacting a coating on a surface with a cleaning composition, wherein the coating comprises a chromic material and exhibits a baseline optical state under illumination with light having a first wavelength prior to contact with the cleaning composition and an altered optical state under illumination with light having a second wavelength after contact with the cleaning composition, the cleaning composition configured to induce a switch from the baseline optical state to the altered optical state; and illuminating the coating with the first wavelength of light, the second wavelength of light, or both, to reveal a sanitation status of the surface. Systems for indicating a sanitation status of a surface are also provided.

    LIQUID-DIVERTING PANEL ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS

    公开(公告)号:US20210245859A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-08-12

    申请号:US16787129

    申请日:2020-02-11

    IPC分类号: B64C1/06 B64C1/40

    摘要: A panel assembly (such as for an internal cabin of an aircraft) includes at least one liquid flow path formed on at least one surface through surface treatment. The at least one liquid flow path is formed in relation to at least one bank on the at least one surface. The at least one liquid flow path is configured to divert liquid to a desired location.

    METHODS FOR RECOVERING EXPANDED POLYMER TOOLING

    公开(公告)号:US20210187876A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-06-24

    申请号:US16721614

    申请日:2019-12-19

    IPC分类号: B29C70/44 B29C35/02 B29C33/40

    摘要: Methods of recovering and/or recycling expanded polymer tooling, the methods including collecting expanded polymer tooling, reducing the collected expanded polymer tooling into smaller particles, treating the reduced expanded polymer tooling in order to yield an at least partially purified recovered polymer composition, and then collecting the at least partially purified recovered polymer composition. The at least partially purified recovered polymer composition can then be used to form new expandable polymer tooling.

    FOAMING AGENT INCORPORATED INTO A THERMOPLASTIC FOR AN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM

    公开(公告)号:US20210138734A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-05-13

    申请号:US16682839

    申请日:2019-11-13

    摘要: An additive manufacturing system is disclosed and includes a first heating element configured to receive a first supply of thermoplastic material and a second heating element configured to receive a second supply of plastic material. A foaming agent is incorporated into the second supply of plastic material and is configured to expand at an activation temperature. The additive manufacturing system also includes a control module in electronic communication with both the first heating element and the second heating element. The control module executes instructions to instruct the first heating element to heat the first supply of thermoplastic material to a first extrusion temperature and instruct the second heating element to heat the second supply of plastic material to a second extrusion temperature. The second extrusion temperature is equal to or greater than the activation temperature of the foaming agent.

    High speed vacuum cycling excitation system for optical inspection systems

    公开(公告)号:US10337969B2

    公开(公告)日:2019-07-02

    申请号:US15629673

    申请日:2017-06-21

    摘要: A vacuum system and method for inspecting a workpiece that can include use of the vacuum system, where the vacuum system can include a housing defining at least a portion of a vacuum chamber, a piston within the housing that oscillates to vary a volume of the vacuum chamber, a first valve and a second valve in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber, and a hood in fluid communication with the second valve and the vacuum chamber. The vacuum system can include high-speed valves that enable vacuum system cycling and thus vacuum pressure cycling at a rapid frequency.

    Synchronized Phased Array and Infrared Detector System for Moisture Detection

    公开(公告)号:US20190113449A1

    公开(公告)日:2019-04-18

    申请号:US15787014

    申请日:2017-10-18

    IPC分类号: G01N21/3554 G01N21/3563

    摘要: A method and system for detecting moisture in a composite sandwich panel for an aerospace vehicle. A pulse of an electromagnetic radiation beam is beam steered to the composite sandwich panel. The pulse of the electromagnetic radiation beam has a number of wavelengths that is absorbed by water molecules. The timing of the pulse of the electromagnetic radiation beam is synchronized to heat the composite sandwich panel with a time window in an infrared detector system to detect an amount of infrared radiation. The amount of infrared radiation in the composite sandwich panel is detected within the time window for the infrared detector system when the composite sandwich panel is heated by the pulse of the electromagnetic radiation beam, wherein the amount of infrared radiation indicates a level of moisture in the composite sandwich panel.