Douglas G Wolfe

US Patent:

6470228, Oct 22, 2002

Filed:

Jun 23, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/339334

Inventors:

Greg A. Turner - Arlington TX
Douglas K. Wolfe - Denton TX
Patrick S. Porowski - Duncanville TX
William Bruce Webster - Carrollton TX

Assignee:

Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. - Dallas TX

International Classification:

G05B 19416

US Classification:

700 97, 700 98, 700107

Abstract:

A material management system and method ( ) includes a data storage device ( ) containing order information ( ) for a product, product information ( ) for a product, work center information ( ) for fabricating the product, and inventory information ( ) for fabricating the product. The system ( ) also includes a processor ( ) coupled to the data storage device ( ). The system ( ) further includes a nesting application ( ) operable for execution by the processor ( ). The nesting application ( ) is operable to determine a fabrication nest for the product using the order information ( ), the product information ( ), the work center information ( ), or the inventory information ( ).

US Patent:

20210308926, Oct 7, 2021

Filed:

Apr 27, 2021

Appl. No.:

17/242014

Inventors:

- Fort Worth TX, US
Douglas K. Wolfe - Denton TX, US
James A. Cordell - Azle TX, US

Assignee:

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. - Fort Worth TX

International Classification:

B29C 48/05
B29C 63/00
B64C 11/16
B32B 27/02
B64C 3/00
B29C 70/52
B29C 64/118
B29C 33/38
B64F 5/10
B29C 65/78
B29C 65/00
B25B 11/02
B29C 70/54

Abstract:

In one embodiment, a method includes fastening a plurality of components of a composite structure in an assembly fixture, wherein the assembly fixture comprises a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the assembly fixture further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the assembly fixture; and heating the assembly fixture in an autoclave to bond the plurality of components of the composite structure.

US Patent:

20200346382, Nov 5, 2020

Filed:

Mar 10, 2020

Appl. No.:

16/814622

Inventors:

- Fort Worth TX, US
Douglas K. Wolfe - Denton TX, US
James A. Cordell - Azle TX, US

Assignee:

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. - Fort Worth TX

International Classification:

B29C 48/05
B29C 63/00
B64C 11/16
B32B 27/02
B64C 3/00
B29C 70/52
B29C 64/118
B29C 33/38

Abstract:

In one embodiment, an assembly fixture may include a base structure including a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprising a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the base structure further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the base structure, The assembly fixture may further include a plurality of fastening structures coupled to the base structure, wherein the plurality of fastening structures is configured to fasten a plurality of components of a composite structure for assembly using a heated bonding process.

US Patent:

20190084207, Mar 21, 2019

Filed:

Sep 20, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/710797

Inventors:

- Fort Worth TX, US
Douglas K. Wolfe - Denton TX, US
James A. Cordell - Azle TX, US

International Classification:

B29C 47/00
B29C 63/00
B64C 3/00
B64C 11/16
B32B 27/02

Abstract:

In one embodiment, a method may comprise heating a composite material into a viscous form, wherein the composite material comprises a thermoplastic and a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is randomly arranged within the thermoplastic. The method may further comprise extruding a plurality of strands of the composite material, wherein extruding the plurality of strands causes the plurality of reinforcement fibers within each strand to align. The method may further comprise arranging the plurality of strands of the composite material to form an assembly fixture, wherein the assembly fixture comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property, and wherein the anisotropic thermal expansion property is based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the assembly fixture.