A laminator is disclosed. The laminator includes a substrate supply part for supplying a substrate on which a metal pattern is formed; a coverlay supply part for supplying a film to which a plurality of coverlays is attached; a heating roller part for bonding the substrate and the film so that the plurality of coverlays respectively covers the metal pattern; a substrate tension adjustment part and a film tension adjustment part; a bonding state image photographing part for measuring an interval between the plurality of coverlays after the substrate and the film are bonded; and an adjustment part for adjusting the substrate tension adjustment part or the film tension adjustment part so that the interval between the plurality of coverlays measured by the bonding state image photographing part maintains a preset allowable interval.

A laminator is disclosed. The laminator includes a substrate supply part for supplying a substrate on which a metal pattern is formed; a coverlay supply part for supplying a film to which a plurality of coverlays is attached; a heating roller part for bonding the substrate and the film so that the plurality of coverlays respectively covers the metal pattern; a substrate tension adjustment part and a film tension adjustment part; a bonding state image photographing part for measuring an interval between the plurality of coverlays after the substrate and the film are bonded; and an adjustment part for adjusting the substrate tension adjustment part or the film tension adjustment part so that the interval between the plurality of coverlays measured by the bonding state image photographing part maintains a preset allowable interval.

There is provided a method that includes directing one or more infrared cameras at a compaction roller of a composite laying head of a composite layup machine. The one or more infrared cameras are mounted aft of the compaction roller. The method includes applying heat to a substrate by a heater. The heater is mounted forward of the compaction roller. The method further includes using the one or more infrared cameras, to obtain one or more infrared images of the compaction roller, during laying down of one or more composite tows of a composite layup onto the substrate by the compaction roller. The method further includes identifying, based on the one or more infrared images, one or more temperature profiles of the compaction roller, and analyzing identified temperature profiles, to determine one or more of, a layup quality of the composite layup, and a heat history of the composite layup.

A method of detecting defects in a composite layup includes capturing, using an infrared camera, reference images of a reference layup being laid up by a reference layup head. The method also includes manually reviewing the reference images for defects, and generating reference defect masks indicating defects in the reference images. The method further includes training, using the reference images and reference defect masks, a neural network, creating a machine learning model that, given a production image as input, outputs a production defect mask indicating the defect location and the defect type of each defect. The method also includes capturing, using an infrared camera, production images of a production layup being laid up by the production layup head, and applying the model to the production images to automatically generate a production defect masks indicating each defect in the production images.

A method of detecting defects in a composite layup includes capturing, using an infrared camera, reference images of a reference layup being laid up by a reference layup head. The method also includes manually reviewing the reference images for defects, and generating reference defect masks indicating defects in the reference images. The method further includes training, using the reference images and reference defect masks, a neural network, creating a machine learning model that, given a production image as input, outputs a production defect mask indicating the defect location and the defect type of each defect. The method also includes capturing, using an infrared camera, production images of a production layup being laid up by the production layup head, and applying the model to the production images to automatically generate a production defect masks indicating each defect in the production images.

A glue jamming prevention structure of a laminator is disclosed, having a main structure that includes a housing, an entry opening and an out-feeding opening respectively arranged at two sides of the housing, a left side board, a right side board, and a power element arranged in the housing. A first entry driving axle, a second entry driving axle, a first out-feeding driving axle, a second out-feeding driving axle, a left-side elastic assembly, and a right-side elastic assembly are arranged on the left side board and the right side board. A first driving belt is arranged on the first entry driving axle and the first out-feeding driving axle. A second driving belt is arranged on the second entry driving axle and the second out-feeding driving axle.

A portable hybrid hand labeler is disclosed that relies on mechanical motion, which eliminates the need for motors and the corresponding energy required to run the motors. The portable hybrid hand labeler also houses an ink jet head and a digital print mechanism, which offers the user infinite print flexibility via downloadable print bands. The portable hybrid hand labeler is preferably battery driven, and comprises a unique drive system and mechanism to harvest the kinetic energy from the trigger pull and a display panel with a solar panel to collect solar energy to trickle charge the battery pack, thereby increasing usage time between charges.

A composite manufacturing system is provided. The composite manufacturing system comprises a fiber placement head, a compaction roller associated with the fiber placement head, and a temperature regulation system associated with the compaction roller. The temperature regulation system is configured to actively control a temperature of the compaction roller. The temperature regulation system comprises a number of temperature sensors, a cooling system, and a controller. The number of temperature sensors are configured to detect the temperature of the compaction roller. The cooling system is associated with the compaction roller and is configured to cool the compaction roller. The controller is in communication with the number of temperature sensors and the cooling system. The controller is configured to cool the compaction roller such that the temperature is below a threshold temperature.

A substrate bonding apparatus for bonding a first substrate to a second substrate includes a first bonding chuck supporting the first substrate, a second bonding chuck disposed above the first bonding chuck and supporting the second substrate, a resonant frequency detector detecting a resonant frequency of a bonded structure with the first substrate and the second substrate which are at least partially bonded to each other, and a controller controlling a distance between the first bonding chuck and the second bonding chuck according to the detected resonant frequency of the bonded structure.

A substrate bonding apparatus for bonding a first substrate to a second substrate includes a first bonding chuck supporting the first substrate, a second bonding chuck disposed above the first bonding chuck and supporting the second substrate, a resonant frequency detector detecting a resonant frequency of a bonded structure with the first substrate and the second substrate which are at least partially bonded to each other, and a controller controlling a distance between the first bonding chuck and the second bonding chuck according to the detected resonant frequency of the bonded structure.