A method of producing a component having an in use gas washed surface, including: obtaining a reference-component having a reference shape with in use gas washed surface; determining performance-sensitivity-distribution for the reference-component, the performance-sensitivity-distribution having plurality of points, each point indicative of a performance factor for the reference-component; identifying plurality of zones on the reference-component performance-sensitivity-distribution, each zone including at least one plurality of points; setting geometric-tolerance for each zone; manufacturing a component according to the reference-component; machining the manufactured-component outer surface so the manufactured-component surface is within predetermined geometric-tolerance for each reference-component corresponding zone; additionally/alternatively; measuring the manufactured-component geometry to determine whether the manufactured-component is within geometric-tolerance for each corresponding plurality of reference shape zones, and accepting production-component for use if geometry of the production-component is within the geometric-tolerance for each plurality of zones, or rejecting the production-component if the geometry is outside the geometric-tolerance for plurality of zones.

A method of manufacturing a panel assembly includes supporting the panel assembly in a free state using a holding fixture. The panel assembly has a skin panel, and sacrificial material coupled to a skin panel inner surface. The method includes acquiring a free state outer surface contour of the panel assembly by scanning a skin panel outer surface while the panel assembly is supported by the holding fixture. The method also includes developing a numerically controlled (NC) machining program having cutter paths configured for machining the interface locations to an inner surface contour that reflects nominal thicknesses of the panel assembly based off of the free state outer surface contour. In addition, the method includes machining the sacrificial material at the interface locations by moving a cutter along the cutter paths while the panel assembly is supported by the holding fixture.

The invention relates to a method and to system for producing blades (1) of a machine interacting with a fluid, in particular a fluid-driven machine, in particular a wind turbine, comprising an examination device (19) for determining geometric deviations (A, B, C, D, E, F) from a target shape for one or more shaped blades (1), a device (21) for determining a deviation evaluation of one or more determined geometric deviations from the target shape for each blade with respect to the aerodynamic and/or mechanical consequences thereof, a device (23) for assigning one or more corrective measures (100, 101, 102), each including an expenditure evaluation (100″, 101″, 102″), to one or more determined geometric deviations (A, B, C, D, E, F) from the target shape for each blade, and a linking device (24) for linking a deviation evaluation that was determined for one or more of the determined geometric deviations to the expenditure evaluation for one or more determined corrective measures and for determining the corrective measures to be carried out from the result of the linkage.

Described herein are methods and systems to establish a pre-build relationship in a model that specifies a first parameter for a first feature of a structure and a second parameter for a second feature of the structure. In particular, a computing system may receive data specifying a pre-build relationship that defines a build value of the first parameter in terms of a post-build observed value of the second parameter. During production of the structure, the computing system may determine the post-build observed value of the second parameter and, based on the determined post-build observed value, may determine the build value of the first parameter in accordance with the pre-build relationship. After determining the build value, the computing system may then transmit, to a robotic system, an instruction associated with production of the first feature by the robotic system, with that instruction specifying the determined build value of the first parameter.

A part processing planning method includes the following steps. Firstly, a specific tolerance of a nominal size of a part is obtained. Then, a predetermined tolerance of each of processes is obtained. Then, using a process dimension chain establishing technique, at least one predetermined tolerance associated with the specification tolerance from the predetermined tolerances is obtained. Then, at least one predetermined tolerance associated with the specification tolerance is accumulated to obtain a size cumulative tolerance. Then, whether the size cumulative tolerance meets the specification tolerance is determined. Then, at least one predetermined tolerance associated with the specification tolerance is re-allocated when the cumulative tolerance does not meet the specification tolerance, such that the size cumulative tolerance is within the specification tolerance.

A method and apparatus for managing tow end placement. A time at which movement of a tow is initiated or stopped during a layup process is detected. A latency between the time and a command time corresponding to a command to begin movement or stop movement of the tow is determined. A determination is made as to whether the latency is within a desired range. A timing offset used by a control system that controls tow layup is adjusted in response to a determination that the latency is not within the desired range.

Various embodiments include a manufacturing system comprising: a communication module for receiving a three-dimensional model and control commands including manufacturing instructions for the manufacturing machine with respective reference values, tolerance values, and/or intervention tolerance values; a manufacturing module, wherein the model, the instructions, and the commands are used to manufacture an object; a calculating module using the three-dimensional model and the manufacturing instructions to calculate the control commands; and a measuring device having a communication module for receiving the three-dimensional model, a capture module using sensors to measure the manufactured object, captured for the reference values and/or the tolerance values and/or intervention tolerance values, and a checking module, wherein a divergence of the measured values from the applicable manufacturing reference values and an exceeding of the associated manufacturing tolerance values and/or the associated intervention tolerance values result in a control signal.

A part processing planning method includes the following steps. Firstly, a specific tolerance of a nominal size of a part is obtained. Then, a predetermined tolerance of each of processes is obtained. Then, using a process dimension chain establishing technique, at least one predetermined tolerance associated with the specification tolerance from the predetermined tolerances is obtained. Then, at least one predetermined tolerance associated with the specification tolerance is accumulated to obtain a size cumulative tolerance. Then, whether the size cumulative tolerance meets the specification tolerance is determined. Then, at least one predetermined tolerance associated with the specification tolerance is re-allocated when the cumulative tolerance does not meet the specification tolerance, such that the size cumulative tolerance is within the specification tolerance.

Producing a component having an in use gas washed surface includes: obtaining a reference component having a reference shape with an in use gas washed surface; setting one or more performance threshold for the reference shape, the threshold defining an acceptable performance for the reference shape; obtaining a manufactured component made to the reference shape; measuring the manufactured component and determining a displacement distribution indicative of the geometric deviation of the manufactured component from the reference shape; determining a performance sensitivity distribution for the reference component, the sensitivity distribution having a plurality of points, each point indicative of a performance factor for the reference component; combining the sensitivity distribution and displacement distribution to determine a performance prediction for the manufactured component; determining whether the performance prediction is within the performance threshold; accepting or rejecting the component for use if the predicted performance is within or outside the performance threshold, respectively.

A method and apparatus for managing tow end placement. A time at which movement of a tow is initiated or stopped during a layup process is detected. A latency between the time and a command time corresponding to a command to begin movement or stop movement of the tow is determined. A determination is made as to whether the latency is within a desired range. A timing offset used by a control system that controls tow layup is adjusted in response to a determination that the latency is not within the desired range.