The Boeing Company
Automated system and method for smoothing wrinkled material

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for smoothing a material having wrinkles. The material is positioned on a vacuum table having a group of segments. A smoothing device is moved across a surface of the material to form a substantially smooth section of the material. A vacuum is progressively applied to a portion of the group of segments in the vacuum table corresponding to the substantially smooth section of the material to pull the substantially smooth section of the material against the vacuum table.