Method and apparatus for ultrasonically cutting sheet material

摘要

An automatically controlled cutting machine having a reciprocating cutting blade that is translated along a cutting path through a layup of limp sheet material under computer control includes an ultrasonic transducer that establishes standing waves along the length of the blade. The reciprocating motions of the blade shift the nodes in the standing wave to different elevations within the layup so that cutting is uniform in each ply of the limp sheet material. A drill used to produce marking holes in the material is also provided with ultrasonic means and aids the drilling in penetrating through the layup during drilling operations.