Methods and systems for manufacturing composite aircraft wings and other
structures are disclosed herein. A tool assembly for use in manufacturing
composite laminates in accordance with one embodiment of the invention
includes a tool plate carried by a movable support system. The tool plate
includes a tool surface configured to support fiber-reinforced resin
material and define an outer mold line (OML) of the fiber-reinforced
resin material. The movable support system is configured to respond to
signals from a controller to automatically change the shape of the tool
surface and alter the OML of the finished part to suit the particular
application. In one embodiment, the movable support system can include a
plurality of telescoping actuators operably coupled to the tool plate.