Method and system for automated data collection and part validation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10371646-B2
Application number	US-201615269033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2016
Priority date	Sep 19, 2016
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

An inspection system comprises a crane system, a six axis, one hundred and fifty degree articulating robotic arm, a laser inspection system, and a communications system. The robotic arm is connected to a base of the crane system. The laser inspection system is connected to the robotic arm. The communications system is configured to send and receive instructions for the crane system, the robotic arm, and the laser inspection system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inspection system comprising:
a crane system;
a six-axis articulating robotic arm, wherein the robotic arm is connected to a base of the crane system;
a laser inspection system connected to the robotic arm;
a communications system configured to send and receive instructions for the crane system, the robotic arm, and the laser inspection system; and
a wireless device configured to activate movement of at least one of the crane system or the robotic arm for inspection of a structure using the laser inspection system, wherein the wireless device is configured to send movement instructions generated based on operator input selected from a menu of options, and wherein the options comprise one of a type of part and a type of inspection.

2. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the crane system comprises a track system, wherein the base of the crane system travels in at least one of an x-direction or a y-direction within a manufacturing environment along the track system.

3. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device is configured to trigger generation of movement instructions for at least one of the crane system or the robotic arm by a computer system based on facility geometry.

4. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the robotic arm is connected to the base by a telescoping arm.

5. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein components of the communications system are configured to send and receive wireless signals in a range of 400-650 mHz to send and receive instructions for the crane system.

6. The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein components of the communications system are configured to send and receive wireless signals in a range of 2.4-5.0 Ghz to send and receive instructions for the robotic arm.

7. An inspection system comprising:
a crane system having a base and a track system, wherein the base of the crane system travels in at least one of an x-direction or a y-direction in a manufacturing environment along the track system;
a telescoping arm connected to the base of the crane system;
a six-axis articulating robotic arm connected to the telescoping arm;
a laser inspection system connected to the robotic arm;
a wireless device configured to activate movement of at least one of the crane system, the telescoping arm, or the robotic arm for inspection of a structure within the manufacturing environment by the laser inspection system, wherein movement instructions for movement of the at least one of the crane system, the telescoping arm, or the robotic arm are generated based on operator input selected from a menu of options wherein the options comprise one of a type of part and a type of inspection; and
a communications system configured to send and receive instructions for the crane system, the robotic arm, and the laser inspection system.

8. The inspection system of claim 7 further comprising:
a computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing system configured to generate a vector offset program to move the robotic arm to inspect a structure.

9. The inspection system of claim 8 , wherein the computer-aided design/computer aided manufacturing system is further configured to compare data generated by the laser inspection system for the structure to a three-dimensional model of the structure.

10. The inspection system of claim 7 , wherein a computer system is configured to generate a program to drive the base of the crane system towards a structure within the manufacturing environment to be inspected based on facility geometry.

11. The inspection system of claim 7 , wherein the wireless device is configured to send movement instructions generated based on operator input.

12. The inspection system of claim 7 , wherein the wireless device is configured to trigger generation of movement instructions for at least one of the crane system or the robotic arm by a computer system based on facility geometry.

13. A method of inspecting a structure in a manufacturing environment, the method comprising:
driving a base of a crane system within the manufacturing environment;
moving a robotic arm connected to the base relative to the base, wherein the robotic arm is an articulating robotic arm; and
forming inspection data for the structure using a laser inspection system connected to the robotic arm during at least one of driving the base of the crane system or moving the robotic arm; and
generating instructions for at least one of driving the base of the crane system or moving the robotic arm based on user input received on a wireless device, wherein the instructions are generated based on operator input selected from a menu of options, and wherein the options comprise one of a type of part and a type of inspection.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
generating instructions for at least one of driving the base of the crane system or moving the robotic arm based on facility geometry stored on a computer system.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
comparing inspection data for the structure to a three-dimensional model of the structure to form results.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
changing a length of a telescoping arm positioned between the robotic arm and the base of the crane system.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
disabling manual crane controls prior to driving the base of the crane system or moving the robotic arm.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Boyer Mark James

Classifications

• G01N2201/10

  Scanning · CPC title

• G01N21/95 Primary

  characterised by the material or shape of the object to be examined (G01N21/89 - G01N21/91, G01N21/94 take precedence) · CPC title

• Y10S901/47

  Optical · CPC title

• B25J9/046

  Revolute coordinate type · CPC title

• B25J18/025 Primary

  telescopic · CPC title