Integrated system and method for in-situ 3-axis scanning and detecting defects in object under static and cyclic testing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11041789-B2
Application number	US-201716314264-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2017
Priority date	Jul 1, 2016
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

The present invention relates to an integrated system and method for in-situ 3-axis scanning and detecting defects in a CFRP composite (150) being loaded under static and cyclic test conditions. The system comprises a test system integrated with (10) a scanning system (20) that comprises a probe assembly (52) to generate eddy current on the surface of the CFRP composite (150) mounted on the test system, and a 3D scanner assembly (60) for movement of the probe assembly (50) over the entire surface area of the CFRP composite (150) along X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis. An operator console (70) is connected to the test system and the scanning system (20) for controlling (3) mechanical test process in the test system and for controlling 3-dimensional movement of the probe assembly (52) along X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis in a synchronous manner. Such system and method achieve (3D) automated and synchronized 3D scanning of the CFRP composite (150) to accurately detect the defects in the CFRP composite (150) before/during/after mechanical testing without interrupting the mechanical test process.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for in-situ 3-axis scanning and detecting defects in an object being loaded under static and cyclic test conditions, comprising:
a test system having an actuator and a cross-head assembly that are actuated by a plurality of hydraulic units for applying a desired load and displacement on the object under test;
a fixture assembly having a plurality of fixture elements and a plurality of gripping elements which are attached between the actuator and the cross-head assembly for holding the object under test;
a scanning system integrated with the test system through a pair of supporting columns, wherein the scanning system comprising:
a probe assembly having at least one non-destructive sensing probe to generate and measure eddy current on the surface of the object under test and at least one sensing unit to measure distance between a probe tip and the surface of the object under test; and
a 3D scanner assembly having a XYZ gantry system arranged with a plurality of transmission elements that is associated with the probe assembly for movement of the probe assembly along X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis such that the probe is moved over the entire surface area of the object under test for 3D scanning of the object under test;

an operator console secured with a holder assembly mounted on the test system, wherein the operator console is operatively connected to the test system and the scanning system for controlling movement of the actuator and the cross-head assembly through the hydraulic units and for controlling 3-dimensional movement of the probe assembly along X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis through the XYZ gantry system in a synchronous manner.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the non-destructive sensing probe comprises an eddy current sensing probe that is loaded with a spring and secured into a fixture of the probe assembly in such a way to position the probe tip with respect to the surface of the object under test.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensing unit comprises a laser sensor that is placed adjacent to the probe.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transmission elements are attached to a supporting frame which is secured to the supporting columns of the test system.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the transmission elements is interdependently operated by motors and electric drives controlled by the operator console to provide rotary-to-linear motion transmission.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the operator console is operatively connected to the test system and the scanning system through a multi-channel control and data acquisition system housed in the test system for operating the hydraulic units and the electric drives to drive the actuator, the cross-head assembly, the probe and the sensing unit of the probe assembly, and the transmission elements of the XYZ gantry system.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the operator console is configured to execute test sequences of applying loads and scanning of the object under test, display online test status, diagnose test system health and safety actions, and generate test reports and notifications.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the operator console controls the gripping elements of the fixture assembly for securely holding the object under test even during the static and cyclic test conditions.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fixture and gripping elements are respectively composed of upper and lower fixture elements, and upper and lower gripping elements for mounting the object under test.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transmission elements comprise first, second, third and fourth transmission elements each formed with one or more rails on it, where the transmission elements are coupled with each other through couplers for 3-dimensional movement of the transmission elements with respect to the object under test.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second transmission elements are vertically attached to the supporting frame with reference to the test system.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the third transmission element is horizontally coupled between the first and second transmission elements such that the third transmission element is movable on the rails of the first and second transmission elements in an upward and downward directions with respect to the object under test for movement of the probe assembly along the X-axis.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fourth transmission element is coupled to the third transmission element in perpendicular to the surface of the object under test such that the fourth transmission element is movable on the rails of the third transmission element in a crosswise direction with respect to the object under test for movement of the probe assembly along the Y-axis.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the probe assembly is placed in parallel and coupled to the fourth transmission element such that the probe assembly is movable along with the rails of the fourth transmission element in a backward and forward direction with respect to the object under test for movement of the probe assembly along the Z-axis.

15. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cross-head assembly is housed with a load cell and servo-controlled by the hydraulic units to apply the desired load on the object under test.

16. The system as claimed in any of the preceding claim 1 , wherein the object under test comprises a CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers or Plastics) composite material and a bi-directional CFRP laminate.

17. A method for in-situ 3-axis scanning and detecting defects in an object being loaded under static and cyclic test conditions, comprising the steps of:
(a) mounting the object under test between upper and lower gripping and fixture elements of a fixture assembly at a zero load condition;
(b) positioning a non-destructive sensing probe at top-left and bottom-right corners of the object under test to record X and Y coordinates of a 3D scanner assembly while maintaining a desired distance between the object under test and the probe;
(c) determining an entire scan area of the object under test based on the recorded X and Y coordinates of the 3D scanner assembly;
(d) measuring distance between a tip of the sensing probe and the surface of the object under test;
(e) scanning the determined scan area of the object under test by operating and controlling 3-dimensional movement of the probe along X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis through a plurality of transmission elements of a XYZ gantry system;
(f) generating and measuring eddy current on the surface of the object under test by the probe to determine defects in the object under test at the zero load condition; and
(g) applying a desired load and displacement on the object under test by actuating an actuator and a cross-head assembly of a test system through a plurality of hydraulic units, and synchronously repeating the steps (d), (e) and (f) to analyze the occurrence of defects in the object under test during and after loading at different load conditions and different intervals.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the step of generating and measuring eddy current on the surface of the object under test by the probe, further comprising the steps of:
(a) passing a high-frequency alternating current to generate a transient magnetic field in the probe;
(b) magnetically coupling the probe and the obj

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• K Pradeep
• Haralakere Puttaswamy Chandru
• Mohan Murali
• Ramasubbu Sunder
• Ammanagi Somayya

Classifications

• G01N2203/0617

  Electrical or magnetic indicating, recording or sensing means · CPC title

• G01N27/902

  by moving the sensors · CPC title

• G01N3/08 Primary

  by applying steady tensile or compressive forces (G01N3/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N3/20

  by applying steady bending forces (G01N3/26, G01N3/28 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01N2203/0635

  using magnetic properties · CPC title