Imaging tool for vibration and/or misalignment analysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11210776-B2
Application number	US-202016805131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2020
Priority date	Oct 23, 2015
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods can be used for analyzing image data to determine an amount of vibration and/or misalignment in an object under analysis. In some instances, as operating equipment heats up during operation, temperature changes of various portions of the operating equipment leads to changes in dimensions of such portions, leading to misalignment. Multiple sets of data representative of the operating equipment in multiple operating conditions can be used to determine an amount of misalignment due to thermal offsets. Hot and cold temperatures of the equipment can be used to calculate thermal growth of various portions of the equipment, which can be used to determine an amount a misalignment due to thermal offsets. Additionally or alternatively, image data representing the equipment can be used to observe changes in alignment between states.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for analyzing alignment of equipment under test comprising:
an imaging tool comprising an infrared (IR) camera module and configured to generate IR image data representative of a target scene, the target scene including the equipment under test in an operating state; and
a processing system comprising one or more processors in communication with the imaging tool, the processing system being configured to:
receive a plurality of sets of IR image data, each set of IR image data of the plurality of sets of IR image data representative of an IR image of the equipment under test in a different state;
determine a type, an origin, or a direction of misalignment in the equipment under test based on the plurality of sets of IR image data and based on a determined shape of image distortion present in the IR image data;
determine an amount of image distortion in the IR image data generated by the imaging tool;
determine one or more alignment calibration parameters representative of an amount of misalignment of the equipment under test based on the amount of image distortion in the IR image data and the determined shape of the image distortion present in the IR image data; and
generate an output corresponding to the type, the origin, or the direction of misalignment.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more alignment calibration parameters comprise a vertical offset parameter and a vertical angularity parameter.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to send the output to an alignment tool.

4. The system of claim 3 , comprising communicating the one or more alignment calibration parameters to the alignment tool.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein:
at least one processor of the one or more processors of the processing system are positioned in the alignment tool; and
the alignment tool is configured to determine the one or more alignment calibration parameters based on an amount of misalignment communicated to the imaging tool.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein:
at least one processor of the one or more processors of the processing system are positioned in the alignment tool; and
the alignment tool is configured to determine the one or more alignment calibration parameters based on an amount of misalignment communicated to the imaging tool.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determining the amount of image distortion in the IR image data comprises determining an area of the image distortion in the IR image data.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an alignment tool configured to assist a user in performing an alignment process, the alignment tool configured to assist the user in performing the alignment process based on the one or more alignment calibration parameters.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a display, wherein the output generated by the processing system is displayed on the display.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is in communication with a database of IR image distortion data, and wherein the shape of image distortion present in the IR image data is compared to the database of IR image distortion data to determine a severity of misalignment present in the equipment under test; and wherein the processing system is configured to alert a user of excessive misalignment in response to the severity of misalignment exceeding a predetermined level.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging tool further comprises:
a visible light (VL) camera module configured to receive VL radiation from the target scene and generate VL image data representative of the target scene,
wherein the processing system is configured to receive a plurality of sets of VL image data and is further configured to determine the type, the origin, or the direction of misalignment in the equipment under test based partly on the plurality of sets of VL image data.

12. A system for analyzing alignment of equipment under test comprising:
an imaging tool comprising an infrared (IR) camera module and configured to generate IR image data representative of a target scene, the target scene including the equipment under test in an operating state; and
a processing system comprising one or more processors in communication with the imaging tool, the processing system being configured to:
receive a plurality of sets of IR image data, each set of IR image data of the plurality of sets of IR image data representative of an IR image of the equipment under test in a different state;
determine a type, an origin, or a direction of misalignment in the equipment under test based on the plurality of sets of IR image data and based on a determined shape of image distortion present in the IR image data;
generate an output corresponding to the type, the origin, or the direction of misalignment; and
generate an alert for a user in response to the image distortion exceeding a predetermined amount.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to send the output to an alignment tool.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more alignment calibration parameters comprise a vertical offset parameter and a vertical angularity parameter.

15. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a display, wherein the output generated by the processing system is displayed on the display.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processing system is in communication with a database of IR image distortion data, and wherein the shape of image distortion present in the IR image data is compared to the database of IR image distortion data to determine a severity of misalignment present in the equipment under test; and wherein the processing system is configured to alert the user of excessive misalignment in response to the severity of misalignment exceeding a predetermined level.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the imaging tool further comprises:
a visible light (VL) camera module configured to receive VL radiation from the target scene and generate VL image data representative of the target scene,
wherein the processing system is configured to receive a plurality of sets of VL image data and is further configured to determine the type, the origin, or the direction of misalignment in the equipment under test based partly on the plurality of sets of VL image data.

18. A method comprising:
analyzing alignment of equipment under test, the analyzing comprising:
generating IR image data representative of a target scene using an imaging tool comprising an infrared (IR) camera module, the target scene including the equipment under test in an operating state; and
using a processing system comprising one or more processors in communication with the imaging tool, receiving a plurality of sets of IR image data, each set of IR image data of the plurality of sets of IR image data representative of an IR image of the equipment under test in a different state;
using the processing system, determining a type, an origin, or a direction of misalignment in the equipment under test based on the plurality of sets of IR image data and based on a determined shape of image distortion present in the IR image data;
using the processing system, generating an output corresponding to the type, the origin, or the direction of misalignment; and
using the processing system, generating an alert for a user in response to the image distortion exceeding a predetermined amount.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising s

Assignees

• Fluke Corp

Inventors

• Stuart Michael D
• Bernet John C

Classifications

• G01H9/00 Primary

  Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves by using radiation-sensitive means, e.g. optical means · CPC title

• G01B11/272

  using photoelectric detection means · CPC title

• G06T7/30

  Determination of transform parameters for the alignment of images, i.e. image registration · CPC title

• G06T7/001

  using an image reference approach · CPC title

• G06T7/246

  using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments · CPC title