Robotic systems for ultrasonic surface inspection using shaped elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12228550-B2
Application number	US-202217824534-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2022
Priority date	Apr 22, 2021
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

Robotic systems for ultrasonic surface inspection using shaped elements are described. An example system may have an inspection robot structured to move in a direction of travel on an inspection surface. The inspection robot may include: a payload having a first ultrasonic (UT) phased array and a second UT phased array, a rastering device operatively coupled to the payload, and structured to execute reciprocating motion of the payload, and a means for inspecting a weld affected region of the inspection surface on three (3) axes of inspection.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A system, comprising:
an inspection robot structured to move in a direction of travel on an inspection surface, the inspection robot comprising:
a first payload comprising a first ultrasonic (UT) phased array and a second UT phased array;
a rastering device operatively coupled to the first payload, and structured to execute reciprocating motion of the first payload; and
an inspection controller, comprising:
a positioning circuit structured to provide an inspection position command; and
an inspection circuit structured to provide a rastering position command and an interrogation command,
wherein the inspection robot is responsive to the inspection position command to move to an inspection position,
wherein the rastering device is responsive to the rastering position command to move the first payload through at least a portion of a range of the reciprocating motion, and
wherein the first UT phased array and the second UT phased array are responsive to the interrogation command to perform a UT inspection of the inspection surface at the inspection position on three axes of inspection.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first UT phased array is further responsive to the interrogation command to perform the UT inspection on two axes of the three axes, and wherein the second UT phased array is further responsive to the interrogation command to perform the UT inspection on a third axis of the three axes.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the inspection controller further comprises a beam steering circuit structured to perform a beam steering operation utilizing the first UT phased array, and wherein the UT inspection for at least one of the two axes is performed utilizing the beam steering operation, wherein the beam steering operation comprises at least one of: modulating at least one of an amplitude trajectory or a phased trajectory of inducing elements of the first UT phased array, or operating a detection compensation operation of received signals from inducing events of the first UT phased array.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first UT phased array comprises a linear UT array.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein each UT element of the first UT phased array comprises a linear element.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein each UT element of the first UT phased array comprises a shaped element.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein each shaped element comprises a hyperbolic element.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein each shaped element comprises a symmetrical element.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein each shaped element comprises at least one shape selected from the shapes consisting of: a parabolic element; a cylindrical element; and a curvilinear element.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein each shaped element comprises a same shape.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the second UT phased array comprises a linear UT array, and wherein each UT element of the second UT phased array comprises a shaped element.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second payload comprising a weld inspection sensor,
wherein the inspection circuit is further structured to provide a weld inspection command,
wherein the weld inspection sensor is responsive to the weld inspection command to perform a weld inspection of a weld, and
wherein the weld is positioned at one of: at the inspection position; adjacent to the inspection position; or interposed between two adjacent inspection positions.

13. A system comprising:
an inspection robot structured to move in a direction of travel on an inspection surface, the inspection robot comprising:
a first payload comprising a first ultrasonic (UT) phased array and a second UT phased array;
a second payload comprising a third UT phased array and a fourth UT phased array;
a first rastering device operatively coupled to the first payload, and structured to execute reciprocating motion of the first payload;
a second rastering device operatively coupled to the second payload, and structured to execute reciprocating motion of the second payload; and
an inspection controller, comprising:
a positioning circuit structured to provide an inspection position command; and
an inspection circuit structured to provide a first rastering position command, a second rastering position command, a first interrogation command, and a second interrogation command,

wherein the inspection robot is responsive to the inspection position command to move to an inspection position;
wherein the first rastering device is responsive to the first rastering position command to move the first payload through at least a portion of a range of the reciprocating motion of the first payload;
wherein the second rastering device is responsive to the second rastering position command to move the second payload through at least a portion of a range of the reciprocating motion of the second payload;
wherein the first UT phased array and the second UT phased array are responsive to the interrogation command to perform a UT inspection of the inspection surface at the inspection position on three axes of inspection, and on a first side of a weld of the inspection surface; and
wherein the third UT phased array and the fourth UT phased array are responsive to the interrogation command to perform a UT inspection of the inspection surface at the inspection position on three axes of inspection, and on a second side of the weld of the inspection surface.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a weld inspection sensor, wherein the inspection circuit is further structured to provide a weld inspection command, and wherein the weld inspection sensor is responsive to the weld inspection command to perform a weld inspection of the weld, wherein the weld inspection sensor is positioned on at least one of: the first payload, the second payload, or a body of the inspection robot.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a first weld inspection sensor positioned on the first side of the weld, and a second weld inspection sensor positioned on the second side of the weld,
wherein the inspection circuit is further structured to provide a weld inspection command,
wherein the first weld inspection sensor is responsive to the weld inspection command to perform a weld inspection of the weld, and
wherein the second weld inspection sensor is responsive to the weld inspection command to perform a weld inspection of the weld.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the inspection circuit is further structured to provide the first rastering position command and the second rastering position command to provide at least one of asynchronous or synchronous movement of the first and second rastering devices.

17. A system, comprising:
an inspection robot structured to move in a direction of travel on an inspection surface, the inspection robot comprising:
a payload comprising a first ultrasonic (UT) phased array and a second UT phased array;
a rastering device operatively coupled to the payload, and structured to execute reciprocating motion of the payload; and
a means for inspecting a weld affected region of the inspection surface on three (3) axes of inspection,
wherein the means for inspecting the weld affected region further comprises a means for inspecting an extent of the weld affected region in a single inspection pass, wherein the extent of the weld affected region is in the direction of travel, and wherein the extent of the weld affected region is greater than one (1) inch.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the we

Assignees

• Gecko Robotics Inc

Inventors

• David Chase
• Aparicio Jose
• Mora Juan Roberto Mendoza
• Low Kevin Y
• Demmer Troy
• Bryner Edward A
• Corl Scott Ashley

Classifications

• G01N2291/0289

  Internal structure, e.g. defects, grain size, texture · CPC title

• G01N29/04

  Analysing solids (using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14) · CPC title

• G01N29/043

  in the interior, e.g. by shear waves · CPC title

• G01N29/07

  by measuring propagation velocity or propagation time of acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01N29/262

  by electronic orientation or focusing, e.g. with phased arrays (phased arrays per se G10K11/34) · CPC title