Imaging tool for vibration and/or misalignment analysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12293501-B2
Application number	US-202117560817-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2021
Priority date	Oct 23, 2015
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

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 determining a misalignment of components of equipment under test, comprising:
an imaging tool configured to receive radiation from a target scene at two or more instances during a period of time, wherein the target scene includes a first component of the equipment under test; and
a processing system in communication with the imaging tool, the processing system including one or more processors configured to:
generate an image by combining image data from the radiation received by imaging tool;
determine a shape of an image distortion in the image, wherein the image distortion indicates movement of the first component of the equipment under test between a neutral position and a deflected position during the period of time in which the imaging tool received the radiation from the target scene;
determine a misalignment of the first component coupled to a second component of the equipment under test based on the shape of the image distortion in the image; and
generate an output corresponding to the misalignment.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shape of the image distortion indicates an extent and orientation of deflection of the first component of the equipment under test relative to the neutral position, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine a type, origin, or direction of the misalignment based on the shape of the image distortion.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine a size of the image distortion.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the size of the image distortion by determining an area of the image distortion.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine one or more alignment calibration parameters representative of an amount of misalignment of the first component of the equipment under test based on the size of the image distortion and the shape of the image distortion.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to alert a user when the size of the image distortion exceeds a threshold.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image data is combined by averaging image data derived from the radiation received by the imaging tool at the two or more instances during the period of time.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
determine a severity of misalignment of the first component of the equipment under test based on an area of the image distortion or a magnitude of deflection of the first component of the equipment under test from the neutral position indicated by the image distortion; and
alert a user when the severity of misalignment exceeds a threshold.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to compare the shape of the image distortion to a database of image distortions to determine the misalignment of the first component.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging tool comprises an infrared (IR) camera configured to receive the radiation from the target scene, the radiation including IR radiation, and
wherein the processing system is configured to generate the image based at least in part on IR image data from the IR radiation.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging tool comprises a visible light (VL) camera configured to receive the radiation from the target scene, the radiation including VL radiation, and
wherein the processing system is configured to generate the image based at least in part on the VL radiation.

12. A method for determining a misalignment of components of equipment under test, comprising:
receiving radiation from a target scene at two or more instances during a period of time, wherein the target scene includes a component of the equipment under test;
generating an image by combining image data;
determining a shape of an image distortion in the image, wherein the image distortion indicates movement of the component of the equipment under test between a neutral position and a deflected position during the period of time;
determining a type, origin, or direction of misalignment of the component of the equipment under test based on the shape of the image distortion in the image; and
generating an output corresponding to the type, origin, or direction of the misalignment.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein acquiring combining the image data comprises averaging image data derived from the radiation.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising detecting edges of the image distortion in the image to determine an area of the image distortion.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining an amount of misalignment of the component of the equipment under test based on the area of the image distortion;
determining one or more alignment calibration parameters based on the amount of misalignment of the component; and
transmitting the one or more alignment calibration parameters to an alignment tool that facilitates an alignment of the component.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining a severity of misalignment of the component based on the area of the image distortion; and
alerting a user when the severity of misalignment exceeds a threshold.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining one or more alignment calibration parameters based on a size of the image distortion and the shape of the image distortion.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising comparing the shape of the image distortion to a database of image distortions data-to determine the type, origin, or direction of the misalignment.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is configured to combine the image data from the radiation by generating the image with a length of exposure time sufficient for the first component of the equipment under test to move between the neutral position and the deflected position during the exposure time.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the image data is combined by generating the image with a length of exposure time sufficient for the component of the equipment under test to move between the neutral position and the deflected position during the exposure time.

Assignees

• Fluke Corp

Inventors

• Stuart Michael D
• Bernet John C

Classifications

• G06T2207/10048

  Infrared image · CPC title

• G06T2207/10016

  Video; Image sequence · CPC title

• G06T7/20

  Analysis of motion (motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51) · CPC title

• G06T7/30

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

• G06T7/246

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