Inspection and repair tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12420953-B2
Application number	US-202318144050-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2023
Priority date	Jun 15, 2020
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

A method for inspecting and repairing a surface of a component of a gas turbine engine, the method including: inserting an inspection and repair tool into an interior of the gas turbine engine; inspecting the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool; performing a repair of the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool from within the interior of the gas turbine engine, the inspection and repair tool remaining within the interior of the gas turbine engine between inspecting the component and performing the repair of the surface of the component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for inspecting and repairing a surface of a component of a gas turbine engine comprising:
inserting an implement body of an inspection and repair tool into an interior of the gas turbine engine;
inspecting the surface of the component with a plurality of cameras coupled to the implement body of the inspection and repair tool, wherein the plurality of cameras comprises two cameras defining an overlapping field of view;
positioning a spray head of the inspection and repair tool based at least in part on the plurality of cameras, wherein the implement body comprises a stationary portion and a rotating portion, the spray head being coupled to the rotating portion; and
performing a repair of the surface of the component with the spray head of the inspection and repair tool from within the interior of the gas turbine engine by selectively moving the spray head with a motor positioned within the stationary portion of the implement body, the inspection and repair tool remaining within the interior of the gas turbine engine between inspecting the component and performing the repair of the surface of the component.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining the surface of the component includes a defect based on the inspection of the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein inspecting the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool further comprises measuring a distance between the surface of the component and the inspection and repair tool.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein inspecting the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool comprises overlaying exemplary images relative to one or more captured images.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the component is a thermal barrier coating of the component.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining the surface of the component includes a defect based on the inspection of the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool, and wherein determining the surface of the component includes the defect comprises receiving data indicative of a spallation of the thermal barrier coating.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein performing the repair of the surface of the component with the spray head comprises spraying a thermal barrier coating patch on the spallation of the thermal barrier coating.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the repair of the surface of the component with the spray head comprises positioning the spray head of the inspection and repair tool to spray a material on the component based at least in part on the plurality of cameras of the inspection and repair tool.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the repair of the surface of the component with the spray head comprises spraying a preconditioning material on the surface of the component and subsequently spraying a repair material on the surface of the component, and wherein the inspection and repair tool remains within the interior of the gas turbine engine between spraying the preconditioning material on the surface of the component and spraying the repair material on the surface of the component.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spray head includes an outlet, and wherein the outlet is within a field of view of a camera of the plurality of cameras.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the outlet is within the overlapping field of view.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spray head pivots between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the base-stationary portion.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein inspecting the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool comprises moving the inspection and repair tool within the interior of the gas turbine engine using a snake arm robot.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inspection and repair tool comprises:
an elongated insertion member; and
wherein the implement body is attached to the elongated insertion member, the elongated insertion member configured to guide the implement body within the interior of the gas turbine engine.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rotating portion comprises a base, and the two cameras are positioned at least partially within or coupled to the base.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the elongated insertion member is a robotic arm tool comprising one or more fluid passageways extending along a length thereof.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein performing the repair of the surface of the component further comprises providing repair material, cleaning and conditioning fluid, or curing fluid via the one or more fluid passageways.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
rotating the rotating portion during the repair of the surface of the component.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein inspecting the surface of the component with the inspection and repair tool further comprises measuring a distance between the surface of the component and the inspection and repair tool based on the overlapping field of view of the two cameras.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two cameras are spaced along a longitudinal direction of the implement body of the inspection and repair tool.

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Oliver Crispin Robotics Ltd

Inventors

• Danko Todd William
• Kulkarni Ambarish Jayant
• Wallace Margeaux
• Keshavan Hrishikesh
• Bewlay Bernard Patrick
• Pritchard Jr Byron Andrew
• Fullington Michael Dean
• Graham Andrew Crispin
• Hawke Trevor Owen
• Foxall Julian Matthew
• Elkady Ahmed M

Classifications

• G01N21/954

  Inspecting the inner surface of hollow bodies, e.g. bores · CPC title

• G01N21/8851

  Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges (G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002) · CPC title

• B05B12/124

  responsive to distance between spray apparatus and target · CPC title

• B05B15/70

  Arrangements for moving spray heads automatically to or from the working position · CPC title

• B05B15/68

  Arrangements for adjusting the position of spray heads (B05B15/628, B05B15/652, B05B15/656 take precedence) · CPC title