Vision System for Selective Tridimensional Repair Using Additive Manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016159011-A1
Application number	US-201414560877-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 4, 2014
Priority date	Dec 4, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for selective tridimensional repair of a worn surface using at least a scanning device and an additive manufacturing device is provided. The computer-implemented method may include generating a worn surface model of the worn surface based on point cloud data obtained from the scanning device, superimposing the worn surface model onto a nominal surface model, generating trace data corresponding to dimensional variations between the worn surface model and the nominal surface model, and generating a rebuild volume based on the trace data.

First claim

1 . A computer-implemented method for selective tridimensional repair of a worn surface using at least a scanning device and an additive manufacturing device, comprising:
generating a worn surface model of the worn surface based on point cloud data obtained from the scanning device; superimposing the worn surface model onto a nominal surface model; generating trace data corresponding to dimensional variations between the worn surface model and the nominal surface model; and generating a rebuild volume based on the trace data.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
scanning the worn surface using the scanning device to obtain scan data; and compiling the scan data to generate the point cloud data.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the scanning device is a high resolution scanning camera.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the dimensional variations between the worn surface model and the nominal surface model are represented as one or more heat images characterizing depth measurements in terms of a color scheme.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the nominal surface model is predefined and obtained from an external source.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the trace data is generated using an automated tracing process of the dimensional variations between the worn surface model and the nominal surface model.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
operating the additive manufacturing device based on the rebuild volume.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the rebuild volume is generated in terms of additive manufacturing parameters capable of instructing the additive manufacturing device to repair the worn surface.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the additive manufacturing device is a laser additive manufacturing device.

10 . A control system for selective tridimensional repair of a worn surface, comprising:
a scanning device configured to scan the worn surface; an additive manufacturing device configured to repair the worn surface; a memory configured to retrievably store one or more algorithms; and a controller in communication with each of the scanning device, the additive manufacturing device, and the memory, and based on the one or more algorithms, configured to at least:
superimpose a worn surface model of the worn surface onto a nominal surface model,
generate trace data corresponding to dimensional variations between the worn surface model and the nominal surface model, and
generate a rebuild volume based on the trace data.

11 . The control system of claim 10 , wherein the scanning device is a high resolution scanning camera, and the additive manufacturing device is a laser additive manufacturing device.

12 . The control system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive scan data from the scanning device, compile the scan data, generate point cloud data based on the compiled scan data, and generate the worn surface model based on the point cloud data.

13 . The control system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to represent the dimensional variations between the worn surface model and the nominal surface model as one or more heat images characterizing depth measurements in terms of a color scheme.

14 . The control system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to retrieve the nominal surface model from information preprogrammed in the memory.

15 . The control system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to generate the trace data based at least partially on an automated tracing process of the dimensional variations between the worn surface model and the nominal surface model.

16 . The control system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to generate the rebuild volume in terms of additive manufacturing parameters capable of instructing the additive manufacturing device to repair the worn surface.

17 . The control system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to operate the additive manufacturing device based on the rebuild volume.

18 . A controller for selective tridimensional repair of a worn surface using at least a scanning device and an additive manufacturing device, comprising:
a scanning module configured to generate point cloud data based on scan data obtained from the scanning device; an imaging module configured to generate a worn surface model of the worn surface based on the point cloud data, and superimpose the worn surface model onto a nominal surface model; a trace module configured to generate trace data corresponding to dimensional variations between the worn surface model and the nominal surface model, and generate a rebuild volume based on the trace data; and a rebuild module configured to operate the additive manufacturing device based on the rebuild volume.

19 . The controller of claim 18 , wherein the scanning module is configured to compile the scan data obtained from a high resolution scanning camera, and generate the point cloud data based on the compiled scan data, and the imaging module is configured to represent the dimensional variations between the worn surface model and the nominal surface model as one or more heat images characterizing depth measurements in terms of a color scheme.

20 . The controller of claim 18 , wherein the trace module is configured to generate the trace data based at least partially on an automated tracing process of the dimensional variations between the worn surface model and the nominal surface model, and generate the rebuild volume in terms of laser additive manufacturing parameters.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Marchione Thierry A
• West Matthew T
• Sherman John A

Classifications

• G05B2219/35134

  3-D cad-cam · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B29C67/0088 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• G05B19/4099

  Surface or curve machining, making three-dimensional [3D] objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/386 Primary

  Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing · CPC title