Method and apparatus for controlling a production process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017328636-A1
Application number	US-201615153298-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 12, 2016
Priority date	May 12, 2016
Publication date	Nov 16, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of controlling a production process includes illuminating a portion of a workpiece undergoing a production process with a light having a selected wavelength, processing a portion of the workpiece, capturing a digital image of the light reflecting from a surface of the workpiece with a digital camera, performing, with a processor, a specular reflectance analysis of the digital image, and adjusting a production process parameter based on the specular reflectance analysis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of controlling a production process comprising:
illuminating a portion of a workpiece undergoing a production process with a light having a selected wavelength; processing a portion of the workpiece; capturing a digital image of the light reflecting from a surface of the workpiece with a digital camera; performing, with a processor, a specular reflectance analysis of the digital image; and adjusting a production process parameter based on the specular reflectance analysis.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein illuminating the portion of the workpiece includes illuminating a portion of a metallic workpiece undergoing one of a coating, cladding, fusing, sintering, and sputtering process.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein processing the portion of the workpiece includes applying heat to a coating material applied to the portion of the workpiece with a thermal treatment device.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising: identifying portions of the surface which have transitioned to a liquidus point of the coating material based on the specular reflectance analysis.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising: shielding the digital camera from heat associated with the one of a coating, cladding, fusing, sintering, and sputtering process.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: filtering light passing to the digital camera with a narrow band filter.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein illuminating the portion of a workpiece includes illuminating the portion of the workpiece with a narrow band illumination that substantially passes through the narrow band filter.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the production process parameter includes adjusting one of a speed of the workpiece, a speed of a production tool, and a distance between the workpiece and the production tool and a relative position of the production tool and the workpiece.

9 . An apparatus for controlling a production process comprising:
a light source having a selected wavelength directable toward a workpiece; a digital camera directable toward the workpiece; a production tool operable on the workpiece; and a processor operatively coupled to the digital camera and the production tool, the processor including a specular reflectance analysis module and being operable to adjust a production process parameter based on a specular reflectance analysis of light passing from the light source reflecting from a portion of the workpiece.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising: a narrow band filter arranged at the digital camera, the narrow band filter having a wavelength that substantially passes the wavelength of the light source.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the light source includes a wavelength of about 470 nm and the narrow band filter includes a wavelength of between about 425 nm and about 495 nm, and a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of about 85 nm.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the production tool is operable to perform a thermal treatment process to the workpiece.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the processor is operable to determine which portions of the workpiece transitioned past a liquidus point of the thermal treatment process based on the specular reflectance analysis.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the production tool comprises a thermal treatment device.

15 . The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the thermal treatment device is operable to form a molten metal portion of the coating.

Assignees

• Luce David K
• Parrott Crystal A
• Rigney Michael P
• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Luce David K
• Parrott Crystal A
• Rigney Michael P

Classifications

• F27D2019/0003

  Monitoring the temperature or a characteristic of the charge and using it as a controlling value · CPC title

• F27D2019/0059

  Regulation involving the control of the conveyor movement, e.g. speed or sequences · CPC title

• F27D2021/026

  using a video installation · CPC title

• F27D21/00

  Arrangement of monitoring devices; Arrangement of safety devices · CPC title

• F27D21/02

  Observation or illuminating devices · CPC title