System and method for high speed surface and subsurface fod and defect detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018033136-A1
Application number	US-201615225440-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 1, 2016
Priority date	Aug 1, 2016
Publication date	Feb 1, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method for the detection of foreign object debris materials or defects on and/or under a surface of a composite part under manufacture. A member, for example an inspection gantry, is configured to move over the surface. A thermal excitation source is fixed to the member and is configured to direct infrared radiation across the surface. An infrared camera is also fixed to the member a predetermined distance away from the thermal excitation source and is configured to scan the surface as the member moves over the surface to detect and output scan information of the surface. A controller is coupled to the excitation source and to the infrared camera. The controller is configured to process the scan information from the infrared camera to identify a foreign object debris material or defect located on and/or under the surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for the detection of foreign object debris materials or defects on and/or under a surface, comprising:
a member configured to move over a surface; a thermal excitation source fixed to the member and configured to direct infrared radiation across the surface; an infrared camera fixed to the member a predetermined distance away from the thermal excitation source and configured to scan the surface as the member moves over the surface to detect and output scan information of the surface; and a controller coupled to the excitation source and to the infrared camera, the controller configured to process the scan information from the infrared camera to identify a foreign object debris material or defect located on and/or under the surface.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a terminal coupled to the controller, the terminal including a display, and wherein the controller is further configured to provide an indication on the display upon the identification of foreign object debris material or defect located on and/or under the surface.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface is an outer ply of a composite part being formed by a composite layup machine, the composite layup machine having a head mounted on a first gantry for moving over the composite part during formation thereof, and wherein the member comprises a second gantry which separately moves over the composite part during formation thereof.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to detect defects including twists, folds, untacked tows, wrinkles or bridging in the composite part.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to provide real time measurement of laps and gaps between layers of composite material.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface is an outer ply of a composite part being formed by a composite layup machine, the composite layup machine having a head mounted on a first gantry for moving over the composite part during formation thereof, and wherein the member comprises the first gantry.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the infrared camera is a radiometric infrared camera.

8 . The system of claim 7 wherein the controller is configured to provide upper layer and subsurface temperature information of the composite part based on the scan information output by the radiometric infrared camera.

9 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to detect defects including twists, folds, untacked tows, wrinkles or bridging in the composite part.

10 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to provide real time measurement of laps and gaps between layers of composite material.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface is an outer ply of a composite part being formed by a composite layup machine using a carbon fiber reinforced polymer tape, wherein the carbon fiber reinforced polymer tape contacts a spool causing the carbon fiber reinforced polymer tape to be abraded during operation to create carbon fiber reinforced polymer fuzzballs that randomly fall on the surface; and wherein the controller is configured to process the scan information from the infrared camera to detect carbon fiber reinforced polymer fuzzballs on the part surface.

12 . A system for the detection of foreign object debris materials or defects on and/or under a surface, comprising:
a member fixed over a movable surface; a thermal excitation source fixed to the member and configured to direct infrared radiation across the surface; an infrared camera fixed to the member and configured to scan the surface as the surface moves under the member to detect and output scan information of the surface; and a controller coupled to the excitation source and to the infrared camera, the controller configured to process the scan information from the infrared camera to identify a foreign object debris material or defect located on and/or under the surface.

13 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a terminal coupled to the controller, the terminal including a display, and wherein the controller is further configured to provide an indication on the display upon the identification of foreign object debris material or defect located on and/or under the surface.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the surface is an outer ply of a composite part being formed by a composite layup machine, the composite layup machine having a head mounted on a gantry, the composite part moving under the gantry during formation of the composite part, and wherein the member comprises the gantry.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the infrared camera is a radiometric infrared camera; and wherein the controller is configured to provide upper layer and subsurface temperature information of the composite part based on information output by the radiometric infrared camera.

16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to detect defects including twists, folds, untacked tows, wrinkles or bridging in the composite part.

17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to provide real time measurement of laps and gaps between layers of composite material.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the surface is an outer ply of a composite part being formed by a composite layup machine using a carbon fiber reinforced polymer tape, wherein the carbon fiber reinforced polymer tape contacts a spool causing the carbon fiber reinforced polymer tape to be abraded during operation to create carbon fiber reinforced polymer fuzzballs that randomly fall on the surface; and wherein the controller is configured to process the scan information from the infrared camera to detect carbon fiber reinforced polymer fuzzballs on the surface.

19 . A method for the detection of foreign object debris materials or defects on and/or under a surface of a workpiece, comprising the steps of:
moving an infrared radiation beam from an infrared excitation source over the surface of the workpiece; scanning the surface of the workpiece with an infrared camera to detect and output scan information of the surface of the workpiece; and processing the scan information from the infrared camera to identify a foreign object debris material or defect located on and/or under the surface of the workpiece.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the infrared camera is a radiometric camera, further comprising the step of:
processing the scan information from the infrared camera to provide temperature information for an upper layer of the workpiece and a subsurface of the workpiece.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Thompson Jeffrey G
• Safai Morteza

Classifications

• H04N23/61

  based on recognised objects · CPC title

• B29C70/38 Primary

  Automated lay-up, e.g. using robots, laying filaments according to predetermined patterns {(application heads for tyres B29D30/28)} · CPC title

• G06F18/24

  Classification techniques · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/634

  Warning indications · CPC title