System and method for high speed FOD detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9839946-B2
Application number	US-201514614198-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2015
Priority date	Feb 4, 2015
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A system for the detection of foreign object debris material on a surface of a composite part being manufactured. A platform is configured to move over the surface. A thermal excitation source is fixed to the platform and configured to direct infrared radiation across the surface. An infrared camera is also fixed to the platform and configured to scan the surface as the platform moves over the surface to detect and output a signal proportional to infrared radiation emitted by the surface and/or by any foreign object debris material on the surface in response to the infrared radiation from the excitation source. A controller is coupled to the excitation source and to the infrared camera and is configured to compare the signal from the infrared camera with a first predetermined threshold signal to detect if any foreign object debris material is located on the surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for the detection of foreign object debris material on a surface, comprising:
a platform configured to move over a surface;
a thermal excitation source fixed to the platform and configured to direct infrared radiation across the surface;
an infrared camera fixed to the platform and configured to scan the surface as the platform moves over the surface to detect and output a signal proportional to infrared radiation emitted by the surface and/or by any foreign object debris material on the surface in response to the infrared radiation from the excitation source; and
a controller coupled to the excitation source and to the infrared camera, the controller configured to compare the signal from the infrared camera with a first predetermined threshold signal to detect if any foreign object debris material is located on the surface.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a high pressure air source and an associated controllable air pressure nozzle, the controllable air pressure nozzle mounted on the platform and directed at the surface, and wherein the controller is further coupled to the controllable air pressure nozzle and configured to activate the controllable air pressure nozzle upon the detection that foreign object debris material is located on the surface.

3. 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 detection that foreign object debris material is located on the surface.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an ultraviolet light source fixed to the platform and configured to direct ultraviolet light across the surface;
an ultraviolet light camera fixed to the platform and configured to scan the surface as the platform moves over the surface to detect and output a signal proportional to ultraviolet light reflected by the surface and/or by any foreign object debris material on the surface in response to the ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source; and
wherein the controller is coupled to the ultraviolet light source and to the ultraviolet light camera, the controller configured to compare the signal from the ultraviolet light camera with a second predetermined threshold signal to detect if any foreign object debris material is located on the surface.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a visible light source fixed to the platform and configured to direct visible light across the surface;
a visible light camera fixed to the platform and configured to scan the surface as the platform moves over the surface to detect and output a signal proportional to visible light reflected by the surface and/or by any foreign object debris material on the surface in response to the visible light from the visible light source; and
wherein the controller is coupled to the visible light source and to the visible light camera, the controller configured to compare the signal from the visible light camera with a third predetermined threshold signal to detect if any foreign object debris material is located on the surface.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a visible light source fixed to the platform and configured to direct visible light across the surface;
a visible light camera fixed to the platform and configured to scan the surface as the platform moves over the surface to detect and output a signal proportional to visible light reflected by the surface and/or by any foreign object debris material on the surface in response to the visible light from the visible light source; and
wherein the controller is coupled to the visible light source and to the visible light camera, the controller configured to compare the signal from the visible light camera with a second predetermined threshold signal to detect if any foreign object debris material is located on the surface.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
an ultraviolet light source fixed to the platform and configured to direct ultraviolet light across the surface;
an ultraviolet light camera fixed to the platform and configured to scan the surface as the platform moves over the surface to detect and output a signal proportional to ultraviolet light reflected by the surface and/or by any foreign object debris material on the surface in response to the ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source; and
wherein the controller is coupled to the ultraviolet light source and to the ultraviolet light camera, the controller configured to compare the signal from the ultraviolet light camera with a third predetermined threshold signal to detect if any foreign object debris material is located on the surface.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface is an outer surface of a composite part being formed by a composite layup machine, the composite layup machine having a head for moving over the composite part during formation thereof, and wherein the platform is fixed to a forward portion of the head of the composite layup machine.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second infrared camera fixed to the platform and configured to scan the surface as the platform moves over the surface to detect and output a signal proportional to infrared radiation reflected by the surface and/or by any foreign object debris material on the surface in response to the infrared radiation from the excitation source; and
wherein the controller is coupled to the second infrared camera, the controller configured to compare the signal from the second infrared camera with a fourth predetermined threshold signal to detect if any foreign object debris material is located on the surface.

10. A system for the detection of foreign object debris material on a surface, comprising:
a platform fixed over a movable surface;
a thermal excitation source fixed to the platform and configured to direct infrared radiation across the surface;
an infrared camera fixed to the platform and configured to scan the surface as the surface moves under the platform to detect and output a signal proportional to infrared radiation emitted by the surface and/or by any foreign object debris material on the surface in response to the infrared radiation from the excitation source; and
a controller coupled to the excitation source and to the infrared camera, the controller configured to compare the signal from the infrared camera with a first predetermined threshold signal to detect if any foreign object debris material is located on the surface.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a high pressure air source and an associated controllable air pressure nozzle, the controllable air pressure nozzle mounted on the platform and directed at the surface, and wherein the controller is further coupled to the controllable air pressure nozzle and configured to activate the controllable air pressure nozzle upon the detection that foreign object debris material is located on the surface.

12. The system of claim 10 , 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 detection that foreign object debris material is located on the surface.

13. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
an ultraviolet light source fixed to the platform and configured to direct ultraviolet light across the surface;
an ultraviolet light camera fixed to the platform and configured to scan the surface as the surface moves under the platform to detect and output a signal proportion

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Safai Morteza
• Thompson Jeffrey G

Classifications

• 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

• G01N2021/8472

  Investigation of composite materials · CPC title

• G01N2201/103

  Scanning by mechanical motion of stage · CPC title

• B08B5/02 Primary

  Cleaning by the force of jets, e.g. blowing-out cavities {(airguns or nozzles per se B05B1/005)} · CPC title

• G01N21/94

  Investigating contamination, e.g. dust (G01N21/85 takes precedence) · CPC title