Systems and methods for monitoring component deformation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9909860-B2
Application number	US-201715442778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2017
Priority date	Apr 15, 2015
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring component deformation are provided. The component has an exterior surface. A method includes directly measuring a passive strain indicator configured on the exterior surface of the component along an X-axis, a Y-axis and a Z-axis to obtain X-axis data points, Y-axis data points, and Z-axis data points. The X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis are mutually orthogonal. The method further includes assembling a three-dimensional profile of the passive strain indicator based on the X-axis data points, Y-axis data points and Z-axis data points.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for monitoring component deformation, the component having an exterior surface, the method comprising:
directly measuring a passive strain indicator configured on the exterior surface of the component along an X-axis, a Y-axis and a Z-axis to obtain X-axis data points, Y-axis data points and Z-axis data points, wherein the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis are mutually orthogonal; and
assembling a three-dimensional profile of the passive strain indicator based on the X-axis data points, Y-axis data points and Z-axis data points.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the passive strain indicator is directly measured using a non-contact direct measurement technique.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the X-axis data points, Y-axis data points and Z-axis data points are obtained at resolutions of between approximately 100 nanometers and approximately 100 micrometers.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directly measuring step comprises:
emitting light from a laser towards the passive strain indicator;
detecting the light after the light is reflected; and
calculating X-axis data points, Y-axis data points and Z-axis data points based on the detected light.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directly measuring step comprises:
emitting light from a light-emitting diode;
receiving images of the light contacting the passive strain indicator; and
calculating X-axis data points, Y-axis data points and Z-axis data points based on the received images.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the light is blue light.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the light is white light.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directly measuring step comprises:
receiving an image of the passive strain indicator at a first distance from the passive strain indicator;
stepping from the first distance to a second distance from the passive strain indicator;
receiving an image of the passive strain indicator at a second distance from the passive strain indicator; and
calculating X-axis data points, Y-axis data points and Z-axis data points based on the received images.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directly measuring step occurs at a first time and the three-dimensional profile is a first three-dimensional profile based on the X-axis data points, Y-axis data points and Z-axis data points at the first time, and further comprising:
directly measuring the passive strain indicator along the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis to obtain X-axis data points, Y-axis data points and Z-axis data points at a second time, the second time different from the first time; and
assembling a second three-dimensional profile of the passive strain indicator based on the X-axis data points, Y-axis data points and Z-axis data points at the second time.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising comparing the first three-dimensional profile and the second three-dimensional profile.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is a turbine component.

12. A system for monitoring component deformation, the component having a passive strain indicator configurable on an exterior surface, the system comprising:
a three-dimensional data acquisition device for analyzing the passive strain indicator; and
a processor in operable communication with the three-dimensional data acquisition device, the processor operable for:
directly measuring the passive strain indicator along an X-axis, a Y-axis and a Z-axis to obtain X-axis data points, Y-axis data points and Z-axis data points, wherein the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis are mutually orthogonal; and
assembling a three-dimensional profile of the passive strain indicator based on the X-axis data points, Y-axis data points and Z-axis data points.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the data acquisition device is a non-contact data acquisition device.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the data acquisition device has a resolution along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis of between approximately 100 nanometers and approximately 100 micrometers.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the data acquisition device is a laser scanner.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the data acquisition device is structured light scanner.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the structured light scanner emits white light.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the structured light scanner emits blue light.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the data acquisition device is a microscope, the microscope comprising a stepper motor.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further operable for comparing multiple three-dimensional profiles.

21. The system of claim 12 , wherein the component is a turbine component.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Burnside Jason Lee
• Hovis Gregory Lee
• Germann Bryan J
• Ward Jr John David
• Ranson William F

Classifications

• G01L1/24

  by measuring variations of optical properties of material when it is stressed, e.g. by photoelastic stress analysis {using infrared, visible light, ultraviolet} · CPC title

• G01B11/165 Primary

  by means of a grating deformed by the object · CPC title