Inspection of machined holes

• US 10,295,475 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2015
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Ritchey, Andrew James, Glavicic, Michael George
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Anand S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Tyler B
• Application Number:
  US14/843,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20160069813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8806 Specially adapted optical and illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/954 Inspecting the inner surface of hollow bodies, e.g. bores
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/02 Mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/12 Circuits of general importance; Signal processing

Abstract

A method includes obtaining an image of a feature machined in a component with an imaging device, determining, by a computing device, a quality of the feature in the component based on the image of the feature, and storing, by the computing device, an indication of the quality of the feature in combination with a unique identifier for the feature in a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring, by a computing device, horsepower of a machine tool used to machine a component during machining of a feature in the component with the machine tool;

determining a quality of the feature based on at least one of maximum horsepower, variation between maximum and minimum horsepower, or frequency of horsepower variation;

in response to determining that the quality of the feature is outside a predetermined tolerance range, selecting the feature for evaluation by an imaging device;

obtaining an image of the feature with an imaging device;

applying, by the computing device, principle component analysis (PCA) to the image of the feature;

ranking, by the computing device, the image of the feature relative to defined rankings of database images of similar features based on the PCA;

determining, by the computing device, whether the feature in the component includes white layer damage based on the ranking; and

presenting, by the computing device, via a user interface, an indication of whether the feature includes white layer damage in combination with a unique identifier for the feature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature includes a hole, and wherein obtaining the image of the feature machined in the component with the imaging device includes:

locating an image sensor of the imagining device within the hole with a computer controlled positioning system; and

rotating the image sensor of the imaging device within the hole while capturing the image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature is machined in a metal portion of the component.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising machining the component with a machine tool to form the feature in the component.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising subjecting the feature in the component to an etchant prior to obtaining the image.

6. A system for evaluating a quality of a feature machined in a component, the system comprising:

an imaging device; and

a computing device, wherein the computing device is configured to;

monitor horsepower of a machine tool used to machine the component during machining of the feature in the component with the machine tool;

determine a quality of the feature based on at least one of maximum horsepower, variation between maximum and minimum horsepower, or frequency of horsepower variation;

in response to determining that the quality of the feature is outside a predetermined tolerance range, select the feature for evaluation by the imaging device;

send control signals that cause the imaging device to capture an image of the feature;

apply principle component analysis (PCA) to the image of the feature;

rank the image of the feature relative to define rankings of database images of similar features based on the PCA;

determine whether the feature in the component includes white layer damage based on the ranking; and

present, via a user interface, an indication of whether the feature includes white layer damage in combination with a unique identifier for the feature.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a positioning system,

wherein the imaging device is mounted to the positioning system,

wherein the computing device is further configured to send control signals that cause the positioning system to locate the imagining device adjacent the feature.

8. The system of claim 6,

wherein the feature includes a hole,

wherein the system further comprises a positioning system, wherein the imaging device is mounted to the positioning system,

wherein the computing device is further configured to send control signals for causing the positioning system to:

locate an image sensor of the imagining device within the hole; and

rotate the image sensor of the imaging device within the hole while capturing the image.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the computing device is further configured to present the indication of the quality of the feature to a human operator.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the computing device is further configured to store an indication that the feature in the component is outside a predetermined tolerance range.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the system further comprises a machine tool, wherein the computing device is further configured to send control signals that cause the machine tool to form the feature in the component.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

monitor horsepower of a machine tool used to machine a component during machining of the feature in the component with the machine tool;

determine a quality of the feature based on at least one of maximum horsepower, variation between maximum and minimum horsepower, or frequency of horsepower variation;

in response to determining that the quality of the feature is outside a predetermined tolerance range, select the feature for evaluation by the imaging device;

send control signals to an imaging device that cause the imaging device to capture an image of the feature;

apply principle component analysis (PCA) to the image of the feature;

rank the image of the feature relative to defined rankings of database images of similar features based on the PCA;

determining whether the feature in the component includes white layer damage based on the ranking; and

present, via a user interface, an indication of whether the feature includes white layer damage in combination with a unique identifier for the feature.

13. The computer-readable data storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions stored on the computer-readable data storage medium, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, further cause the computing device to issue control signals to a positioning system to locate the imagining device adjacent the feature.

14. The computer-readable data storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions stored on the computer-readable data storage medium, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, further cause the computing device to store an indication that the feature in the component is outside a predetermined tolerance range.