Techniques for control of non-destructive testing devices via a probe driver

• US 10,670,538 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2018
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Morris, Bryan Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Hoa Q
• Application Number:
  US15/967,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20190331613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 3562411-2416
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/9542 using a probe
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/9544 with emitter and receiver on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/954 Inspecting the inner surface of hollow bodies, e.g. bores
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0853 Movable fibre optical member, e.g. for scanning or selecting

Abstract

A probe driver may include a coupling that interfaces with a conduit section at a first position of the conduit section. A probe driver may also have one or more positioning elements to reposition the conduit section to interface with the coupling at a second position of conduit section in response to one or more commands based on a recorded inspection, where through completing the one or more commands is configured to initiate a second inspection identical to the recorded inspection.

Claims

1. A non-destructive testing (NDT) system, comprising:

a sensor;

a conduit section coupled to the sensor;

a screen configured to display the data from the sensor;

a probe driver comprising;

an input structure; and

a positioning element including a motor and a spring-loaded wheel, wherein the spring-loaded wheel is configured to adopt a first operating mode and a second operating mode;

wherein, in the first operating mode, the spring-loaded wheel is engaged with an outer surface of the conduit section and the motor is configured to drive the wheel in rotation in order to position the conduit section, and wherein, in the second operating mode, the spring-loaded wheel is disengaged from the outer surface of the conduit section;

wherein the input structure is configured to actuate in response to a user input, and wherein upon actuation, the input structure is configured to generate a signal indicative of a positioning of the conduit section; and

a processor configured to;

receive the signal indicative of a current position of the sensor;

determine a difference between the current position and a second position of the sensor; and

in response to the difference exceeding a threshold, transmit a command to the probe driver to perform an adjustment in the first operating mode to cause the sensor to orient towards the second position as indicated by a macro of a recorded inspection.

2. The NDT system of claim 1, wherein the motor is configured to drive the wheel via a worm gear.

3. The NDT system of claim 1, wherein the probe driver further comprises a rotation mechanism including a ribbed surface, a turning gear, and a driver motor, wherein the ribbed surface couples to an inner housing of the probe driver and the driver motor is configured to rotate the turning gear to drive the ribbed surface in rotation, causing the inner housing of the probe driver and the conduit section to rotate.

4. The NDT system of claim 1, wherein the probe driver comprises a sensor configured to sense an amount of the conduit section passing through the probe driver.

5. The NDT system of claim 1, wherein the probe driver is configured to couple to the conduit section through a clamshell coupling, a pull through coupling, a pronged communicative coupling, or any combination thereof.

6. The NDT system of claim 1, comprising an articulating section configured to position the sensor via a movement of a head end section, wherein the articulating section is positioned between the sensor and the conduit section.

7. The NDT system of claim 1, wherein the input structure comprises a touchscreen, a joystick, a digital pad, a control pad, 3D spatial mouse, one or more buttons, or any combination thereof.

8. The NDT system of claim 1, wherein the positioning element in configured to insert, remove, or rotate the conduit section in relationship with a starting position through coupling with the probe driver.

9. The NDT system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the spring-loaded wheel to switch between the first operating mode and the second operating mode.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a processor, an indication to execute a macro, wherein the macro is representative of a recorded inspection;

receiving, via the processor, a current position of a sensor coupled to a conduit section coupled to a probe driver, where the sensor is configured to be used during an inspection of an asset and positioned by the probe driver, wherein the probe driver includes;

a positioning element including a motor and a spring-loaded wheel, wherein the spring-loaded wheel is configured to adopt a first operating mode and a second operating mode

wherein, in the first operating mode, the spring-loaded wheel is engaged with an outer surface of the conduit section and the motor is configured to drive the wheel in rotation in order to position the conduit section, and wherein, in the second operating mode, the spring-loaded wheel is disengaged from the outer surface of the conduit section;

determining, via the processor, a positioning instruction to reposition the sensor from the current position to a second position, wherein the positioning instruction is based on the macro; and

transmitting, via the processor, the positioning instruction to the probe driver to reposition the sensor coupled to the conduit section in the first operating mode.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the positioning instruction is configured to cause the probe driver to extend the conduit section away from the probe driver following an axis, to retract the conduit section towards the probe driver following an opposite motion of an extension motion following the axis, to rotate the conduit section about a circumference associated with the axis from a first position to a second position, or any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the indication to execute the macro is created in response to an actuation of an input structure, wherein the input structure comprises, a touchscreen, a joystick, a digital pad, a control pad, 3D spatial mouse, one or more buttons, or any combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 10, comprising:

receiving, via the processor, one or more sensed parameters from one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are at least configured to measure a distance extended of the conduit section.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the positioning instruction transmitted to the probe driver includes enabling one or more rotation mechanisms to cause a rotation of the conduit section, the one or more rotation mechanisms including a ribbed surface, a turning gear, and a driver motor, wherein the ribbed surface is coupled to an inner housing of the probe driver and the driver motor is configured to rotate the turning gear to drive the ribbed surface in rotation and cause the inner housing of the probe driver and the conduit section to rotate.