AUTOMATED VISUAL INSPECTION SYSTEM

• US 20120081540A1
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Jang, Jung Soon
• Granted Patent: US 8,982,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/128
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/44 inspection

Abstract

A method and apparatus for inspecting an object. In response to a presence of the object in an inspection area, a volume containing the object is identified. The volume has a plurality of portions. A number of sensor systems is assigned to the plurality of portions of the volume. Each sensor system in the number of sensors systems is assigned to a number of portions in the plurality of portions of the volume based on whether each sensor system is able to generate data with a desired level of quality about a surface of the object in a particular portion in the plurality of portions. Data about the surface of the object is generated using the number of sensor systems assigned to the plurality of portions of the volume. A determination is made as to whether a number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object using data.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting an object, the method comprising:

responsive to a presence of the object in an inspection area, identifying a volume that contains the object, wherein the volume has a plurality of portions;

assigning a number of sensor systems to the plurality of portions of the volume, wherein each sensor system in the number of sensors systems is assigned to a number of portions in the plurality of portions of the volume based on whether the each sensor system is able to generate data with a desired level of quality about a surface of the object in a particular portion in the plurality of portions;

generating the data about the surface of the object using the number of sensor systems assigned to the plurality of portions of the volume; and

determining whether a number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object using the data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object, identifying a number of maintenance operations to perform on the object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of sensor systems generate images of the surface of the object and further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object, sending a mobile testing system to the number of inconsistencies; and

performing non-destructive testing at a location for each of the number of inconsistencies using the mobile testing system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the location for the each of the number of inconsistencies is identified using the data about the surface of the object.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending the data about the surface of the object to a computer system; and

wherein the step of determining whether the number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object using the data comprises;

determining, by the computer system, whether the number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object using the data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object using the data comprises:

comparing the data to baseline data to form a comparison; and

determining whether the number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object using the comparison.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object, identifying a number of locations on the surface of the object for the number of inconsistencies.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the baseline data is a number of images of the surface of the object generated by performing at least one of generating the number of images after manufacturing of the object, generating the number of images using a model of the object, and generating the number of images before a current use of the object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of sensor systems includes a mobile sensor system and further comprising:

moving the mobile sensor system in the inspection area while generating the data about the surface of the object.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting the plurality of portions of the volume such that the data is generated for substantially all of the surface of the object.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data about the surface of the object comprises at least one of still images and video of the surface of the object.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a number of sensor systems located in an inspection area; and

a computer system in communication with the number of sensor systems and configured to identify a volume that contains an object, wherein the volume has a plurality of portions;

assign the number of sensor systems to the plurality of portions of the volume, wherein each sensor system in the number of sensors systems is assigned to a number of portions in the plurality of portions of the volume based on whether the each sensor system is able to generate data with a desired level of quality about a surface of the object in a particular portion in the plurality of portions;

generate the data about the surface of the object using the number of sensor systems assigned to the plurality of portions of the volume; and

determine whether a number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the computer system is further configured to identify a number of maintenance operations to perform on the object in response to a determination that the number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the number of sensor systems is configured to generate images of the surface of the object.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a mobile testing system, wherein the computer system is further configured to send the mobile testing system to the number of inconsistencies in response to a determination that the number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object and wherein the mobile testing system is configured to perform non-destructive testing at a location for each of the number of inconsistencies.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the computer system is further configured to identify the location for the each of the number of inconsistencies using the data about the surface of the object.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the number of sensor systems is configured to generate the data about the surface of the object and send the data to the computer system through a network.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein in being configured to determine whether the number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object using the data, the computer system is configured to compare the data to baseline data to form a comparison;

and determine whether the number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object using the comparison.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the baseline data is a number of images of the surface of the object generated by performing at least one of generating the number of images after manufacturing of the object, generating the number of images using a model of the object, and generating the number of images before a current use of the object.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the number of sensor systems includes a mobile sensor system in which the mobile sensor system is configured to move in the inspection area while generating the data about the surface of the object.