SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATED ANOMALY LOCATION AND CLASSIFICATION

• US 20130054176A1
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Pedigo, Samuel Francis, Johnson, Brice A., Battles, Craig Farris, Blair, Richard Neil, Li, Winfeng, Cobb, James M., Smith, Matthew W., Kaiser, Donald L., Kaiser, Kimberly Jyl
• Granted Patent: US 9,067,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/108
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/008 using coordinate measuring machines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/40 Data acquisition and logging for input to computer G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing

Abstract

An anomaly detection and cataloging system is described that includes a handheld probe having a probe tip, a user interface, and a communications interface. The system further includes a system controller and a probe locating device. The probe is operable, via the user interface, for transmitting, via the communications interface, a user selected anomaly type to the system controller, the anomaly type being associated with a manufactured part or airplane on the ground (AOG). The probe locating device is operable to provide to the system controller a location associated with the probe tip, and the system is programmed to associate the user selected anomaly type with the location associated with the probe tip.

Claims

1. An anomaly detection and cataloging system comprising:

a handheld probe comprising;

a probe tip;

a user interface;

a communications interface;

a system controller, said probe operable, via said user interface, for transmitting, via said communications interface, a user selected anomaly type to said system controller, the anomaly type associated with a manufactured part; and

a probe locating device operable to provide to said system controller a location associated with said probe tip, said system programmed to associate the user selected anomaly type with the location associated with said probe tip.

2. The anomaly detection and cataloging system according to claim 1 wherein said user interface of said probe comprises:

a display; and

at least one button operable for scrolling through a plurality of anomaly types displayed on said display, said at least one button operable for selection of an anomaly type, selection of the anomaly type initiating a transmission of the selected anomaly type via said communications interface.

3. The anomaly detection and cataloging system according to claim 1 further comprising a database, said system controller operable to maintain within said database a catalog corresponding to detected anomalies and anomaly locations.

4. The anomaly detection and cataloging system according to claim 1 wherein said system controller comprises a system controller user interface, said system controller user interface operable for user entry of disposition data associated with one or more of the anomalies identified to said system with said handheld probe.

5. The anomaly detection and cataloging system according to claim 1 wherein said probe locating device comprises a plurality of sensing devices placed within an area, and operable to determine the location of said probe tip.

6. The anomaly detection and cataloging system according to claim 5 wherein said probe locating device is operable to determine a location of said probe tip based on at least one of computer vision and laser triangulation devices.

7. The anomaly detection and cataloging system according to claim 5 wherein said probe locating device is operable to determine a location of said probe tip based on inputs received from a plurality of optical sensing devices.

8. The anomaly detection and cataloging system according to claim 5 wherein said sensing devices, said probe, and the manufactured part share a coordinate system.

9. The anomaly detection and cataloging system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one machine for carrying out manufacturing of the manufactured part, said at least one machine programmed to automatically replace the portion of the manufactured part in which the anomaly was detected.

10. The anomaly detection and cataloging system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one computer communicatively coupled to a computer network to which said system controller is connected, said at least one computer programmed to control and monitor at least one of anomaly tracking, statistical process control and rework associated with the detected anomalies.

11. The anomaly detection and cataloging system according to claim 1 wherein said communications interface comprises a wireless interface.

12. A method for recording and tracking one or both of manufacturing anomalies and inconsistencies that accrue through use with respect to a part, manufacturing anomalies and such inconsistencies collectively referred to as anomalies, said method comprising:

visually verifying that an anomaly exists within a part;

touching a tip of a probe to the anomaly;

operating the probe to uniquely identify the anomaly;

transmitting, from the probe, the unique identification;

determining a position of the probe tip; and

associating the uniquely identified anomaly with the determined probe tip position within a computer database.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein operating the probe to uniquely identify the anomaly comprises:

using a user interface on the probe to scroll through a plurality of anomaly types; and

selecting the identified anomaly type through the user interface to initiate the transmission from the probe.

14. The method according to claim 12 further comprising maintaining a catalog within the database, the catalog corresponding to detected anomalies and anomaly locations to provide statistical process control.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising entering, via a user interface, disposition data associated with one or more of the anomalies within the catalog.

16. The method according to claim 12 wherein determining a position of the probe comprises receiving data from a plurality of sensing devices placed within an area proximate the probe, data from the sensing devices usable to determine the location of the probe tip.

17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising at least one of:

determining a location of the probe tip based on at least one of computer vision and laser triangulation devices; and

determining a location of the probe tip based on a time difference message transmissions originating from the probe are received by each of the plurality of sensing devices.

18. The method according to claim 12 further comprising automatically replacing the portion of the manufactured part in which the uniquely identified anomaly was detected.

19. A handheld probe for an anomaly detection and cataloging system, said probe comprising:

a user interface comprising a display and at least one user input device, said user interface operable, via said display and said at least one user input device, for display and user selection of one of a plurality of manufacturing anomaly types; and

a communications interface operable for transmitting data indicative of the user selected manufacturing anomaly type to an external device.

20. The probe according to claim 19 wherein said communications interface comprises a wireless interface.