Rapid Automated Infrared Thermography for Inspecting Large Composite Structures
First Claim
1. A method for infrared thermographic inspection of a composite structure comprising:
- (a) moving an infrared camera to a first location whereat a field of view of the infrared camera encompasses a first inspection area of a surface of the composite structure;
(b) determining a first coordinate location of the field of view of the infrared camera in a coordinate system of the composite structure using optical metrology while the infrared camera is at the first location;
(c) activating at least one flash lamp to output light that illuminates at least portions of the first inspection area;
(d) activating the infrared camera to acquire first infrared imaging data while the field of view of the infrared camera encompasses at least the first inspection area;
(e) moving the infrared camera to a second location whereat the field of view of the infrared camera encompasses a second inspection area of the surface of the composite structure;
(f) determining a second coordinate location of the field of view of the infrared camera in the coordinate system of the composite structure using optical metrology while the infrared camera is at the second location;
(g) activating at least one flash lamp to output light that illuminates at least portions of the second inspection area;
(h) activating the infrared camera to acquire second infrared imaging data while the field of view of the infrared camera encompasses at least the second inspection area; and
(i) stitching the first and second infrared imaging data together based on at least the first and second coordinate locations of the field of view of the infrared camera in the coordinate system of the composite structure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for infrared thermographic inspection of large-scale composite structures such as sections of an aircraft fuselage. Optical metrology is used to precisely locate the infrared images relative to a three-dimensional coordinate system of the composite structure. The optical metrology may comprise laser tracking or photogrammetry or both. In some embodiments, the optical metrology comprises laser tracking merged with photogrammetry. Once the infrared images have been precisely located relative to the coordinate system of the composite structure, structural data about the composite structure (e.g., thickness data) can be retrieved from a database containing a three-dimensional model of the composite structure. In the case of thermographic porosity measurements, the infrared imaging data can be correlated with thickness data to determine the porosity of the composite structure in the inspection area.
36 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A method for infrared thermographic inspection of a composite structure comprising:
-
(a) moving an infrared camera to a first location whereat a field of view of the infrared camera encompasses a first inspection area of a surface of the composite structure; (b) determining a first coordinate location of the field of view of the infrared camera in a coordinate system of the composite structure using optical metrology while the infrared camera is at the first location; (c) activating at least one flash lamp to output light that illuminates at least portions of the first inspection area; (d) activating the infrared camera to acquire first infrared imaging data while the field of view of the infrared camera encompasses at least the first inspection area; (e) moving the infrared camera to a second location whereat the field of view of the infrared camera encompasses a second inspection area of the surface of the composite structure; (f) determining a second coordinate location of the field of view of the infrared camera in the coordinate system of the composite structure using optical metrology while the infrared camera is at the second location; (g) activating at least one flash lamp to output light that illuminates at least portions of the second inspection area; (h) activating the infrared camera to acquire second infrared imaging data while the field of view of the infrared camera encompasses at least the second inspection area; and (i) stitching the first and second infrared imaging data together based on at least the first and second coordinate locations of the field of view of the infrared camera in the coordinate system of the composite structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method for infrared thermographic inspection comprising:
-
(a) attaching a pair of photogrammetry cameras to an infrared camera to form a camera assembly; (b) moving the camera assembly to a first location whereat respective fields of view of the photogrammetry cameras encompass a first inspection area of a surface of the composite structure; (c) determining a first coordinate location of a field of view of the photogrammetry cameras in a coordinate system of the composite structure using optical metrology while the camera assembly is at the first location; (d) activating at least one flash lamp to output light that illuminates at least portions of the first inspection area; (e) activating the infrared camera to acquire first infrared imaging data while the field of view of the infrared camera encompasses at least the first inspection area; (f) activating a projector to project a pattern of light onto the first inspection area while the camera assembly is at the first location; (g) activating the photogrammetry cameras to acquire first photogrammetry data while the field of view of the photogrammetry cameras encompasses at least a portion of the projected pattern of light on the first inspection area; (h) moving the camera assembly to a second location whereat the field of view of the photogrammetry cameras encompasses a second inspection area of the surface of the composite structure; (i) determining a second coordinate location of the field of view of the photogrammetry cameras in the coordinate system of the composite structure using optical metrology while the camera assembly is at the second location; (j) activating at least one flash lamp to output light that illuminates at least portions of the second inspection area; (j) activating the infrared camera to acquire second infrared imaging data while the field of view of the infrared camera encompasses at least the second inspection area; (k) activating a projector to project a pattern of light onto the second inspection area while the camera assembly is at the second location; (l) activating the photogrammetry cameras to acquire second photogrammetry data while the field of view of the photogrammetry cameras encompasses at least a portion of the projected pattern of light on the second inspection area; (m) stitching the first and second photogrammetry data together based on at least the first and second coordinate locations of the field of view of the photogrammetry cameras in the coordinate system of the composite structure; (n) correlating the first and second infrared imaging data to the first and second photogrammetry data respectively; and (o) stitching the first and second infrared imaging data together based on at least the results of steps (m) and (n). - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for infrared thermographic inspection comprising:
-
(a) placing an infrared camera at a location where a field of view of the infrared camera encompasses an inspection area of a surface of a composite structure; (b) locating the field of view of the infrared camera in a coordinate system of the composite structure using optical metrology; (c) activating at least one flash lamp to output light that illuminates at least portions of the inspection area; (d) after step (c), activating the infrared camera to acquire infrared imaging data while the field of view of the infrared camera encompasses at least the inspection area; (e) correlating a set of the acquired infrared imaging data with three-dimensional model data representing characteristics of composite structure under the inspection area, said correlating being based on at least the location of the field of view of the infrared camera in the coordinate system of the composite structure; (f) acquiring structural data from the three-dimensional model data, said structural data representing characteristics of the composite structure under the inspection area; (g) correlating the acquired structural data with the set of acquired infrared imaging data; (h) computing values of a parameter indicative of one of said characteristics of the composite structure under the inspection area based on at least the correlated structural data and infrared imaging data; and (i) outputting parameter data representing the computed parameter values. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A system for infrared thermographic inspection of a workpiece, comprising:
-
a robot comprising a movable robot base and an extendible robotic arm having a proximal end coupled to said robot base; a frame mounted to a distal end of said robotic arm; a target projector mounted to said frame; a flash lamp mounted to said frame; and a camera assembly mounted to said frame, said camera assembly comprising first and second camera pairs, said first camera pair comprising a first infrared camera and a first photogrammetry camera, and said second camera pair comprising a second infrared camera and a second photogrammetry camera, wherein said target projector and said flash lamp are disposed between said first and second camera pairs. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
-
Specification