TECHNIQUES FOR CONTROL OF NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING DEVICES VIA A PROBE DRIVER

• US 20190331612A1
• Filed: 04/30/2018
• Published: 10/31/2019
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,712,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/005 using pigs or moles G01M3/246, G01M3/2823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/9542 using a probe
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8803 Visual inspection measuring projectors G01B9/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/954 Inspecting the inner surface of hollow bodies, e.g. bores

Abstract

A probe driver may have a coupling that interfaces with a conduit section at a first position of the conduit section. The probe driver also may have an input structure that actuates in response to a user input indicating a second position of the conduit section. The probe driver may also have one or more positioning elements to reposition the conduit section to interface with the coupling at the second position of the conduit section in response to the user input.

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

a processor configured to;

receive the signal indicative of a position of the conduit section; and

control one or more operations of the probe driver configured to operate the positioning element to orientate the conduit section in the position.

2. The NDT system of claim 1, wherein the positioning element comprises a motor and a wheel, wherein the motor is configured to drive the wheel.

3. The NDT system of claim 2, wherein the motor drives the wheel via a worm gear.

4. The NDT system of claim 1, wherein the probe driver is configured to rotate an inner housing of the probe driver in relationship to an outer housing of the probe driver causing the conduit section to rotate.

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

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

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

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

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

10. A probe driver, comprising:

a coupling configured to interface with a conduit section at a first position of the conduit section;

an input structure configured to actuate in response to a user input indicating a second position of the conduit section; and

one or more positioning elements configured to reposition the conduit section to interface with the coupling at the second position of the conduit section in response to the user input.

11. The probe driver of claim 10, wherein the input structure comprises a joystick, a digital pad, a control pad, 3D spatial mouse, one or more buttons, or any combination thereof.

12. The probe driver of claim 10, wherein the one or more positioning elements comprise a wheel driven by a motor, a worm gear, a turning gear, a ribbed surface, a helical gear, a spur gear, a rack and pinion gear, or any combination thereof.

13. The probe driver of claim 10, comprising a sensor configured to measure a degree of rotation from the first position, from the second position, or from a reference point of the conduit section.

14. The probe driver of claim 10, comprising a sensor configured to sense an amount of the conduit section passing through the probe driver.

15. The probe driver of claim 14, comprising a communicative coupling, wherein the communicative coupling is configured to:

transmit a signal generated by actuation of the input structure in response to the user input;

receive a control signal in response to the signal generated by the actuation; and

transmit the control signal to the probe driver to position the conduit section into the second position.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a probe driver, an indication of a positioning instruction based on a user input, wherein the positioning instruction corresponds to a direction to position a conduit section during an inspection; and

in response to the positioning instruction, changing, via the probe driver, one or more operations of the probe driver, wherein the changing of the one or more operations of the probe driver is configured to position the conduit section.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the positioning instruction is configured to cause the conduit section to extend following an axis, to retract towards the probe driver following an opposite motion of an extension motion following the axis, to rotate about a circumference associated with the axis from a first position to a second position, or any combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the positioning instruction is based at least on an actuation of an input structure by the user input, wherein the input structure comprises a joystick, a digital pad, a control pad, 3D spatial mouse, one or more buttons, or any combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 16, comprising:

transmitting, via the probe driver, 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.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the changing of the one or more operations of the probe driver include enabling one or more rotation mechanisms configured to cause a rotation of an inner housing of the probe driver coupled to the conduit section in relationship to an outer housing of the probe driver to cause a rotation of the conduit section.