Methods and apparatus for testing a component

• US 8,013,599 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ertel, John William, Gambrell, Gigi Olive, McKnight, William Stewart, Suh, Ui Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad; Patrick J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schindler; David M.
• Application Number:
  US10/993,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20060109001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,482 Days
• Field of Search: 324/238, 324/240, 324/232
• US Class Current: 324/240
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/28 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/9006 Details, e.g. in the structure or functioning of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/902 by moving the sensors

Abstract

A method for inspecting a component having a surface profile that includes a local minima and a local maxima. The method includes positioning an eddy current probe proximate to a surface of the component to generate a first position indication, positioning the eddy current probe proximate to the surface of the component to generate a second position indication that is different than the first position indication, and interpolating between the first and second position indications to determine a profile of a portion of the surface of the component.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting a component having a surface, said method comprising:

positioning an eddy current probe proximate to the surface of the component at a first position;

generating a first position indication corresponding to the first position;

positioning the eddy current probe proximate to the surface of the component at a second position;

generating a second position indication that is different than the first position indication and that corresponds to the second position;

interpolating a plurality of discrete probe positions along a curved path between the first position indication and the second position indication;

generating a scan plan of the surface of the component using the plurality of discrete probe positions; and

inspecting the surface of the component in accordance with the scan plan using the eddy current probe, the eddy current probe rotatable to facilitate maintaining the eddy current probe in substantially normal alignment and physical contact with the surface of the component during said inspecting.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein positioning the eddy current probe proximate to the surface of the component at the first position comprises positioning the eddy current probe normal to the surface of the component at the first position, and wherein positioning the eddy current probe proximate to the surface of the component at the second position comprises positioning the eddy current probe normal to the surface of the component at the second position.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of the first position indication and the second position indication includes at least one of a local minimum and a local maximum.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

moving the eddy current probe along a first scan line during said inspecting; and

indexing the eddy current probe, during said inspecting, from the first scan line to a second scan line that is different than the first scan line to generate scan data.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein indexing the eddy current probe to further comprises indexing the eddy current probe to the second scan line in accordance with the scan plan.

6. A method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising utilizing the scan data to generate at least one two-dimensional image of the component.

7. An eddy current inspection system for inspecting a component having a component surface, said system comprising:

a differential eddy current probe; and

a computer communicatively coupled to said eddy current probe, said computer configured to;

position said eddy current probe at a first position proximate to the component surface;

generate a first position indication corresponding to the first position;

position said eddy current probe at a second position proximate to the component surface;

generate a second position indication corresponding to the second position, the first position indication different than the second position indication;

interpolate a plurality of discrete probe positions along a curved path between the first position indication and the second position indication;

generate a scan plan of the component surface using the plurality of discrete probe positions; and

inspect the component surface in accordance with the scan plan by rotating said eddy current probe to facilitate maintaining said eddy current probe in substantially normal alignment and physical contact with the component surface during the inspection.

8. A system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said computer is further configured to:

position said eddy current probe normal to the component surface to generate the first position indication; and

position said eddy current probe normal to the component surface to generate the second position indication.

9. A system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said computer is further configured to:

move said eddy current probe along a first scan line during the inspection; and

index, during the inspection, said eddy current probe from the first scan line to a second scan line that is different than the first scan line to generate scan data.

10. A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein said computer is further configured to index said eddy current probe to the second scan line in accordance with the scan plan.

11. A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein said computer is further configured to analyze the scan data to generate at least one two-dimensional image of the component.