Methods and systems for non-destructive inspection
First Claim
1. A method of non-destructive inspection of a test structure that is an aerospace component, the method comprising:
- determining a location of a hand-held probe relative to the test structure, wherein the determining includes non-contact capturing, with a head-mounted electronic camera, a position of the hand-held probe and a position of the test structure, wherein the hand-held probe includes at least one of an electrical current sensor, an electrical voltage sensor, an eddy current sensor, a sonic transducer, and an ultrasonic transducer;
acquiring, with the hand-held probe, test data relating to the test structure, wherein the test data relating to the test structure includes at least one of electrical conductivity, magnetic permeability, physical continuity, thickness, and a physical characteristic, and wherein the test data relating to the test structure relates to a presence of an anomaly;
identifying a location on the test structure where the test data is acquired by correlating the test data and the location of the hand-held probe relative to the test structure; and
visualizing, on a head-mounted display, the test data in relation to the test structure;
wherein a location of the head-mounted electronic camera varies with respect to the hand-held probe and the test structure while determining the location of the hand-held probe, and wherein the determining includes compensating for variations in the location of the electronic camera.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed non-destructive inspection methods comprise non-contact determination of the location of a non-destructive inspection probe and identification of the location on a test structure where test data is acquired by the probe. Determination may include capturing the positions of the probe and the test structure with one or more electronic cameras. Identification may include associating the acquired test data with the location of the probe relative to the test structure. Further, methods may comprise visualization of the test data relative to the identified location. Disclosed non-destructive inspection systems comprise a probe, one or more electronic cameras, a computer, and a display, together configured to determine the location of the probe, to acquire test data with the probe, to identify a location on a test structure associated with the test data, and to visualize the test data in relation to the test structure.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of non-destructive inspection of a test structure that is an aerospace component, the method comprising:
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determining a location of a hand-held probe relative to the test structure, wherein the determining includes non-contact capturing, with a head-mounted electronic camera, a position of the hand-held probe and a position of the test structure, wherein the hand-held probe includes at least one of an electrical current sensor, an electrical voltage sensor, an eddy current sensor, a sonic transducer, and an ultrasonic transducer; acquiring, with the hand-held probe, test data relating to the test structure, wherein the test data relating to the test structure includes at least one of electrical conductivity, magnetic permeability, physical continuity, thickness, and a physical characteristic, and wherein the test data relating to the test structure relates to a presence of an anomaly; identifying a location on the test structure where the test data is acquired by correlating the test data and the location of the hand-held probe relative to the test structure; and visualizing, on a head-mounted display, the test data in relation to the test structure; wherein a location of the head-mounted electronic camera varies with respect to the hand-held probe and the test structure while determining the location of the hand-held probe, and wherein the determining includes compensating for variations in the location of the electronic camera.
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2. A method of non-destructive inspection of a test structure that is an aerospace component, the method comprising:
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determining a location of a hand-held probe relative to the test structure, wherein the determining includes non-contact capturing of a position of the hand-held probe and non-contact capturing of a position of the test structure, wherein the hand-held probe includes at least one of an electrical current sensor, an electrical voltage sensor, an eddy current sensor, a sonic transducer, and an ultrasonic transducer; acquiring, with the hand-held probe, test data relating to the test structure, wherein the test data relating to the test structure includes at least one of electrical conductivity, magnetic permeability, physical continuity, thickness, and a physical characteristic, and wherein the test data relating to the test structure relates to a presence of an anomaly; and identifying a location on the test structure where the test data is acquired by associating the test data and the location of the hand-held probe relative to the test structure. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for non-destructive inspection of a test structure, the system comprising:
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a hand-held probe configured to acquire test data relating to the test structure, wherein the test structure is an aerospace component, wherein the hand-held probe includes at least one of an electrical current sensor, an electrical voltage sensor, an eddy current sensor, a sonic transducer, and an ultrasonic transducer, wherein the test data relating to the test structure includes at least one of electrical conductivity, magnetic permeability, physical continuity, thickness, and a physical characteristic, and wherein the test data relating to the test structure relates to a presence of an anomaly; one or more electronic cameras configured to capture the position of the hand-held probe and the position of the test structure; a computer configured to determine a location of the hand-held probe relative to the test structure based upon the captured position of the hand-held probe and the captured position of the test structure, to acquire the test data from the hand-held probe, and to identify a location on the test structure where the test data is acquired by associating the acquired test data and the location of the hand-held probe relative to the test structure; and a display configured to visualize the test data. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification