INSPECTION OF MACHINED HOLES

• US 20160069813A1
• Filed: 09/02/2015
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Ritchey, Andrew James, Glavicic, Michael George
• Granted Patent: US 10,295,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8806 Specially adapted optical and illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/954 Inspecting the inner surface of hollow bodies, e.g. bores
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/02 Mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/12 Circuits of general importance; Signal processing

Abstract

A method includes obtaining an image of a feature machined in a component with an imaging device, determining, by a computing device, a quality of the feature in the component based on the image of the feature, and storing, by the computing device, an indication of the quality of the feature in combination with a unique identifier for the feature in a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining an image of a feature machined in a component with an imaging device;

determining, by a computing device, a quality of the feature in the component based on the image of the feature; and

storing, by the computing device, an indication of the quality of the feature in combination with a unique identifier for the feature in a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, by the computing device, horsepower of a machine tool used to machine the component during machining of the feature in the component with the machine tool; and

selecting the feature for evaluation by the imaging device based on the monitored horsepower.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature includes a hole, wherein obtaining the image of the feature machined in the component with the imaging device includes:

locating an image sensor of the imagining device within the hole with a computer controlled positioning system; and

rotating the image sensor of the imaging device within the hole while capturing the image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the quality of the feature includes an indication the feature may include white layer damage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature is machined in a metal portion of the component.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising machining the component with a machine tool to form the feature in the component.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising subjecting the feature in the component to an etchant prior to obtaining the image.

8. A system for evaluating a quality of a feature machined in a component, the system comprising:

an imaging device; and

a computing device, wherein the computing device is configured to;

send control signals for causing the imaging device to capture an image of a feature machined in a component;

determine a quality of the feature in the component based on the image of the feature; and

store an indication of the quality of the feature in combination with a unique identifier for the feature in a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

monitor horsepower of a machine tool used to machine the component during machining of the feature in the component with the machine tool; and

selecting the feature for evaluation by the imaging device based on the monitored horsepower.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a positioning system,

wherein the imaging device is mounted to the positioning system,

wherein the computing device is further configured to send control signals for causing the positioning system to locate the imagining device adjacent the feature.

11. The system of claim 8,

wherein the feature includes a hole,

wherein the system further comprises a positioning system, wherein the imaging device is mounted to the positioning system,

wherein the computing device is further configured to send control signals for causing the positioning system to:

locate an image sensor of the imagining device within the hole; and

rotate the image sensor of the imaging device within the hole while capturing the image.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the computing device is further configured to present the indication of the quality of the feature to a human operator.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the computing device is further configured to store an indication that the feature in the component is outside a predetermined tolerance range.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the indication of the quality of the feature includes an indication the feature may include white layer damage.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the system further comprises a machine tool, wherein the computing device is further configured to send control signals for causing the machine tool to form the feature in the component.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

send control signals to an imaging device for causing imaging device to capture an image of a feature machined in a component;

determine a quality of the feature in the component based on the image of the feature; and

store an indication of the quality of the feature in combination with a unique identifier for the feature in a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

17. The computer-readable data storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions stored on the computer-readable data storage medium, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, further cause the computing device to:

monitor horsepower of a machine tool used to machine the component during machining of the feature in the component with the machine tool; and

select the feature for evaluation by the imaging device based on the monitored horsepower.

18. The computer-readable data storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions stored on the computer-readable data storage medium, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, further cause the computing device to issue control signals to a positioning system to locate the imagining device adjacent the feature.

19. The computer-readable data storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions stored on the computer-readable data storage medium, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, further cause the computing device to store an indication that the feature in the component is outside a predetermined tolerance range.

20. The computer-readable data storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions stored on the computer-readable data storage medium, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device perform principal component analysis on the image of the feature to determine the quality of the feature in the component based on the image of the feature.