Automated Resin Ridge Reduction System

• US 20160377424A1
• Filed: 06/23/2015
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Clark, Gregory L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,197,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/26 for manufacturing, inspections or repairs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/303 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8472 Investigation of composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/9518 using a surface follower, e.g. robot
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9515 Objects of complex shape, e.g. examined with use of a surface follower device measuring contours and curvatures G01B11/24
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00

Abstract

An apparatus comprises an automated guided vehicle that moves on a surface of a composite structure during operation of the apparatus to inspect the composite structure, a surface inspection sensor system associated with the automated guided vehicle, and an automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller in communication with the automated guided vehicle and the surface inspection sensor system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an automated guided vehicle that moves on a surface of a composite structure during operation of the apparatus to inspect the composite structure;

a surface inspection sensor system associated with the automated guided vehicle; and

an automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller in communication with the automated guided vehicle and the surface inspection sensor system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an inconsistency reduction system associated with the automated guided vehicle, wherein the automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller controls the inconsistency reduction system to reduce the inconsistency that is identified as being out of tolerance.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface inspection sensor system generates inspection information about the surface of the composite structure during the operation of the apparatus, and the automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller autonomously controls movement of the automated guided vehicle on the surface of the composite structure, receives the inspection information from the surface inspection sensor system, and scans for an inconsistency that is out of tolerance on the surface of the composite structure using the inspection information.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein in scanning for the inconsistency that is out of tolerance, the automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller identifies a measured profile from inspection information, compares the measured profile with an expected profile to form a comparison, determines whether the inconsistency is out of tolerance and should be reduced based on the comparison, and identifies how much to reduce the inconsistency from the comparison when the inconsistency is out of tolerance and should be reduced.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller tags a location of the inconsistency when the inconsistency should not be reduced to be within tolerance.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein in tagging the location, the automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller performs at least one of physically marking the location with a material, storing coordinates of the location, or storing directions to the location.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface inspection sensor system generates location information about a current location of at least one of the automated guided vehicle and a group of automated guided vehicles.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller controls movement of the automated guided vehicle on the surface using the location information received from the surface inspection sensor system.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller starts a scan for an inconsistency that is out of tolerance on the surface of the composite structure using inspection information when a location is identified.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller identifies a location for inspection when the surface inspection sensor system detects at least one of a pen mark, paint, a sticker, tape, a landmark, a structure, a radio frequency identifier chip, a stringer, or a rib at the location.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the inconsistency reduction system is selected from at least one of a sanding device, a ridge reduction system, a laser reduction system, an end effector, a laser system, an ablation system, a trimming system, or a cutting system.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface inspection sensor system comprises:

a material identifier that identifies a presence of a resin at a location in an amount that is greater than a desired amount; and

a surface scanner that identifies a measured profile of the surface at the location.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface inspection sensor system is selected from at least one of a near infrared imaging camera, a laser scanner, a visible light camera, a stereoscopic camera, a tactile sensor system, a physical probe, a micrometrology probe, a chromatic white light sensor, or a video camera.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller is located in a location selected from at least one of the automated guided vehicle, another automated guided vehicle, or a computer system.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the automated guided vehicle is selected from one of an autonomous crawler, an aerial drone, an unmanned ground vehicle, and an unmanned aerial vehicle.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the composite structure is selected from one of a vehicle part, an aircraft part, an aircraft, a wing, a fuselage section, an engine cowling, a horizontal stabilizer, a cabin floor, and a hood for an automobile.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the automated guided vehicle moves over the surface of the composite structure by at least one of moving over the surface without contact with the surface or moving over the surface while in contact with the surface.

18. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the inconsistency reduction system is removably associated with the automated guided vehicle and the automated guided vehicle places the inconsistency reduction system over the inconsistency.

19. A method for reducing an inconsistency on a surface of a composite structure, the method comprising:

automatically moving an automated guided vehicle to a location on the surface of the composite structure;

automatically generating inspection information about the surface of the composite structure at the location with a surface inspection sensor system; and

automatically scanning for the inconsistency that is out of tolerance on the surface of the composite structure at the location using the inspection information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein an efficient reduction of the inconsistency is enabled.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

reducing a size of the inconsistency with an inconsistency reduction system when the inconsistency is out of tolerance until the inconsistency is within tolerance.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein automatically scanning for the inconsistency comprises:

identifying a measured profile from the inspection information;

comparing the measured profile with an expected profile to form a comparison;

determining whether the inconsistency is out of tolerance and should be reduced based on the comparison; and

identifying how much to reduce the inconsistency from the comparison when the inconsistency is out of tolerance and should be reduced.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

tagging the location when the inconsistency should not be reduced to be within tolerance.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein tagging the location when the inconsistency should not be reduced to be within tolerance comprises:

performing at least one of physically marking the location with a material, storing coordinates of the location, or storing directions to the location.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein an automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller autonomously controls movement of the automated guided vehicle on the surface of the composite structure.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the surface inspection sensor system generates location information about a current location of at least one of the automated guided vehicle or a group of automated guided vehicles.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein an automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller controls movement of the automated guided vehicle on the surface using the location information received from the surface inspection sensor system.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein an automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller identifies the location for inspection when the surface inspection sensor system detects at least one of a pen mark, paint, a sticker, tape, a landmark, a structure, a radio frequency identifier chip, a stringer, or a rib at the location.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the inconsistency reduction system is selected from at least one of a sanding device, a ridge reduction system, a laser reduction system, an end effector, a laser system, an ablation system, a trimming system, or a cutting system.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein the surface inspection sensor system comprises a material identifier that identifies a presence of a resin and a surface scanner that identifies a measured profile of the surface.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the surface inspection sensor system is selected from at least one of a near infrared imaging camera, a laser scanner, a visible light camera, a stereoscopic camera, a tactile sensor system, a physical probe, a micrometrology probe, a chromatic white light sensor, or a video camera.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the automated guided vehicle is selected from one of an autonomous crawler, an aerial drone, an unmanned ground vehicle, and an unmanned aerial vehicle.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein the composite structure is selected from one of a vehicle part, an aircraft part, an aircraft, a wing, a fuselage section, an engine cowling, a horizontal stabilizer, a cabin floor, and a hood for an automobile.

34. The method of claim 19, wherein the automated guided vehicle moves over the surface of the composite structure by at least one of moving over the surface without contact with the surface or moving over the surface while in contact with the surface.

35. A resin reduction system comprising:

an automated guided vehicle that moves on a surface of a composite structure during operation of the resin reduction system to inspect the composite structure;

a surface inspection sensor system associated with the automated guided vehicle in which the surface inspection sensor system generates inspection information about the surface of the composite structure during the operation of the resin reduction system;

an inconsistency reduction system associated with the automated guided vehicle; and

an automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller in communication with the automated guided vehicle and the surface inspection sensor system in which the automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller, during the operation of the resin reduction system, autonomously controls movement of the automated guided vehicle on the surface of the composite structure;

receives the inspection information from the surface inspection sensor system;

identifies a measured profile from the inspection information;

compares the measured profile with an expected profile to form a comparison;

determines whether the inconsistency is out of tolerance and should be reduced based on the comparison;

identifies how much to reduce the inconsistency from the comparison when the inconsistency is out of tolerance and should be reduced; and

controls the inconsistency reduction system to reduce the inconsistency that is identified as being out of tolerance, then tags a location of the inconsistency when the inconsistency should not be reduced to be within tolerance by performing at least one of physically marking the location with a material, storing coordinates of the location, or storing directions to the location, enabling an efficient reduction of the inconsistency.

36. The resin reduction system of claim 35, wherein the automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller identifies a location for an inspection when the surface inspection sensor system detects at least one of a pen mark, paint, a sticker, tape, a landmark, a structure, a radio frequency identifier chip, a stringer, or a rib at the location.

37. The resin reduction system of claim 35, wherein the automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller is located in a location selected from at least one of the automated guided vehicle, another automated guided vehicle, or a computer system.

38. The resin reduction system of claim 35, wherein the composite structure is selected from one of a vehicle part, an aircraft part, an aircraft, a wing, a fuselage section, an engine cowling, a horizontal stabilizer, and a cabin floor.

39. A method for reducing resin on a surface of a composite structure, the method comprising:

identifying a location for an inspection by detecting at least one of a pen mark, paint, a sticker, tape, a landmark, a structure, a radio frequency identifier chip, a stringer, or a rib at the location on the surface of the composite structure;

automatically moving an automated guided vehicle to the location on the surface of the composite structure, in which the automated guided vehicle moves over the surface of the composite structure by at least one of moving over the surface without contact with the surface or moving over the surface while in contact with the surface, and in which the automated guided vehicle is selected from one of an autonomous crawler, an aerial drone, an unmanned ground vehicle, and an unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein an automated guided vehicle and surface inspection sensor system controller autonomously controls movement of the automated guided vehicle on the surface of the composite structure;

automatically generating inspection information about the surface of the composite structure at the location with a surface inspection sensor system in which the surface inspection sensor system is selected from at least one of a near infrared imaging camera, a laser scanner, a visible light camera, a stereoscopic camera, a tactile sensor system, a physical probe, a micrometrology probe, a chromatic white light sensor, or a video camera;

automatically scanning for an inconsistency that is out of tolerance on the surface of the composite structure at the location using the inspection information by identifying a measured profile from the inspection information, comparing the measured profile with an expected profile to form a comparison, determining whether the inconsistency is out of tolerance and should be reduced based on the comparison, and identifying how much to reduce the inconsistency from the comparison when the inconsistency is out of tolerance and should be reduced;

reducing a size of the inconsistency with an inconsistency reduction system when the inconsistency is out of tolerance until the inconsistency is within tolerance, enabling an efficient reduction of the inconsistency, wherein the inconsistency reduction system is selected from at least one of a sanding device, a ridge reduction system, a laser reduction system, an end effector, a laser system, an ablation system, a trimming system, or a cutting system;

automatically tagging the location when the inconsistency should not be reduced to be within tolerance by performing at least one of physically marking the location with a material, storing coordinates of the location, or storing directions to the location;

automatically generating location information about a current location of at least one of the automated guided vehicle or a group of automated guided vehicles; and

automatically controlling the movement of the automated guided vehicle on the surface using the location information received from the surface inspection sensor system.