US 10,295,480 B2Granted

Apparatuses and methods for high-precision measurement

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorsMichael C. Hutchinson, Steven K. Brady, William D. Meade, Thomas A. Maeder

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Abstract

A measurement system is provided that includes a radiographic source, a detector, and at least one processor. The at least one processor is operably coupled to the detector and configured to: position the radiographic source in a first position relative to the object to image a first portion of the object, with the first position configured to maintain parallax for the first portion within a predetermined amount; obtain first imaging information of the first portion of the object in the first position; adjust the position of the radiographic source relative to the object to a second position, with the second position configured to maintain parallax for the second portion within a predetermined amount; obtain second imaging information of the second portion of the object in the second position; and generate an image of the object using the first imaging information and the second imaging information.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A measurement system comprising:

a radiographic source, the radiographic source movable between a plurality of positions;
a detector configured to be disposed opposite the radiographic source, wherein an object to be imaged is disposed between the radiographic source and the detector;
and
at least one processor, the at least one processor operably coupled to the detector and configured to:
determine a first position for the radiographic source relative to the object for imaging a first portion of the object based on at least one of a gap or a groove located in the first portion of the object, the first position configured to maintain a deviation from perpendicular between a transmitted ray from the radiographic source in the first position toward the detector and a longitudinal axis of the object within a predetermined amount for at least a portion of the first portion of the object;
determine a second position for the radiographic source relative to the object for imaging a second portion of the object based on at least one of a gap or a groove located in the second portion of the object, the second position configured to maintain a deviation from perpendicular between a transmitted ray from the radiographic source in the second position toward the detector and a longitudinal axis of the object within a predetermined amount for at least a portion of the second portion of the object;
position the radiographic source in the first position relative to the object to image the first portion of the object;
obtain first imaging information of the first portion of the object in the first position;
adjust the position of the radiographic source relative to the object to the second position to image the second portion of the object;
obtain second imaging information of the second portion of the object in the second position;
and
generate an image of the object using the first imaging information and the second imaging information.

9 more elements

A method comprising:

determining a first position for a radiographic source relative to an object for imaging a first portion of the object based on at least one of a gap or a groove located in the second portion of the object, the first position configured to maintain a deviation from perpendicular between a transmitted ray from the radiographic source in the first position toward the detector and a longitudinal axis of the object within a predetermined amount for at least a portion of the first portion of the object;
determining a second position for the radiographic source relative to the object for imaging a second portion of the object based on at least one of a gap or a groove located in the second portion of the object, the second position configured to maintain a deviation from perpendicular between a transmitted ray from the radiographic source in the second position toward the detector and a longitudinal axis of the object within a predetermined amount for at least a portion of the second portion of the object;
positioning the radiographic source in the first position relative to the object to image the first portion of the object;
obtaining, with a detector, first imaging information of the first portion of the object in the first position;
adjusting the position of the radiographic source relative to the object to the second position to image the second portion of the object;
obtaining, with the detector, second imaging information of the second portion of the object in the second position;
and
generating an image of the object using the first imaging information and the second imaging information.

5 more elements

A tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium comprising one or more software modules configured to direct one or more processors to:

determine a first position for a radiographic source relative to an object for imaging a first portion of the object based on at least one of a gap or a groove located in the first portion of the object, the first position configured to maintain a deviation from perpendicular between a transmitted ray from the radiographic source in the first position toward the detector and a longitudinal axis of the object within a predetermined amount for at least a portion of the first portion of the object;
determine a second position for the radiographic source relative to the object for imaging a second portion of the object based on at least one of a gap or a groove located in the second portion of the object, the second position configured to maintain a deviation from perpendicular between a transmitted ray from the radiographic source in the second position toward the detector and a longitudinal axis of the object within a predetermined amount for at least a portion of the second portion of the object
position the radiographic source in the first position relative to the object to image the first portion of the object;
obtain first imaging information of the first portion of the object in the first position;
adjust the position of the radiographic source relative to the object to the second position to image the second portion of the object;
obtain second imaging information of the second portion of the object in the second position;
and
generate an image of the object using the first imaging information and the second imaging information.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.