Robotic system for inspecting a part and associated methods

A system for inspecting a part, the system comprising:

• a surface to be inspected;
• and
• a robotic system, comprising:
• a robot comprising an articulating arm and an end effector coupled to the articulating arm;
• three or more proximity sensors coupled to a base of the end effector and spaced apart from each other, wherein each one of the three or more proximity sensors is configured to generate a beam and detect a measured distance from the proximity sensor to the surface, such that the end effector is continuously displaced from the surface;
• a scanning apparatus disposed on the base of the end effector, displaced from the surface, and configured to scan the surface when displaced from the surface;
• three or more actuators on the base of the end effector, wherein each one of the three or more actuators couples a corresponding one of the three or more proximity sensors to the base of the end effector, and each one of the three or more actuators is actuatable, relative to any other one of the three or more actuators, to adjust an orientation of the corresponding one of the three or more proximity sensors relative to the base, such that an angle of the beam generated by the corresponding one of the three or more proximity sensors is adjusted relative to the base;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive measured distances from at least three proximity sensors of the three or more proximity sensors;
• actuate at least one of the three or more actuators and adjust the angle of the beam generated by the at least one of the three or more actuators relative to the base in response to the measured distances;
• orient the end effector to a predetermined orientation based on the measured distances;
• after orienting the end effector to the predetermined orientation, calculate an average of the measured distances from each of the at least three proximity sensors;
• move the end effector to a predetermined operating distance from the surface based on the average of the measured distances, the predetermined operating distance correlating with the distance of the scanning apparatus relative to the surface to maintain displacement of the scanning apparatus from the surface;
• and
• direct movement of the end effector to follow a scanning pattern along the surface, wherein as the end effector is following the scanning pattern, the controller is further configured to:
• determine when the average of the measured distances from the at least three proximity sensors is outside an allowable average-distance tolerance from the surface;
• and
• automatically move, the end effector to the predetermined operating distance when the average of the measured distances is determined to be outside of the allowable average-distance tolerance.

A method of inspecting a part, the method comprising steps of:

• moving an end effector, via an articulating arm of a robot, relative to a target location on a surface;
• detecting a measured distance from the target location on the surface to each one of three or more proximity sensors coupled to a base of the end effector and spaced apart from each other;
• in response to the measured distance, adjusting an orientation of at least one of the three or more proximity sensors, relative to the base of the end effector and relative to any other one of the three or more proximity sensors, by actuating a corresponding one of three or more actuators coupling the three or more proximity sensors to the base, so that an angle of a beam generated by each one of the at least one of the three or more proximity sensors is adjusted relative to the base;
• orienting the end effector at a predetermined orientation based on the measured distances;
• after orientating the end effector to the predetermined orientation, calculating an average of the measured distances from each of the three or more proximity sensors;
• moving the end effector to a predetermined distance from the surface based on the average of the measured distances, the predetermined operating distance correlating with a distance between the surface and a scanning apparatus disposed on the end effector to maintain a displacement of the scanning apparatus from the surface;
• directing movement of the end effector to follow a scanning pattern along the surface;
• as the end effector is following the scanning pattern, determining when the average of the measured distances from the three or more proximity sensors is outside an allowable average-distance tolerance from the surface;
• and
• as the end effector is following the scanning pattern, automatically moving the end effector to the predetermined operating distance when the average of the measured distances is determined to be outside of the allowable average-distance tolerance.