Programmable control system for automated actuator operation

A method of programming an actuator controller for an automated inspection system comprising:

• receiving user inputs from a user interface, the inputs defining sequential positions of an actuator probe of an actuator about an axis relative to a component to be inspected and causing an encoder measurement to be retrieved from the actuator;
• storing a motion profile based on the user inputs;
• receiving a tolerance value from the user interface, the tolerance value associated with the encoder measurement;
• and
• storing the tolerance value as a part of the motion profile.

A program for an automated actuator based inspection system comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a set of program instructions executable by a processor stored on the memory, the set of program instructions configured to:
• receive inputs from a user interface, the inputs defining sequential positions of an actuator probe of an actuator about an axis relative to a component to be inspected and causing an encoder measurement to be retrieved from the actuator;
• store a motion profile based on the inputs;
• receive a tolerance value from the user interface, the tolerance value associated with the encoder measurement;
• and
• store the tolerance value as a part of the motion profile.

A control program for an actuator-based inspection system comprising:

• a memory;
• a motion profile stored in the memory, the motion profile including parameters defining sequential locations of a probe about at least one axis of an actuator relative to a component to be inspected, the motion profile including parameters defining encoder measurements to be retrieved from the actuator, and the motion profile including parameters defining a tolerance value corresponding to at least one encoder measurement;
• and
• a set of program instructions executable by a processor stored on the memory, the set of program instructions configured to:
• control positional locations of the probe about the at least one axis of the actuator relative to the component to be inspected in accordance with the motion profile;
• cause the at least one encoder measurement to be retrieved from the actuator in accordance with the motion profile;
• determine if the at least one encoder measurement is within the tolerance value;
• wherein the set of program instructions is and unable to execute an inspection routine for the component to be inspected without access to the motion profile.