Weld verification system and method
AssigneeAmerican Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsKurt M. Zimmerman, Gregory L. Bolis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inspection method and system that locates a probe proximate a region of a shaft that is welded to a slug that secures the shaft to a housing. An acoustical wavefront may be emitted from the probe into the shaft toward the slug, and a reflection of the acoustical wavefront may be received with the probe. Whether the reflection occurred at an interface between the shaft and the slug or at a distal end of the slug is determined based on a time that the reflection is received by the probe.
Claims20
An inspection method comprising:
- locating a probe proximate a region of a shaft that is welded to a slug that secures said shaft to a housing;
- emitting an acoustical wavefront from said probe into said shaft toward said slug;
- receiving a reflection of said acoustical wavefront with said probe;
- and
- determining whether said acoustical wavefront was reflected at a point beyond an interface between said shaft and said slug.
An inspection system for inspecting a weld at an interface between a slug and a hollow shaft comprising:
- a probe that emits an acoustical wavefront into the shaft toward the slug and receives a reflection of said acoustical wavefront;
- an acquisition unit that transmits a signal to said probe to emit said acoustical wavefront and converts a return signal received from said probe after said reflection is received by said probe into an image;
- an encoder for monitoring rotational movement of said probe relative to the shaft and the slug;
- and
- a pump for feeding an ultrasonic couplant between said probe and the shaft.
An inspection method, comprising:
- locating a probe having a linear phased array including a plurality of elements that emit a plurality of acoustical waves that combine to form a single acoustic wavefront proximate region of a shaft having a predetermined thickness that is welded to a plurality of slugs having a variable length that secures said shaft to a housing;
- emitting said acoustical wavefront from said probe into said shaft toward a first slug of said plurality of slugs;
- focusing said acoustical wavefront at an interface between said shaft and said first slug;
- steering said acoustical wavefront toward said interface between said shaft and said first slug;
- receiving a reflection of said acoustical wavefront with said probe;
- determining whether said acoustical wavefront was reflected at a point beyond said interface between said shaft and said first slug;
- determining whether a defect is present in a weld located at said interface between said shaft and said first slug if said reflection occurs at said interface;
- rotating said probe in said shaft to inspect remaining slugs of the plurality of slugs;
- and
- monitoring rotation of said probe with an encoder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.