US 2017/0322118 A1Published application

Method for determining a structural state of a mechanically loaded unit

AssigneeBombardier Transportation GmbH

InventorsRoland SPERLING, Guido BIEKER, Claus-Peter FRITZEN, Wolfgang Richter, Miguel Angel Torres Arredondo

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Abstract

A structural state of at least one component of a mechanically loaded target unit, in particular a target unit of a rail vehicle, can be determined by introducing, in an actual excitation step of an evaluation cycle, a defined actual mechanical input signal into the target unit, capturing, in an actual capturing step of the evaluation cycle, an actual mechanical response signal of the target unit to the mechanical input signal, and comparing, in an actual evaluation step of the evaluation cycle, the actual mechanical response signal to a previously recorded baseline signal to establish an actual differential feature and using the actual differential feature to determine the structural state. The baseline signal is representative of a previous mechanical response signal of the target unit to a previous mechanical input signal.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method for determining a structural state of at least one component of a mechanically loaded target unit, in particular a target unit of a rail vehicle, said method comprising,

in an actual excitation step of an evaluation cycle, introducing a defined actual mechanical input signal into said target unit,
in an actual capturing step of said evaluation cycle, capturing an actual mechanical response signal of said target unit to said mechanical input signal, and,
in an actual evaluation step of said evaluation cycle, comparing said actual mechanical response signal to a previously recorded baseline signal to establish an actual differential feature and using said actual differential feature to determine said structural state;
wherein said baseline signal being representative of a previous mechanical response signal of said target unit to a previous mechanical input signal, said previous mechanical input signal having a defined relation to said actual mechanical input signal;
wherein in an actual differential feature comparison step of said actual evaluation step, comparing said actual differential feature to at least one reference to determine said structural state, and
wherein said at least one reference is established from at least one previous differential feature, said at least one previous differential feature having been previously established for said target unit in a previous execution of said evaluation cycle.

3 more elements

A system for determining a structural state of at least one component of a mechanically loaded target unit, in particular a target unit of a rail vehicle, comprising,

at least one mechanical wave generator unit,
at least one mechanical wave detector unit, and
a control unit;
said at least one mechanical wave generator unit being mechanically connected to said target unit and configured to introduce, in an actual excitation step of an evaluation cycle, a defined actual mechanical input signal into said target unit,
said at least one mechanical wave detector unit being mechanically connected to said target unit and configured to capture, in an actual capturing step of said evaluation cycle, an actual mechanical response signal of said target unit to said mechanical input signal, and,
said control unit being at least temporarily connectable to said at least one mechanical wave generator unit and said at least one mechanical wave detector unit and being configured to compare, in an actual evaluation step of said evaluation cycle, said actual mechanical response signal to a previously recorded baseline signal to establish an actual differential feature and to use said actual differential feature to determine said structural state;
said baseline signal being representative of a previous mechanical response signal of said target unit to a previous mechanical input signal, said previous mechanical input signal having a defined relation to said actual mechanical input signal;
characterized in that,
said control unit is configured to compare, in an actual differential feature comparison step of said actual evaluation step, said actual differential feature to at least one reference to determine said structural state, wherein
said at least one reference is established from at least one previous differential feature, said at least one previous differential feature having been previously established for said target unit in a previous execution of said evaluation cycle.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/522,748Filed 30 Oct 2015
Priority: EP PCT/EP2014/07339330 Oct 2014
Published: 9 Nov 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G01M 17/10
Railway vehicles: suspensions, axles or wheels
G01M 5/0016
Investigating the elasticity of structures, e.g. deflection of bridges or air-craft wings: of aircraft wings or blades
G01M 5/0025
Investigating the elasticity of structures, e.g. deflection of bridges or air-craft wings: of elongated objects, e.g. pipes, masts, towers or railways
G01M 5/0033
Investigating the elasticity of structures, e.g. deflection of bridges or air-craft wings: by determining damage, crack or wear