Cylinder block inspection method and system

A system for inspecting thermal spray coated cylinder bores of aluminum alloy cylinder blocks, the system including:

• a failure detection apparatus having at least one acoustic detection device disposed adjacent with the cylinder block proximate a first of the cylinder bores;
• a heating apparatus having one induction heating element for each of the cylinder bores of the cylinder block and the induction heating elements are mounted on a first fixture;
• a cooling apparatus having a nozzle for each of the cylinder bores of the cylinder block, and wherein the nozzles are mounted on a second fixture and the cooling apparatus provides a pressurized cooling medium to the nozzles, and
• a control unit in electronic communication with each of the failure detection apparatus, the heating apparatus, and the cooling apparatus, and wherein the control unit includes a memory and a control logic sequence for operating the system.

A system for inspecting thermal spray coated cylinder bores of aluminum alloy cylinder blocks, the system including:

• a failure detection apparatus;
• a heating apparatus;
• a cooling apparatus, and
• a control unit in electronic communication with each of the failure detection apparatus, the heating apparatus, and the cooling apparatus, and wherein the control unit includes a memory and a control logic sequence for operating the system and the control logic sequence includes:
• a first control logic for translating the failure detection apparatus such that the failure detection apparatus is adjacent to the cylinder bores of the cylinder block;
• a second control logic for initiating heating of the heating apparatus;
• a fourth control logic for translating the heating apparatus such that the heating apparatus is inserted into the cylinder bores of the cylinder block;
• a fourth control logic for retracting the heating apparatus after a specified time period and translating the cooling apparatus such that the cooling apparatus is inserted into the cylinder bores of the cylinder block;
• a fifth control logic for initiating the flow of a cooling medium through the cooling apparatus;
• a sixth control logic for ending the flow of the cooling medium after a specified time period and retracting the cooling apparatus;
• and
• a seventh control logic for checking for any failure signals received from the failure detection apparatus and reporting a test failure or test pass to the operator.