System and method for characterizing an electrical discharge drilling process using ultrasound
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorsVisal ING, Etienne LETENDRE, Jorge Franklin MANSUR RODRIGUES FILHO
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Abstract
Systems and methods for characterizing an electrical discharge drilling process using ultrasound are provided. The characterization of the electrical discharge drilling process facilitates estimating cycle times and electrode consumptions for future electrical discharge drilling tasks. An electrical discharge drilling machine includes a base for supporting a workpiece, an electrode operable to drill a hole in the workpiece using an electrical discharge, and an ultrasonic probe installed on the base and oriented toward the workpiece when the workpiece is supported by the base.
Claims20
An electrical discharge drilling machine comprising:
- a base for supporting a workpiece;
- an electrode operable to drill a hole in the workpiece using an electrical discharge when the workpiece is supported by the base;
- and
- an ultrasonic sensor installed on the base and oriented toward a location of the workpiece when the workpiece is supported by the base, the ultrasonic sensor being operable to sense a depth of the hole during drilling of the hole by:
- emitting an input sound wave into the workpiece;
- and
- sensing a reflected sound wave reflected from a closed end of the hole.
A system for characterizing an electrical discharge drilling process using ultrasound, the system comprising:
- a workpiece having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;
- a rotatable tubular electrode configured to drill a hole in the workpiece from the first side of the workpiece using an electrical discharge;
- and
- an ultrasonic sensor coupled to the second side of the workpiece and oriented toward the rotatable tubular electrode, the ultrasonic sensor being operable to sense a depth of the hole during drilling of the hole by:
- emitting an input sound wave into the workpiece via the second side of the workpiece;
- and
- sensing a reflected sound wave reflected from a closed end of the hole via the second side of the workpiece.
A method of characterizing an electrical discharge drilling process using ultrasound, the method comprising:
- drilling a hole in a workpiece from a first side of the workpiece using an electrical discharge delivered using a rotating electrode;
- during the drilling of the hole, sensing a depth of the hole using ultrasound from a second side of the workpiece opposite the first side of the workpiece, the sensing of the depth of the hole including:
- emitting an input sound wave into the workpiece via the second side of the workpiece;
- and
- sensing a reflected sound wave reflected from a closed end of the hole via the second side of the workpiece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.