US 6,137,860 A · Digital radiographic weld inspection system

Abstract

Disclosed is a weld inspection system that utilizes an automated digital radiographic camera and control system to generate and review digital X-ray images of the weld seam. The weld inspection system is mountable onto the weld fixture, such that the weld inspection system can inspect welds upon completion of welding operations while the barrel panels are still clamped in the weld fixture. The digital radiographic camera includes a fiber optic scintillator x-ray to light conversion screen coupled to a high resolution charged coupled device (CCD) camera to produce digital radiographic images of a portion of the weld between welded barrel panels. An X-ray source is located in a shielded housing which is attached to a carriage that is movably mounted to the vertical weld fixture on the convex side of the barrel weld. The digital radiographic camera is attached to a carriage that is movably mounted to the vertical weld fixture on the concave side of the barrel weld.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method for inspecting a weld comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning said weld between an X-ray source in a first source position and a digital radiographic camera in a first camera position, wherein said X-ray source and said digital radiographic camera are aligned relative to each other at said first source position and said first camera position to inspect said weld;
(b) transmitting X-rays from said X-ray source through a first portion of said weld;
(c) receiving said transmitted X-rays through said first portion of said weld in said digital radiographic camera;
(d) converting said transmitted X-rays through said first portion of said weld within said digital radiographic camera into a first digital data set of said first portion of said weld;
and
(e) transmitting said first digital data set of said first portion of said weld from said digital radiographic camera to a first processor, wherein said first digital data set of said first portion of said weld is convertible to a displayable image.

3 more elements

An apparatus for inspecting a weld, said apparatus comprising:

a first column having a camera carriage mounted thereon for movement there along;
a second column having an X-ray carriage mounted thereon for movement there along;
a base platform, wherein said first and second columns are secured thereon;
an X-ray source, mounted on said X-ray carriage, for transmitting X-rays through at least one portion of said weld;
a digital radiographic camera mounted on said camera carriage, wherein said at least one portion of said weld is positioned between said first and second columns such that said X-ray source on said X-ray carriage and said digital is radiographic camera on said camera carriage are aligned relative to each other to inspect said at least one portion of said weld, and further wherein said digital radiographic camera receives said transmitted X-rays through said at least one portion of said weld and generates at least one digital data set of said at least one portion of said weld, wherein said at least one digital data set is convertible to a displayable image.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Digital radiographic weld inspection system

Life of this patent

Digital radiographic weld inspection system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24