System and method for automated inspection of large-scale part

A method of automatically inspecting a workpiece, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of non-destructive inspection sensors mounted on a frame that is mounted on a transport device;
• disposing a plurality of fiducials on a workpiece at a plurality of predetermined locations;
• measuring position of a first predetermined location of the workpiece with a tracking system using one of more of the plurality of fiducials;
• moving the transport device to position the plurality of non-destructive inspection sensors proximate the first predetermined location of the workpiece;
• non-destructively inspecting a first portion of the workpiece proximate the first predetermined location with the plurality of non-destructive inspection sensors;
• measuring position of a second predetermined location of the workpiece with the tracking system;
• moving the transport device to position the plurality of non-destructive inspection sensors proximate the second predetermined location of the workpiece;
• non-destructively inspecting a second portion of a workpiece proximate the second predetermined location with the plurality of non-destructive inspection sensors;
• providing data from the plurality of non-destructive sensors to a computing system;
• and
• analyzing the data with the computing system.

A system for automatically inspecting a workpiece, the system comprising:

• a plurality of fiducials disposed on a workpiece at a plurality of predetermined locations;
• a tracking system that measures a position of an associated location on the workpiece using one or more of the plurality of fiducials;
• a transport device;
• a frame that is mounted on the transport device, the frame having a shape that accommodates a shape of an exterior of a workpiece to be inspected;
• a plurality of non-destructive inspection sensors mounted on the frame;
• and
• a computing system operatively coupled to the tracking system and to the plurality of non-destructive inspection sensors.

A system for automatically inspecting a workpiece, the system comprising:

• a plurality of fiducials disposed on a workpiece at a plurality of predetermined locations;
• a tracking system that measures a position of an associated location on the workpiece using one or more of the plurality of fiducials;
• a transport device having a plurality of fiducials disposed thereon;
• a frame that is mounted on the transport device, the frame having a shape that accommodates a shape of an exterior of the workpiece to be inspected, the frame having a plurality of fiducials disposed thereon;
• a plurality of non-destructive inspection sensors mounted on the frame;
• and
• a computing system operatively coupled to the tracking system and to the plurality of non-destructive inspection sensors, the computing system including:
• a first computer processing component configured to control movement of the transport device;
• and
• a second computer processing component configured to analyze data from the plurality of non-destructive inspection sensors.