Inspection tool for measuring bucket Z notch position

An inspection tool for measuring Z-notch positions on a turbine bucket shroud comprising:

• an elongated base plate;
• a clamp device mounted on one end of said base plate for clamping a dovetail portion of a turbine bucket;
• a template locator plate moveably mounted on an opposite end of said base plate and supporting a shroud template plate for axial movement over a shroud portion of the turbine bucket, wherein the shroud template plate is formed with an aperture complimentary to a profile of the turbine bucket shroud including a pair of oppositely facing Z-notches conforming to Z-notches on the turbine bucket shroud;
• and
• one or more gauges for measuring gaps between the Z-notches on the turbine bucket shroud and the Z-notches defined by the aperture in the shroud template plate.

A method of determining deviation from design specifications in the positions of Z-notches in a turbine bucket shroud comprising:

• providing a shroud template formed with an aperture complimentary to a profile of the turbine bucket shroud;
• locating the shroud template plate over the turbine bucket shroud, with the shroud template plate aperture location representing the design specification location for the turbine shroud;
• and
• measuring gaps between edges of the turbine shroud and edges of the shroud template aperture.