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US 9,177,371 B2Granted
Non-destructive examination data visualization and analysis
AssigneeSiemens Energy, Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Metala, Waheed A. Abbasi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Interactive virtual inspection of modeled objects is provided. A graphic user interface facilitates interaction between a Data Visualization and Analysis application and the inspector. The Data Visualization and Analysis application acquires non-destructive examination data that is collected with reference to an industrial component under evaluation. The acquired non-destructive examination data is transformed into a visualization defined by a volumetric representation that is rendered on at least one display device as at least one view representative of the component under evaluation. The inspector may navigate the volumetric representation to investigate the integrity of the industrial component including non-surface conditions thereof.
Claims14
A method for assessing and interpreting non-destructive examination data collected with regard to a component under evaluation, comprising:
- acquiring non-destructive examination data that is collected with reference to an industrial component under evaluation, wherein the non-destructive examination data includes a plurality of measurands that are derived from at least one non-destructive examination method that measures conditions of the component under evaluation;
- acquiring position information that associates the collected measurands to corresponding positions associated with the component under evaluation;
- automatically transforming by a computer processor the acquired measurands and corresponding position information, which comprise data that is not in a format representative of an image of the component under evaluation into a visualization defined by a volumetric representation that is rendered on at least one display device as at least one view representative of the component under evaluation;
- and
- utilizing a graphical user interface that interacts with the processor to navigate the volumetric representation to investigate the integrity of the industrial component including non-surface conditions thereof by:
- adjusting at least one view of the visualization to display a representation of at least a portion of the component under evaluation;
- distinguishing indications of discontinuities within at least one view that represents flaws associated with the structure of the industrial component under evaluation that are not of interest from flaws of interest to an inspector;
- utilizing the graphical user interface to measure at least one of a size, location and orientation of each detected indication of a discontinuity that is of interest to the inspector;
- and
- wherein automatically transforming by a computer processor the acquired the acquired measurands and corresponding position information further comprises:
- displaying the volumetric representation of the component in a first view comprising a three-dimensional representation of the image;
- and
- concurrent with displaying the first view, displaying the volumetric representation of the component in a plurality of concurrent additional views that each comprises a two-dimensional representation of the component and each concurrent additional view having respective coordinates and magnification parameters that are independently selectable;
- and
- utilizing a graphical user interface that interacts with the processor to navigate the volumetric representation further comprises controlling the displayed representation in each displayed view such that navigation in any displayed view automatically navigates to the same location in each displayed view;
- wherein:
- automatically transforming by a computer processor the acquired measurands and corresponding position information further comprises:
- rendering, in response to inspector selection, the visualization based upon a selected one of:
- non-destructive examination data from a single non-destructive examination sensor associated with a single non-destructive examination method;
- non-destructive examination data from multiple non-destructive examination sensors associated with a single non-destructive examination method, where the multiple sensor data is fused into the same volumetric representation for display in at least one view;
- and
- non-destructive examination data from at least one non-destructive examination sensor associated with at least two non-destructive examination methods, where each sensor data is fused into a single volumetric representation for display in at least one view;
- and
- rendering, in response to inspector selection, the visualization based upon a selected one of:
- non-destructive examination data from at least one non-destructive examination sensor associated with at least two non-destructive examination methods comprises fusing Eddy Current inspection data to Ultrasonic inspection data;
- and
- utilizing a graphical user interface that interacts with the processor to navigate the volumetric representation further comprises:
- displaying a user selectable control, having a first choice and a second choice, each choice related to a respective one of two different methods of fusing the Eddy Current inspection data and the Ultrasonic inspection data;
- receiving user input selecting one of the first choice or the second choice;
- and
- fusing the Eddy Current inspection data and the Ultrasonic inspection data according to the method associated with the selected choice.
28 more elements
A computer program product to assess and interpret non-destructive examination data collected with regard to a component under evaluation, comprising:
- a non-transitory computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising:
- computer usable program code configured to acquire non-destructive examination data that is collected with reference to an industrial component under evaluation, wherein the non-destructive examination data includes a plurality of measurands that are derived from at least one non-destructive examination computer program product that measures conditions of the component under evaluation to produce a plurality of measurands;
- computer usable program code configured to acquire position information that associates the collected measurands to corresponding positions associated with the component under evaluation;
- computer usable program code configured to automatically transform the acquired measurands and corresponding position information, which comprise data that is not in a format representative of an image of the component under evaluation into a visualization defined by a volumetric representation that is rendered on at least one display device as at least one view representative of the component under evaluation;
- computer usable program code configured to implement a graphical user interface that interacts with the processor so that an inspector can navigate the volumetric representation to investigate the integrity of the industrial component including non-surface conditions thereof;
- computer usable program code configured to adjust at least one view of the visualization to display a representation of at least a portion of the component under evaluation;
- computer usable program code configured to distinguish indications of discontinuities within at least one view that represents flaws associated with the structure of the of the industrial component under evaluation that are not of interest from flaws of interest to an inspector;
- computer usable program code configured to measure at least one of a size, location and orientation of each detected indication of a discontinuity that is of interest to the inspector;
- and
- wherein the computer usable program code configured to automatically transform the acquired measurands and corresponding position information further comprises:
- computer usable program code configured to display the volumetric representation of the component in a first view comprising a three-dimensional representation of the image;
- and
- computer usable program code configured to display, concurrently with display of the first view, the volumetric representation of the component in a plurality of concurrent additional views that each comprises a two-dimensional representation of the component and each concurrent additional view having respective coordinates and magnification parameters that are independently selectable;
- and
- wherein:
- the computer usable program code configured to navigate the volumetric representation further comprises computer usable program code configured to control the displayed representation in each displayed view such that navigation in any displayed view automatically navigates to the same location in each displayed view;
- the computer usable program code configured to automatically transform the acquired measurands and corresponding position information further comprises:
- computer usable program code configured to render, in response to inspector selection, the visualization based upon a selected one of:
- non-destructive examination data from a single non-destructive examination sensor associated with a single non-destructive examination computer program product;
- non-destructive examination data from multiple non-destructive examination sensors associated with a single non-destructive examination computer program product, where the multiple sensor data is fused into the same volumetric representation for display in at least one view;
- and
- non-destructive examination data from at least one non-destructive examination sensor associated with at least two non-destructive examination computer program products, where each sensor data is fused into a single volumetric representation for display in at least one view;
- the computer usable program code configured to render, in response to inspector selection, the visualization based upon a selected one of:
- non-destructive examination data from at least one non-destructive examination sensor associated with at least two non-destructive examination computer program products comprises fusing Eddy Current inspection data to Ultrasonic inspection data;
- and
- the computer usable program code configured to automatically transform the acquired measurands and corresponding position information further comprises:
- computer usable program code configured to:
- display a user selectable control, having a first choice and a second choice, each choice related to a respective one of two different methods of fusing the Eddy Current inspection data and the Ultrasonic inspection data;
- receive user input selecting one of the first choice or the second choice;
- and
- fuse the Eddy Current inspection data and the Ultrasonic inspection data according to the method associated with the selected choice.
28 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.