US 9,733,219 B2Granted

Automated weld inspection system with weld acceptability pass or fail indications

AssigneeCumberland & Western Resources, LLC

InventorsRoger Spencer, Bill Colgan, Paul C. Boulware, Ron Brown, Jeong K. Na, Scott A. Newhouse

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An automated system for non-destructively evaluating spot welds that includes at least one matrix phased array probe; a fixture adapted to be mounted on a robot or other mechanical actuator, wherein the fixture is further adapted to retain the at least one matrix phased array probe; and an enclosure that includes at least one input for connecting to the at least one matrix phased array probe, ultrasonic phased array transmitting and receiving circuitry in electrical communication with the at least one input, at least one data processor running software that includes at least one algorithm for processing data received from the probe and generating discrete specifications of evaluated welds, wherein the discrete specifications further include pass indications or fail indications regarding weld acceptability; and at least one output for outputting the discrete specifications of evaluated welds.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A system for non-destructively evaluating spot welds, comprising:

(a) at least one matrix phased array probe, wherein the matrix phased array probe includes:
(i) a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements arranged in a curved array at one end of the probe, wherein the transducer elements are operative to both generate ultrasonic signals and receive reflections thereof;
and
(ii) a combination of materials for allowing the probe to conform to a contoured surface of a spot weld while enabling sound energy to be transferred directly into the spot weld under test conditions, wherein the combination of materials further includes a flexible membrane mounted on a tip of the probe and a fluid filled chamber or solid sound delay material disposed between the membrane and the array;
(b) a fixture adapted to be mounted on a robot or other mechanical actuator, wherein the fixture is further adapted to retain the at least one matrix phased array probe;
and
(c) an enclosure, wherein the enclosure further includes:
(i) at least one input for connecting to the at least one matrix phased array probe;
(ii) ultrasonic phased array transmitting and receiving circuitry in electrical communication with the at least one input;
(iii) at least one data processor running software that includes at least one algorithm for processing data received from the probe and generating discrete specifications of evaluated welds, wherein the discrete specifications further include pass indications or fail indications regarding weld acceptability;
and
(iv) at least one output for outputting the discrete specifications of the evaluated welds.

9 more elements

A system for non-destructively evaluating spot welds, comprising:

(a) at least one matrix phased array probe, wherein the matrix phased array probe includes:
(i) a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements arranged in a curved array at one end of the probe, wherein the transducer elements are operative to both generate ultrasonic signals and receive reflections thereof, and wherein the transducer elements are further arranged into discrete subgroups, and wherein each subgroup may be activated independently of the other subgroups and at different time intervals;
and
(ii) a combination of materials for allowing the probe to conform to a contoured surface of a spot weld while enabling sound energy to be transferred directly into the spot weld under test conditions, wherein the combination of materials further includes a flexible membrane mounted on a tip of the probe and a fluid filled chamber or solid sound delay material disposed between the membrane and the array;
(b) a fixture adapted to be mounted on a robot or other mechanical actuator, wherein the fixture is further adapted to retain the at least one matrix phased array probe, wherein the robot or other mechanical actuator is operative to move the probe through a predetermined range of positions, and wherein the predetermined range of positions is operative to facilitate production of high-integrity scans of welds being characterized;
and
(c) an enclosure, wherein the enclosure further includes:
(i) at least one input for connecting to the at least one matrix phased array probe;
(ii) ultrasonic phased array transmitting and receiving circuitry in electrical communication with the at least one input;
(iii) at least one data processor running software that includes at least one algorithm for processing data received from the probe and generating discrete specifications of evaluated welds, wherein the discrete specifications further include pass indications or fail indications regarding weld acceptability;
and
(iv) at least one output for outputting the discrete specifications of the evaluated welds.

9 more elements

A system for non-destructively evaluating spot welds, comprising:

(a) at least one matrix phased array probe, wherein the matrix phased array probe includes:
(i) a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements arranged in a curved array at one end of the probe, wherein the transducer elements are operative to both generate ultrasonic signals and receive reflections thereof;
and wherein the transducer elements are further arranged into discrete subgroups, and wherein each subgroup may be activated independently of the other subgroups and at different time intervals;
and
(ii) a combination of materials for allowing the probe to conform to a contoured surface of a spot weld while enabling sound energy to be transferred directly into the spot weld under test conditions, wherein the combination of materials further includes a flexible membrane mounted on a tip of the probe and a fluid filled chamber or solid sound delay material disposed between the membrane and the array, and wherein the tip of the probe is pre-filled with a couplant, and further includes a quick-connect disconnect mechanism for rapidly detaching and reattaching the tip to the probe;
and
(b) a fixture adapted to be mounted on a robot or other mechanical actuator, wherein the fixture is further adapted to retain the at least one matrix phased array probe, wherein the robot or other mechanical actuator is operative to move the probe through a predetermined range of positions, and wherein the predetermined range of positions is operative to facilitate production of high-integrity scans of welds being characterized;
and
(c) an enclosure, wherein the enclosure further includes:
(i) at least one input for connecting to the at least one matrix phased array probe;
(ii) ultrasonic phased array transmitting and receiving circuitry in electrical communication with the at least one input;
(iii) at least one data processor running software that includes at least one algorithm for processing data received from the probe and generating discrete specifications of evaluated welds, wherein the discrete specifications further include pass indications or fail indications regarding weld acceptability;
and
(iv) at least one output for outputting the discrete specifications of the evaluated welds.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/719,427Filed 22 May 2015 · continuation in part
Priority: 10 May 2011
Published: US 2015/0253288 A110 Sep 2015
Granted: 15 Aug 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G01N 29/24
Details , e.g. general constructional or apparatus details: probes
G01N 29/0645
Display arrangements, e.g. colour displays: display representation or displayed parameters, e.g. A-, B- or C-Scan
G01N 29/11
Analysing solids: by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves
G01N 29/262
Arrangements for orientation or scanning by relative movement of the head and the sensor: by electronic orientation or focusing, e.g. with phased…

Family

Application61/484,312Us provisional application · filed 10 May 2011
Application13/468,502Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 10 May 2012
Application62/149,858Us provisional application · filed 20 Apr 2015
US 2015/0253288 A1Pre-grant publication · published 10 Sep 2015
US 9,063,059 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2012/0310551 A1Published application
US 9,733,219 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.