A method for establishing a geometrical imperfection database of aerospace thin-walled structures is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: 1) design the shell quality inspection card that is suitable and convenient to measure the geometrical imperfections for field workers. Obtain the parameters and geometrical imperfections of shells by filling data of measurement points in the shell quality inspection card; 2) perform characteristics combing, mathematical description and component analysis for the geometrical imperfections obtained in the first step; 3) collect and analyze the geometrical imperfection information of multiple aerospace thin-walled shells and establish the geometrical imperfection database based on the first step and second step. The method will effectively serve the development of aerospace equipment, shorten the design cycle and provide guidance and specifications for the design of the thin-walled components carrying main load.

A welding gauge and method of use that allows a user to measure the difference in height between a first material surface with that of a second material surface when they are welded together along the same plane or at an angle. The gauge has a first plate with a foot portion and a bottom reference edge. The first plate is connected to a second plate at an axis of rotation corresponding to a circular measurement scale located on the first plate. The gauge also has a third plate that is attachable to the second and slidably connected through vertical slots located in said second and third plates. The third plate has a bottom contact edge and tolerance indicators along its left and right edges that can align with a tolerance measurement scale located on the second plate and along the vertical slot of the second plate.

A method, apparatus, and system are provided to monitor and characterize the dynamics of a phase change region (PCR) created during laser welding, specifically keyhole welding, and other material modification processes, using low-coherence interferometry. By directing a measurement beam to multiple locations within and overlapping with the PCR, the system, apparatus, and method are used to determine, in real time, spatial and temporal characteristics of the weld such as keyhole depth, length, width, shape and whether the keyhole is unstable, closes or collapses. This information is important in determining the quality and material properties of a completed finished weld. It can also be used with feedback to modify the material modification process in real time.

A workpiece processing machine that includes: a beam emission head for providing a beam for processing the workpiece, an optical interferometer for splitting, redirecting, and detecting the beam, an adjustment element for changing a second portion of a power of the beam redirected from a retroreflector to a detector, and a control unit for actuating the adjustment element to control a ratio between a first power portion of the beam redirected from the workpiece to the detector and the second power portion of the beam redirected from the retroreflector to the detector to a target ratio.

Systems, methods and apparatuses are used for monitoring material processing using imaging signal density calculated for an imaging beam directed to a workpiece or processing region, for example, during inline coherent imaging (ICI). The imaging signal density may be used, for example, to monitor laser and e-beam welding processes such as full or partial penetration welding. In some examples, the imaging signal density is indicative of weld penetration as a result of reflections from a keyhole floor and/or from a subsurface structure beneath the keyhole. The monitoring may include, for example, automated pass/fail or quality assessment of the welding or material processing or parts produced thereby. The imaging signal density may also be used to control the welding or material processing, for example, using imaging signal density data as feedback. The imaging signal density may be used alone or together with other measurements or metrics, such as distance or depth measurements.

A system and method detect weld defects in real time. Cameras capture images of a weld pool as well as ripple shape and fillet geometry. A processor receives the images and communicates with a database that stores correlated potential weld defects with images of a mock weld molten pool and images of a mock weld ripple shape and fillet geometry. The processor computes an aggregate probability that a weld position corresponding to the images captured by the cameras contains a defect based on the potential defects correlated in the database.

A method, apparatus, and system are provided to monitor and characterize the dynamics of a phase change region (PCR) created during laser welding, specifically keyhole welding, and other material modification processes, using low-coherence interferometry. By directing a measurement beam to multiple locations within and overlapping with the PCR, the system, apparatus, and method are used to determine, in real time, spatial and temporal characteristics of the weld such as keyhole depth, length, width, shape and whether the keyhole is unstable, closes or collapses. This information is important in determining the quality and material properties of a completed finished weld. It can also be used with feedback to modify the material modification process in real time.

Devices and methods comprise at least one gauge for inspecting weld seams comprising a plurality of cutouts: a square cutout, a rectangular cutout, a concave cutout with a protuberance; and a straight edge ending with a protruding part. The devices and methods make it possible to inspect the compliance of a weld bead with various quality standards, without taking measurements, or referring to said standards.

A machine vision detection method includes receiving a three-dimensional image from a line laser, converting the three-dimensional image into a two-dimensional grayscale image, obtaining a boundary of a first component and a boundary of a second component in the two-dimensional grayscale image, determining N perpendicular lines between the boundary of the first component and the boundary of the second component, and calculating an average length of the N perpendicular lines as a gap between the first component and the second component. The three-dimensional image includes at least a portion of the boundary of the first component, at least a portion of the boundary of the second component, and a welding spot located on the boundary of the first or second component. N is a positive integer.

A workpiece processing machine that includes: a beam emission head for providing a beam for processing the workpiece, an optical interferometer for splitting, redirecting, and detecting the beam, an adjustment element for changing a second portion of a power of the beam redirected from a retroreflector to a detector, and a control unit for actuating the adjustment element to control a ratio between a first power portion of the beam redirected from the workpiece to the detector and the second power portion of the beam redirected from the retroreflector to the detector to a target ratio.