This disclosure provides systems and methods for an actuated sensor module for in situ gap inspection robots. A mounting interface attaches to the sensor module to the robot system. A least one arm is operatively connected to the mounting interface and has a joint. A sensor head is operatively connected to the arm at the joint and an actuator operatively connected to the arm moves the sensor head around the second joint.

This disclosure provides systems and methods for in situ gap inspection in a machine, such as a generator, an electric motor, or a turbomachine, with an end region. A robotic crawler is configured to navigate an annular gap of the machine. A visual inspection module is connected to the robotic crawler and includes an extension member for extending a camera into the end region to collect visual inspection data.

This disclosure provides systems and methods for in situ gap inspection in a machine, such as a generator, an electric motor, or a turbomachine. A robotic crawler includes an expandable body, multidirectional traction modules, and sensor modules. The expandable body is movable between a collapsed state and an expanded state. The multidirectional traction modules are removably connected to and positioned by the expandable body and configured to engage opposed surfaces within an annular gap of the machine. The sensor modules are removably connected to and supported by the expandable body and include a plurality of sensor types to inspect the annular gap of the machine.

A method of assembling an apparatus. The method includes configuring a robotic device to operate in a first mode of a plurality of modes, wherein the robotic device is positionable to inspect a predetermined feature on a first component when in the first mode. The method also includes determining an expected value for a measurable parameter of the predetermined feature when inspected by the robotic device, wherein the expected value is determined based on which of the plurality of modes the robotic device is operating. The method further includes directing the robotic device to inspect the first component to determine an actual value for the measurable parameter, and verifying an identity of the first component based on a comparison between the expected value and the actual value.

A method of identifying product defects on a production line includes receiving data from a plurality of edge devices monitoring a product on a production line for product defects. The data includes unique perspectives of the product captured by the edge devices. The method further includes generating an overall view of the product by merging each unique perspective of the product captured by respective edge devices of the plurality, and comparing the overall view with characteristic(s) of the product. Based on the comparing, the method further includes determining whether a degree of difference between the overall view and the characteristic(s) satisfies one or more criteria, and upon determining that the degree of difference between the overall view and the characteristic(s) satisfies at least one criterion of the one or more criteria, recording and reporting a defect associated with the product according to the difference between the view and the characteristic(s).

A method and device for ultrasound testing of welds is provided. For testing element welds on a body forming a single-piece assembly with these elements, the free end of a poly-articulated robot is fitted with an ultrasound probe which is fitted with an ultrasonic multi-element array transducer; the probe is inserted into the space between two adjacent elements of the assembly; the probe is moved along three-dimensional trajectories along the profile of the element; sectorial electronic scanning is performed in at least two non-parallel testing planes; and ultrasound signals output by the transducer in order to test the welds are processed. The method and device may be applied to welds of blades on the blisk of a bladed disk.

Systems and methods for automating robotic end effector alignment using real-time data from multiple distance sensors to control relative translational and rotational motion. In accordance with one embodiment, the alignment process involves computation of offset distance and rotational angles to guide a robotic end effector to a desired location relative to a target object. The relative alignment process enables the development of robotic motion path planning applications that minimize on-line and off-line motion path script creation, resulting in an easier-to-use robotic application. A relative alignment process with an independent (off-board) method for target object coordinate system registration can be used. One example implementation uses a finite-state machine configuration to control a holonomic motion robotic platform with rotational end effector used for grid-based scan acquisition for non-destructive inspection.

An arrangement and method are disclosed for inserting and removing a head of a measuring device to and from a process space. The arrangement includes a measuring device with a measuring head and a retractor tool connected to a valve member. The retractor tool includes rails, a cradle for receiving the measuring device and arranged to slide along the rails, and a driving mechanism for moving the cradle. A valve lock mechanism prevents opening of the valve member if the measuring device is not at a location barring a fluid flow from the process space, and the head of the measuring device is insertable to the process space when the measuring device is received in the cradle.

Provided are systems and methods for autonomous robotic localization. In one example, the method includes receiving ranging measurements from a plurality of fixed anchor nodes that each have a fixed position and height with respect to the asset, receiving another ranging measurement from an aerial anchor node attached to an unmanned robot having a dynamically adjustable position and height different than the fixed position and height of each of the plurality of anchor nodes, and determining a location of the autonomous robot with respect to the asset based on the ranging measurements received from the fixed anchor nodes and the aerial anchor node, and autonomously moving the autonomous robot about the asset based on the determined location.

Provided are systems and methods for monitoring an asset via an autonomous model-driven inspection. In an example, the method may include storing an inspection plan including a virtually created three-dimensional (3D) model of a travel path with respect to a virtual asset that is created in virtual space, converting the virtually created 3D model of the travel path about the virtual asset into a physical travel path about a physical asset corresponding to the virtual asset, autonomously controlling vertical and lateral movement of the unmanned robot in three dimensions with respect to the physical asset based on the physical travel path and capturing data at one or more regions of interest, and capturing data at one or more regions of interest, and storing information concerning the captured data about the asset.