There is described a fixture for supporting a plurality of gas turbine engine blades that are to be imaged. The mobile fixture comprises a plurality of interconnected mounts arranged to lie within a common plane, wherein each mount comprises at least one support surface for holding a respective blade. Support surfaces of respective mounts are oriented such that their respective normal vectors have the same angle with respect to the common plane.

An automated system is provided. The system includes: a manipulator coupled to: an opening forming device configured to create an opening having a predefined geometry partially into a multilayer component at a selected location on a surface of the multilayer component, where the multilayer component includes a plurality of material layers including at least a substrate and a bond coat, and where the opening exposes each of the plurality of material layers; and an imaging device configured to create an image of the exposed plurality of material layers in the opening; and a processor configured to calculate at least a thickness of the bond coat of the exposed plurality of material layers from the image and based on the predefined geometry of the opening. Methods of using the system to analyze layer thickness of a multilayer component and repair a multilayer component are also provided.

A method of controlling at least one of a first robot and a second robot to collaborate within a system, the first robot and the second robot being physically separate to one another, the method including: receiving sensed data associated with the second robot; determining position and/or orientation of the second robot using the received sensed data; determining an action for the second robot using the determined position and/or orientation of the second robot; and providing a control signal to the second robot to cause the second robot to perform the determined action to collaborate with the first robot.

A system and method of using a tool assembly is provided. The system includes a body, a first camera and a second camera fixed to the body, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive data indicative of images of a reference feature from the first camera, determine data indicative of a first spatial position of the first camera based at least in part on the received data indicative of the images of the reference feature, and determine data indicative of a second spatial position of the second camera based on the first spatial position, a known spatial relationship between the first location and the second location, or both. Further, the controller may be configured to receive data indicative of images of a target feature using the second camera, derive dimensions of the target feature based on the images, and generate a three-dimensional representation of the target feature.

An aircraft includes a gas turbine engine and an optically-based measurement system. The gas turbine engine is configured to ingest a first mass flow and to exhaust a second mass flow. The optically-based measurement system is configured to determine the first and second mass flows in response to performing an imaging process on the gas turbine engine.

The present invention relates to an underwater drone which is an unmanned mobile which can move in the water, and more particularly to a communication system for the underwater drone which performs communication between the underwater drone and a land-based controller (or maneuvering device). The present invention also relates to an airlock apparatus for the drone which transfers the drone into or from facilities or containers, or equipment sealed (or closed) against surrounding environment. The communication system for an underwater drone includes an underwater drone (1) configured to move in the water, at least one transmitting and receiving antenna (2) provided in an area where the transmitting and receiving antenna (2) can communicate with the underwater drone (1) by wireless communication, and a controller or a maneuvering device (5) connected to the at least one transmitting and receiving antenna (2) by a wired cable (4) and configured to control the underwater drone (1).

A method for repairing an at least externally coated hollow component. The direct mechanical machining of a coated component after use removes the need for a coating-removal and selective hollowing step and a selective repair of cracks, since a design adaptation leads to a component being engineered or used such that it can be used again as a result of external dimensional stipulations.

A turbine engine including a stationary component having a probe opening, a plurality of rotor blades rotatable relative to the stationary component, and a sensor assembly disposed within the probe opening. The sensor assembly includes a sensor and a shutter mechanism having a shutter frame with a sensing window and at least one leaf member coupled to the shutter frame. The sensor assembly includes an actuator including a rotatable member having a receiving slot and a stator having a stopper member within the receiving slot. The rotatable member rotates relative to the stator over a range of motion defined relative to the stopper member, and the rotatable member is coupled to the at least one leaf member such that rotating the rotatable member in a first direction uncovers the sensing window, and such that counter-rotating the rotatable member in a second direction covers the sensing window with the at least one leaf member. Selectively covering the sensor when not in use protects the sensor from exposure to harsh conditions, extending its operative life.

A design method of a center guide pin includes a step of setting a virtual center axis of a casing, a step of acquiring a center position of the center guide pin in a horizontal direction, a step of acquiring, as a first offset amount, an offset amount of the center position of the center guide pin from the virtual center axis of the casing in the horizontal direction, a step of setting a virtual center axis of a diaphragm, a step of acquiring a center position of a groove portion in the horizontal direction, a step of acquiring, as a second offset amount, an offset amount of the center position of the groove portion from the virtual center axis of the diaphragm in the horizontal direction, and a step of designing the center guide pin based on the first offset amount and the second offset amount.

A system for use in servicing a machine. The system includes a tubular body including a longitudinal axis, a tip end, a dispensing nozzle defined at the tip end, and an interior channel in flow communication with the dispensing nozzle. The tubular body is configured to be flexible. An actuator is configured to selectively modify an orientation of the tubular body, and a reservoir is in flow communication with the interior channel. The reservoir is configured to supply a maintenance fluid to the tubular body for discharge from the dispensing nozzle.