System and method for servicing equipment

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for servicing an engine, the method comprising: receiving information comprising an initial condition profile CP1 of the engine; forming a working range associated with a service operation of the engine according to the initial condition profile CP1; the engine is maintained according to the working range; determining, at least in part, an updated condition profile CP2 of the engine based on information acquired during the repair; and storing the updated condition profile CP2 for use in a subsequent service operation.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the patent application with the application number 202111273410.X and the invention title "System and Method for Maintenance Equipment" filed on October 29, 2021. Technical Field

[0002] This subject matter generally relates to systems and methods for maintaining equipment, and more particularly to systems and methods for maintaining a gas turbine engine. Background Art

[0003] At least some gas turbine engines include, in a serial flow arrangement: a compressor section including a low-pressure compressor and a high-pressure compressor for compressing air flowing through the engine; a combustor for mixing fuel with the compressed air such that the mixture can be ignited; and a turbine section including a high-pressure turbine and a low-pressure turbine for powering the compressor section.

[0004] Throughout the life of a gas turbine engine, it is often necessary to inspect and / or repair one or more components of the gas turbine engine. Conventionally, a gas turbine engine must be unloaded and / or disassembled from the wing of an aircraft using the gas turbine engine to expose the parts that need to be inspected and / or repaired. However, such a process can be relatively expensive and time-consuming.

[0005] Accordingly, improved systems and methods for maintenance equipment would be useful. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Aspects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present invention.

[0007] In an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method for maintaining an engine includes: receiving information including an initial condition profile CP1 of the engine; forming a scope of work associated with a maintenance operation of the engine based on the initial condition profile CP1; performing maintenance on the engine according to the scope of work; at least partially determining an updated condition profile CP2 of the engine based on information obtained during the maintenance; and storing the updated condition profile CP2 for use in subsequent maintenance operations.

[0008] In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, a method for maintenance equipment includes: determining an original condition of the equipment before performing a task associated with a scope of work for maintaining the equipment; capturing an updated condition of the equipment after performing the task; comparing the updated condition of the equipment with the original condition of the equipment using one or more computing devices; and generating an alert when the updated condition deviates from the original condition by more than a preset threshold.

[0009] In another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, a method of servicing equipment includes: performing at least one of an inspection and a repair associated with an operating range of the equipment, wherein the at least one of the inspection and the repair includes a queue of tasks to be performed; terminating the at least one of the inspection and the repair before completing the queue; marking a stop point identifying a termination position relative to the queue and the equipment; and resuming the at least one of the inspection and the repair at the termination position relative to the queue and the equipment.

[0010] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] A complete and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, for one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional schematic view of a high bypass turbofan jet engine according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a method of servicing equipment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a robotic assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 4 is a schematic side view of a robotic assembly docked with a mating station according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 5 is a flowchart of an exemplary method of mating as part of a maintenance operation of equipment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 6 is a flowchart of another exemplary method of mating as part of a maintenance operation of equipment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 7 is a schematic top view of an environment in which a robotic assembly can be configured to operate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 8It is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for finding unexpected changes in equipment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 9 It is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for creating a working range for engine repair according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 10 It is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for inspecting damage to equipment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 11 It is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for generating an alert when the updated status associated with a repair operation deviates from the original status determined before the repair operation by more than a preset threshold according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 12 It is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for an operator to perform a repair according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 13 It is a close-up perspective view of an inspection and repair tool according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 14 It is a close-up schematic diagram of an inspection and repair tool according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 15 It is a schematic diagram of the path taken by a robotic arm during a repair operation according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 16 It is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for marking a stop point for identifying the current operation position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 17 It is a perspective view of an augmented reality device for performing a repair operation on equipment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 18 It is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for using an augmented reality device as part of equipment for repairing equipment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 19 It is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for repairing an engine using a re-anchored analysis profile according to a previous repair operation according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 20 It is an exemplary implementation of a machine learning model according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 21 Is an isometric side view of a burner section of a gas turbine engine as viewed in a captured image, showing a damaged area of the burner section.

[0033] Figure 22 Is a schematic view of a dispensing head of a robotic assembly configured to dispense lubrication according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 23 Is a graphical view of a re-anchoring protocol associated with parameters of a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Description

[0035] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail, one or more examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description uses numbers and letters to denote features in the drawings. The same or similar reference numerals have been used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or similar parts of the present invention.

[0036] As used herein, the terms "first," "second," and "third" may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to denote the position or importance of individual components.

[0037] The terms "front" and "rear" refer to relative positions within a gas turbine engine or vehicle and refer to the normal operating attitude of the gas turbine engine or vehicle. For example, for a gas turbine engine, front refers to a position closer to the engine inlet and rear refers to a position closer to the engine nozzle or exhaust.

[0038] The terms "upstream" and "downstream" refer to the relative direction with respect to the flow of fluid in a fluid passage. For example, "upstream" refers to the direction from which the fluid flows and "downstream" refers to the direction to which the fluid flows.

[0039] Unless otherwise specified herein, the terms "coupled," "fixed," "attached to," etc. refer to direct coupling, pasting, or attachment through one or more intermediate components or features, as well as indirect coupling, pasting, or attachment.

[0040] The singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0041] As used throughout the specification and claims, approximate language is used to modify a quantitative representation that can vary permissibly without resulting in a change in the basic function associated therewith. Thus, a value modified by one or more terms, such as "about", "approximately", and "substantially", is not limited to the precise value specified. In at least some instances, the approximate language may correspond to the precision of the instrument used to measure the value, or the precision of the method or machine used to construct or manufacture the component and / or system. For example, the approximate language may refer to within a margin of 10 percent.

[0042] Throughout the specification and claims, range limitations are combined and interchanged, such ranges are identified and include all sub-ranges subsumed therein unless the context or language indicates otherwise. For example, all ranges disclosed herein include the endpoints, and the endpoints can be combined independently of each other.

[0043] According to one or more embodiments described herein, a robotic assembly can provide autonomous or semi-autonomous maintenance operations (including inspections and / or repairs) to equipment such as a gas turbine engine. Information from the maintenance operations can be used to re-anchor the analysis associated with the equipment in response to each maintenance operation. For example, data associated with an inspection and / or repair of the equipment can be used to re-anchor baseline information associated with the equipment. The re-anchored data and analysis can be used for a subsequent (e.g., next) maintenance operation as a baseline for forming a successive scope of work associated with the maintenance operation. That is, each maintenance operation can build on a previous maintenance operation to provide a more reliable and complete maintenance of the equipment.

[0044] Systems and methods are described herein that go beyond the claimed re-anchoring operations. It should be understood that these systems and methods are provided by way of example only, and the claimed re-anchoring operations and systems are not limited to applications using these other systems and operations or otherwise combined with these other systems and operations. The present disclosure is not limiting. For example, it should be understood that one or more embodiments described herein can be configured to operate independently or in combination with other embodiments described herein.

[0045] Now referring to the drawings, Figure 1 there is shown a high bypass turbofan jet engine according to an embodiment, referred to herein as a "gas turbine engine". As Figure 1 shown, the turbofan engine 10 defines an axial direction A (extending parallel to a longitudinal centerline 12 for reference) and a radial direction R. Generally, the turbofan engine 10 includes a fan section 14 and a turbine 16 disposed downstream of the fan section 14.

[0046] The exemplary turbine 16 shown generally includes a housing 18 that defines an annular inlet 20. Inside the housing 18 is what can be considered the interior 19 of the turbine 16, and more specifically the interior 19 of the turbofan engine 10. The housing 18 surrounds in serial flow relationship: a compressor section that includes a booster or low pressure (LP) compressor 22 and a high pressure (HP) compressor 24; a combustion section 26; a turbine section that includes a high pressure (HP) turbine 28 and a low pressure (LP) turbine 30; and an exhaust nozzle section 32. The compressor section, the combustion section 26, the turbine section, and the exhaust nozzle section 32 together at least partially define a core air flow path 37 through the turbine 16. A high pressure (HP) shaft or spool 34 (or more precisely a high pressure spool assembly, as described below) drivingly connects the HP turbine 28 to the HP compressor 24. A low pressure (LP) shaft or spool 36 drivingly connects the LP turbine 30 to the LP compressor 22.

[0047] For the exemplary embodiment shown, the fan section 14 includes a variable pitch fan 38 that has a plurality of fan blades 40 coupled to a disk 42 in a spaced apart manner. As shown, the fan blades 40 generally extend radially outward from the disk 42 along a radial direction R. Since the fan blades 40 are operatively coupled to a suitable actuating member 44, each fan blade 40 is rotatable relative to the disk 42 about a pitch axis P, and the actuating member 44 is configured to collectively and uniformly change the pitch of the fan blades 40. The fan blades 40, the disk 42, and the actuating member 44 together are rotatable about a longitudinal centerline 12 by the LP shaft 36 through a power gearbox 46. The power gearbox 46 includes a plurality of gears for stepping down the rotational speed of the LP shaft 36 to a more efficient rotational fan speed.

[0048] Still referring to Figure 1 the exemplary embodiment, the disk 42 is covered by a rotatable front hub 48 that is aerodynamically shaped to facilitate air flow through the plurality of fan blades 40. Additionally, the exemplary fan section 14 includes an annular fan casing or nacelle 50 that circumferentially surrounds the fan 38 and / or at least a portion of the turbine 16. The nacelle 50 is supported relative to the turbine 16 by a plurality of circumferentially spaced outlet guide vanes 52. Further, the nacelle 50 extends externally of the turbine 16 so as to define a bypass air flow path 56 therebetween.

[0049] During operation of the turbofan engine 10, a quantity of air 58 enters the turbofan engine 10 through the nacelle 50 and / or the associated inlet 60 of the fan section 14. When a quantity of air 58 passes through the fan blades 40, a first portion of the air 58, as indicated by arrow 62, is directed or conveyed into the bypass air flow passage 56, while a second portion of the air 58, as indicated by arrow 64, is directed or conveyed into the LP compressor 22 and exits from the tail 54 of the turbofan engine 10. The ratio between the first portion of air 62 and the second portion of air 64 is commonly referred to as the bypass ratio. Then, the pressure of the second portion of air 64 increases as it is conveyed through the high-pressure (HP) compressor 24 and enters the combustion section 26, where the second portion of air 64 is mixed with fuel and burned to provide combustion gases 66. Subsequently, the combustion gases 66 are conveyed through the HP turbine 28 and the LP turbine 30, where a portion of the thermal energy and / or kinetic energy is extracted from the combustion gases 66.

[0050] The combustion gases 66 are then conveyed through the jet exhaust nozzle section 32 of the turbine 16 to provide propulsion thrust. At the same time, when the first portion of air 62 is conveyed through the bypass air flow passage 56 before it is discharged from the fan nozzle exhaust section 68 of the turbofan engine 10, the pressure of the first portion of air 62 significantly increases, also providing propulsion thrust.

[0051] In addition, it should be understood that the exemplary turbofan engine 10 defines a plurality of openings. For example, the exemplary turbofan engine 10, more specifically the turbine 16, defines a plurality of hole mirror openings 70, inlets 20, exhaust nozzles 32, etc. arranged along the axial direction A. Additionally, although not shown, the turbofan engine 10, or more specifically, the turbine 16 may define one or more igniter openings, fuel-air mixer openings, fuel nozzle openings, etc.

[0052] However, it should be understood that Figure 1 the exemplary turbofan engine 10 shown is provided by way of example only. In other exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the turbofan engine 10 may have any other suitable configuration, such as any other suitable number of compressors or turbines, or any gear-driven or direct drive system, variable pitch or fixed pitch fan, etc. Additionally, although described as a turbofan engine in Figure 1 it may be any other suitable turbine engine provided in other embodiments. For example, in other embodiments, the turbine engine may be a turbojet engine, a turboprop engine, etc. Additionally, in other exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the turbine engine may not be an aircraft gas turbine engine, such as Figure 1Rather than the engine shown, it may be, for example, a land-based turbine engine for power generation, or a marine turbine engine. Additionally, in other embodiments, any other suitable type of engine may be provided, such as a rotary engine, such as an internal combustion engine. In yet another other embodiment, the engine may be any device or machine that undergoes a change in condition due to wear or environmental factors and is periodically subject to maintenance operations (such as maintenance and / or repair).

[0053] Equipment such as gas turbine engines typically requires maintenance on a regular or semi-regular basis. Figure 2 FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an exemplary method 200 of servicing equipment in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. Exemplary servicing operations may include inspection and repair of the equipment. For an aircraft gas turbine engine, the servicing operations may be performed on-wing, near-wing, or at a separate location, such as at one or more dedicated or specialized repair shops. On-wing servicing may include servicing operations performed while the gas turbine engine is installed on the wing of an aircraft. Near-wing servicing may include servicing operations performed while the gas turbine engine is removed from the aircraft but still in the vicinity (e.g., on a lift or cart within a servicing location disposed on or near the aircraft). Servicing operations at a separate location may include operations at one or more repair shops, e.g., at which the gas turbine engine is transported from the aircraft to the separate location for servicing.

[0054] Servicing operations may be derived from a scope of work that defines steps (also referred to as tasks) associated with the servicing operation. The scope of work may include, for example, information related to an individual task to be performed, the order in which the tasks are to be performed, the tools required to complete the tasks, the parts required to complete the tasks, safety factors associated with the tasks, metrics for evaluating the success or failure of correctly completing the tasks (e.g., verifying whether the operation, such as applying a thermal barrier coating, is successful within the specified operating tolerances) and so on. In an embodiment, at least some of the scope of work may be created and / or maintained by a human operator. In another embodiment, at least some of the scope of work may be created and / or maintained by one or more computing devices, as described below. By way of example, one or more computing devices may utilize machine learning to create, maintain, modify, or otherwise manage the scope of work. Each scope of work may be specific to a particular type of equipment, a particular model of equipment, a particular manufacturing date or age of the equipment, a particular use of the equipment, or any combination thereof.

[0055] The working scope can include a preliminary working scope determined at least in part based on one or more last-known conditions of the equipment. These last-known conditions can include, for example, one or more operator hold lists associated with the equipment, possible diagnostic analyses based on historical data and / or analysis, previous equipment maintenance data including information associated with previous maintenance operations, fleet-wide derived data, etc. The preliminary working scope can also be determined according to a standard equipment working scope (e.g., a regular maintenance schedule).

[0056] The preliminary working scope can also be determined according to the maintenance context, e.g., on-wing, near-wing, and at a separate location. As an example, although on-wing maintenance can facilitate a faster turnaround time due to fewer operational steps, access to one or more components of a gas turbine engine on-wing may be restricted or require special tools to reach. The need for such special tools can be considered as part of forming the preliminary working scope.

[0057] When a preliminary scope of work is received at step 202 of method 200, the repair operation may include a staging operation at step 204. In an embodiment, the preliminary scope of work may describe the parts and / or tools required to perform the repair. As described in more detail below, the staging operation 204 may include compiling the staging components, such as any parts and / or tools described in the preliminary scope of work. After completing the staging operation, method 200 may further include step 206, in which the staging components are navigated to the equipment to be repaired. Upon arrival at the equipment, method 200 may further include inspecting the equipment at step 208. Preliminary repair operations, such as steps involved in preparing for future repair operations, may also be performed at this time. In response to the inspection performed at step 208, method 200 may include steps to perform a repair 210 or a further inspection 212 based on the results from the inspection 208. The repair operation may include routine maintenance, repairing damage to the equipment, updating one or more components of the equipment, etc. As described in more detail below, the repair 210 may be performed if the inspection does not reveal any unexpected problems, while a further inspection 212 may be required if unexpected problems arise or other situations that require further analysis are found. In the case where a further inspection 212 is required, the step of performing the repair 214 may be completed after the further inspection at step 212. In some cases, the step of performing the repair 214 may be different from the repair performed at step 210. This difference may be at least partially the result of an updated scope of work in response to the further inspection 212. After a repair is completed in either step 210 or 214, method 200 may include a step 216 of reinspecting the equipment. In the case where the equipment has been reinspected and the repair is complete, the equipment may be ready to return to normal use. Otherwise, one or more additional inspection and / or repair steps may be required. Additionally, as described in more detail below, information associated with one or more steps of method 200, such as inspection results, repair data, test information, etc., may be saved to create or modify a condition profile of the equipment and / or to notify future scopes of work or fleet-wide analysis.

[0058] Figure 3FIG. 0 is a schematic view of an exemplary robotic assembly 300 for servicing an apparatus (such as the gas turbine engine described above). The robotic assembly 300 generally can include a support assembly 302, a robotic arm 304, and a utility member 306. The support assembly 302 generally includes one or more motors 308 and a controller 310. The controller 310 is operatively coupled to the one or more motors 308 for controlling the operation of the robotic assembly 300. Additionally, the controller 310 is operatively coupled to the utility member 306 and / or one or more sensors (not shown) that are attached to or embedded within the robotic arm 304 and / or the utility member 306. Further, the robotic arm 304 generally extends between a root end 312 and a distal end 314. The robotic arm 304 is coupled to the support assembly 302 at the root end 312 and includes the utility member 306 at the distal end 314.

[0059] It should be understood that the robotic arm 304 can define certain parameters to further enable it to reach relatively remote locations within, for example, the interior of a gas turbine engine or other remote locations of the environment. More specifically, for the illustrated embodiment, the robotic arm 304 defines a length of at least about 12 inches between the root end 312 and the distal end 314, such as at least about 36 inches, such as at least about 48 inches, such as at least about 60 inches, such as up to about 500 inches. Similarly, the robotic arm 304 defines a maximum diameter between the root end 312 and the distal end 314, which for the illustrated embodiment is the maximum diameter of each of the respective segments 318 of the robotic arm 304 and is less than about 5 inches. For example, the maximum diameter of the robotic arm 304 can be less than about 3 inches, such as less than about 2.5 inches, such as less than about 1 inch. This can further allow the robotic arm 304 to reach the desired relatively remote locations. In an embodiment, the robotic assembly 300 can include a system (not shown) configured to monitor the robotic arm 304 or one or more of its positions, such as monitoring the distal end 314 of the robotic arm 304, or a component held or contained by or at the distal end 314. The system can also compensate for relative movement between the robotic arm 304 or one or more of its positions and the apparatus.

[0060] The robotic component 300 described in accordance with one or more embodiments can operate autonomously, i.e., without human interaction. Autonomous operation can be carried out by programming robotic instructions, which can be executed by the robotic component. Autonomous operation can include making decisions at least in part without further support from a human operator, such as the selection of sensor inputs, internal parameters, etc. The actions taken and the results depend at least in part on these autonomous decisions made by the robotic component 300. The robotic component 300 described in accordance with other embodiments can operate at least in part autonomously, i.e., with minimal human operation. For example, in addition to local autonomous decisions made by the robotic component, further human input and decisions can be utilized to execute the initial instructions. The robotic component 300 described in accordance with yet another other embodiment can operate under human control. For example, the robotic component 300 can be operated by a human operator located within a common environment or at a remote environment (e.g., at least 0.25 miles away, at least 1 mile away, at least 5 miles away, at least 10 miles away, at least 25 miles away, at least 100 miles away, at least 1000 miles away). The robotic components mentioned here with respect to autonomous, semi-autonomous, and human operation can be used interchangeably. However, in a particular embodiment, the robotic component 300 is at least partially autonomous, e.g., fully autonomous.

[0061] The robotic component 300 can also include an environment capture device 320. It should be understood that the environment capture device 320 can provide one or more functions to the robotic component 300. As an example, the environment capture device 320 can be configured to capture information of a gas turbine engine while in repair, such as visual supplies. The environment capture device 320 can also be configured to capture information of the environment in which the gas turbine engine is located. For example, the environment capture device 320 can be configured to capture information associated with the movement of the robotic component 300 between two or more points within the environment (e.g., between a staging station and the gas turbine engine). In an embodiment, the information can be processed by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 (described below) for performing repair operations (i.e., maintenance and / or repair) and / or during the repair operation, to navigate the robotic component 300, for example, from a remote location or relative to the gas turbine engine through the environment, to the gas turbine engine.

[0062] In an embodiment, the environment capture device 320 may include one or more cameras 322 and a mounting 324. The camera 322 and the mounting 324 may be dynamically coupled together, such as rotatably coupled, pivotally coupled, telescopically coupled, retractably coupled, etc. In an embodiment, the camera 322 and the mounting 324 may be repositionable upon activation of one or more electric motors (not shown). The one or more electric motors may be configured to operate autonomously or semi-autonomously to maintain information in a desired direction relative to the robotic assembly and / or relative to the environment and / or the gas turbine engine. In an embodiment, the information may capture a wide-angle view of the environment, a narrow field of view, or may be adjustable between a wide and a narrow field of view. In an exemplary embodiment, the information may be configured to capture all or substantially all of 360 degrees in at least one side of the robotic assembly 300.

[0063] In an embodiment, the environment capture device 320 may include a thermal imaging device. In another embodiment, the environment capture device 320 may include one or more passive and / or active scanners, digital cameras, charge-coupled devices (CCDs), infrared sensors, complementary metal-oxide semiconductors, ultrasonic imaging devices, photoacoustic devices, magnetic resonance imaging devices, sound navigation and ranging (sonar), radio detection and ranging (radar), light detection and ranging (lidar), inductive and / or capacitive proximity sensing, touch sensors (e.g., microswitches, sensing whiskers or bumpers, physical displacement sensors (e.g., potentiometers), linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs), etc. In some cases, the environment capture device 320 may include multiple devices, each having the same, similar or different functions or spatial alignment. The environment capture device 320 may communicate electronically with one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330, and may be configured to send information or one or more output signals having information associated with a maintenance operation to the one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330.

[0064] In many embodiments, the robotic assembly 300 further includes a mobility device, a drive assembly 326 configured to move the robotic assembly 300 relative to the environment. The drive assembly 326 can include one or more of all wheels, giant wheels, wheels, casters, tracks, pedals, skids, movable arms, movable legs, etc. coupled to one or more generators (e.g., electric motors, engines, etc.). The drive assembly 326 can communicate electronically with one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330. By way of an exemplary embodiment, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can be configured to send information corresponding to repositioning instructions or a coordinate grid to the drive assembly 326 to navigate the robotic assembly 300. In another exemplary embodiment, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can provide a repositioning task description rather than linear programming instructions. For example, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can instruct the drive assembly 326 to reposition the robotic assembly 300 to a specific location without describing the environment. As an example, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can instruct the robotic assembly 300 to position itself at a specified distance from a particular part of a particular piece of equipment being serviced (e.g., "1.5 meters behind engine number two on an aircraft with tail number N123AB"). The drive assembly 326 can be configured to move the robotic assembly 300 in accordance with the received information. As described in more detail below, the repositioning instructions can include an initial positioning instruction, i.e., for initially moving the robotic assembly 300 to a gas turbine engine, and / or a repositioning instruction, i.e., for repositioning the robotic assembly 300 relative to the gas turbine engine during a maintenance operation.

[0065] In some embodiments, one or more computing devices include one or more local computing devices 328. The local computing devices 328 can be locally disposed on the robotic assembly 300 or included within the environment of the equipment. In other embodiments, one or more computing devices include one or more remote devices 330. For example, the remote devices 330 can include one or more nodes (e.g., virtual nodes), a servicer, or other off-site computing devices configured to communicate with the robotic assembly 300 or other nodes in a servicing environment. For example, a node can include an information link point along, for example, a wireless transmission path, a wired transmission path, etc. Exemplary nodes include user device interfaces, servicer interfaces, equipment interfaces, etc. The remote computing devices 330 can communicate with the robotic assembly 300 via one or more wireless protocol standards. In yet other embodiments, one or more computing devices can be split between one or more local computing devices 328 and one or more remote computing devices 330. That is, one or more computing devices can include a combination of local and remote computing devices. The local and remote computing devices can work together or perform different processing operations as described herein, such as autonomous or semi-autonomous processing.

[0066] One or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can include instructions stored on a computer-readable storage device 332. The instructions can be read and executed by at least one processing element 334. The processing element 334 can be any suitable processing device (e.g., a processor core, a microprocessor, an ASIC, an FPGA, a controller, a microcontroller, etc.) and can be one processor or multiple processors operably connected. By way of example, the computer-readable storage device 332 can include one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media such as RAM, ROM, EEPROM, EPROM, one or more memory devices, flash devices, etc. and combinations thereof. The computer-readable storage device 332 can store information accessible by the processing element 334. The instructions can be software written in any suitable programming language or can be implemented in hardware. Additionally, or alternatively, the instructions can be executed logically and / or virtually in separate threads on the processing element 334. In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can store or include one or more models 2004( Figure 20)。By way of example, model 2004 can include various machine learning models, such as models using boosted random forest techniques, support vector machines, neural networks (e.g., deep neural networks), or other multi-layer non-linear models. Exemplary neural networks include feedforward neural networks, recurrent neural networks (e.g., long short-term memory recurrent neural networks), convolutional neural networks, or other forms of neural networks. In an embodiment, model 2004 can implement multiple parallel instances of a single model (e.g., for a single determination, perform parallel action determination across multiple instances).

[0067] In an embodiment, the robotic assembly 300 can further include one or more wireless communication elements 336. The wireless communication element 336 can include circuitry for transmitting and receiving signals and one or more transceivers. The wireless communication element 336 can further include an antenna, processing circuitry, and memory to perform the wireless communication operations described herein.

[0068] In an embodiment, the robotic assembly 300 can perform peer-to-peer communication with other robotic assemblies 300, e.g., within a shared environment, between two or more remote locations, or between one shared assembly housing multiple independent robotic assemblies 300. In this way, the robotic assemblies 300 can operate relative to each other. By way of example, through peer-to-peer communication, multiple robotic assemblies 300 are able to communicate and cooperate to navigate a path wide enough to allow only one robotic assembly to pass through at a time. Peer-to-peer communication can also allow for real-time information sharing between robotic assemblies 300 undergoing repairs and / or transmitting delayed repair information while repairs are being performed simultaneously. Using peer-to-peer communication can further facilitate easier mating operations, mobile component arrangements, etc. As another example, the robotic assembly 300 can communicate with a second robot that is coupled to, e.g., mounted on, the robotic assembly 300. In some cases, the second robot can operate independently of, or at least partially independently of, the robotic assembly 300.

[0069] In some cases, the robotic assembly 300 may be configured to operate in a human habitat environment. As an example, an aircraft hangar typically includes human operators for servicing aircraft and their components. Using the robotic assembly 300 in such an environment may create a hazardous work environment. Thus, in an embodiment, the robotic assembly 300 may be configured to detect the presence and / or proximity of a person, for example, within a defined proximity of the robotic assembly 300, by using the environment capture device 320 or another element of the robotic assembly 300, so as to operate safely within the environment. When the robotic assembly 300 detects a person within the defined proximity, one or more operations of the robotic assembly 300 may be autonomously adjusted to create a safer environment. For example, when navigating through the environment within a defined proximity of a person, such as within ten feet of a worker, the drive assembly 326 may operate at a slower (safer) speed. If the typical operating speed through the environment is 1 meter per second, the safe speed (e.g., when within the defined proximity of a person) may be less than 0.1 meter per second. In an embodiment, the safe speed may be less than 90% of the typical speed, such as less than 80% of the typical speed, such as less than 70% of the typical speed, such as less than 60% of the typical speed, such as less than 50% of the typical speed, such as less than 40% of the typical speed. Similarly, the speed of the robotic arm 304 may be different when operating within the defined proximity of a person. In the event that, for example, the person is no longer within the defined proximity of the robotic assembly 300, the robotic assembly 300 may return to a normal operating condition, such as a normal (typical) speed.

[0070] In the case of forming a preliminary work scope, the robotic assembly 300 may be equipped with companion components including parts and / or tools as described in the preliminary work scope for performing repair operations associated with the preliminary work scope. Parts may include items other than tools configured for repair operations, such as lubricants, fasteners, clips, bands, seals, etc. Parts may include replacement components for the rig 706. Additionally or alternatively, parts may include sprayable coating materials, cleaners, conditioners, welding materials, brazing materials, etc. Tools may include one or more single-use and / or reusable tools that may be used to perform repair operations. Exemplary tools include wrenches, drills, blow dryers, lights, scanners, blades, saws, brushes, dryers, measuring devices, pumps, sanders, polishers, ablation devices, welding machines, applicators and dispensers, robotic sensors, robotic tools, etc.

[0071] Figure 4It is a schematic diagram of the robot component 300 that docks with the support station 400. The support station 400 includes a storage area 402, which is configured to temporarily store support components including one or more parts and / or tools 404, and these parts and / or tools 404 can be used by the robot component 300 when repairing equipment (such as the aforementioned gas turbine engine). As shown in the figure, the storage area 402 can include any number of racks, boxes, pallets, shelves, stations, etc. configured to store tools and / or components 404. The storage area 402 can be autonomously maintained and organized, or can be maintained and / or organized with the help of a human interface.

[0072] In an embodiment, the robot component 300 and the support station 400 can communicate with each other. For example, the robot component 300 and the support station 400 can communicate wirelessly with each other (directly or indirectly) so that the support station 400 provides (supports) one or more parts and / or tools 404 to the robot component 300. Such a support operation can correspond to one or more preliminary or non-preliminary (update) work scopes associated with the repair operation of the gas turbine engine. For example, as a non-limiting example, repairing the valve of a gas turbine engine may require special tools to access and inspect the valve and special components, as well as parts, such as consumables, such as fluids, wipes, sprays, cleaning materials, etc., and / or replacement parts to repair the valve. The work scope associated with the valve repair operation can include a description of the parts and / or tools 404 required to complete the repair operation. Therefore, the support operation can include the step of providing at least some parts and / or tools 404 to the robot component 300 to complete the repair operation.

[0073] The work scope can be transferred from the robot component 300 to the support station 400, from one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 to the support station 400, another remote or local component or instrument, or any combination thereof. In an embodiment, the preliminary or updated work scope can include loading instructions associated with the loading configuration of one or more parts and / or tools 404 within the support area 406 of the robot component 300. As an example, the loading instructions can be determined based on the order of operations to be performed during the repair, such that highly important equipment is arranged in the position closest to the robot arm 304 according to special operation instructions, etc., or any combination thereof.

[0074] The staging area 406 may include a receiving area for the robotic assembly 300, which is configured to receive, for example, one or more parts and / or tools 404 from the staging station 400. In an embodiment, the staging area 406 may include a single receiving area. In another embodiment, the staging area 406 may include a plurality of discrete receiving areas. For example, the staging area 406 may include a discrete first staging area and a second staging area, each having a predetermined function or storage capacity. For example, the first staging area may be a general receiving area for basic tools, while the second staging area is configured to hold one or more parts and / or tools in or within a specified condition, such as at a specified temperature. In an embodiment, at least one of the robotic assembly 300 and the staging area 406 may include one or more sensors, cameras, detectors, etc. (not shown) for monitoring the staging area 406 and / or one or more parts and / or tools 404 contained therein.

[0075] In some cases, the loading instructions associated with the loading configuration in the staging area 406 may include a specified spatial arrangement of the parts and / or tools 404, a loading sequence, or both. As an example, certain tools may be oriented at a specified angle at a predetermined location within the staging area 406 such that the robotic assembly 300 can access and utilize the tool.

[0076] In an embodiment, the robotic assembly 300 may be configured to determine the position of the parts and / or tools 404 relative to the staging area 406. For example, the robotic assembly 300 may include sensors or detectors that are configured to locate a desired part and / or tool 404 within the staging area 406 and autonomously approach and remove the desired part and / or tool 404 from the staging area 406. In another embodiment, this step may be performed at least in part with the assistance of the environment capture device 320. The determination of the position may also include the identification of the angular orientation of the parts and / or tools 404 within the staging area 406, or the identification of the appropriate interface location along the parts and / or tools 404 (e.g., identifying the tool handle or graspable portion of the component).

[0077] Determining the position of the parts and / or tools 404 may also require the use of the environment capture device 320. By capturing an image of the parts and / or tools 404 as they enter the staging area 406 using the environment capture device 320, the parts and / or tools 404 may be mapped relative to the staging area 406. Then, the mapped position of the parts and / or tools 404 can be used to locate the parts and / or tools 404 when needed during a repair operation.

[0078] In Figure 4In the illustrated embodiment, the provisioning station 400 includes a plurality of storage areas, each storage area holding tools and / or components 404 associated with one or more work scopes. The plurality of storage areas are shown in a stacked configuration. In other embodiments, the provisioning station 400 may include a plurality of different stacked or non-stacked configurations disposed at one or more locations accessible to the robotic assembly 300.

[0079] Each storage area may be classified, for example, according to object type, size, shape, frequency of use, etc. In an embodiment, each individual storage area may be configured to store the exact parts and / or tools required for a particular work scope. In this regard, the robotic assembly 300 may be fully provisioned by a single storage area. In another embodiment, the individual storage areas may house the provisioning components in another prescribed arrangement.

[0080] In an embodiment, the provisioning station 400 may be located in the same environment as the equipment to be repaired, for example, in the same hangar as the gas turbine engine to be repaired. Alternatively, at least a portion of the provisioning station 400, such as the entire provisioning station 400, may be located in a discrete location separate from the environment housing the equipment. For example, the equipment may be located in a first building and the provisioning station 400 may be located in a second building different from the first building. The robotic assembly 300 may be configured to navigate between the first building and the second building to access the provisioning station 400 and return to the equipment for repair operations.

[0081] In certain embodiments, the provisioning station 400 may be distributed across two or more different locations. In such a case, the robotic assembly 300 may travel between the multiple provisioning stations 400 to fully provision the provisioning area 406 in preparation for repair operations. Alternatively, one or more auxiliary devices may be configured to partially provision the parts and / or tools 404 associated with the work scope at one or more handover locations and rendezvous with the robotic assembly 300, at which one or more handover locations, the multiple parts and / or tools 404 from the multiple provisioning stations 400 may be simultaneously transferred to the provisioning area 406. In an embodiment, the operation of provisioning the robotic assembly 300 may be performed autonomously or semi-autonomously.

[0082] In an embodiment, the robotic assembly 300 may utilize the environment capture device 320 during or in response to a mating operation. For example, when a part and / or tool 404 is transferred from a mating station 400 (or one or more intermediate fixtures) to a mating area 406, the robotic assembly 300 may track the part and / or tool 404. The robotic assembly 300 may map the part and / or tool 404 based on the tracked data and position the part and / or tool 404 in response to their mapped positions. The environment capture device may further compare information to determine whether the part and / or tool 404 has been shifted, altered, damaged, or otherwise changed at any time before, during, or after a repair operation.

[0083] The transfer of the part and / or tool 404 between the mating station 400 and the robotic assembly 300 may be performed by the robotic assembly 300, such as by a robotic arm 304. Alternatively, the transfer of the part and / or tool 404 may be performed by the mating station 400 itself. Alternatively, the transfer of the part and / or tool 404 may be performed by one or more intermediate devices or by one or more human operators.

[0084] In some cases, the mating operation may include the step of providing the robotic assembly 300 with one or more redundant tools or components. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, redundancy may be particularly useful in situations where a repair problem is likely to occur and additional parts may be needed in place. In an embodiment, the robotic assembly 300 may be configured to remove unused redundant tools and / or components from the mating area 406 after a repair is completed. The removal of redundant parts and / or tools 404 may be performed by returning the redundant parts to the original mating station 400 or to another mating station 400 (such as a drop-off mating station). The removal of redundant parts may also include discarding the redundant parts. In an embodiment, some redundant parts may be recycled and reused, while other redundant parts may be discarded (if not used). One or more of the robotic assembly 300, the mating station 400, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330, etc. may be configured to determine the disposition of redundant parts after a repair operation is completed.

[0085] Figure 5FIG. 500 is a flowchart of a method for outfitting a robotic component as part of a maintenance operation of a facility. As described above, method 500 may include an initial step 502 of determining a current scope of work associated with the facility. The current scope of work may include a preliminary scope of work based on the intended maintenance operation to be performed. Method 500 may also include a step 504 of determining parts and tools associated with the current scope of work. Method 500 may also include a step 506 of outfitting the robotic component with parts and tools for performing the maintenance operation. Method 500 may also include a step 508 of navigating the robotic component within an environment having the facility, and a step 510 of using the outfitted parts and tools to perform at least one of an inspection and repair of the facility.

[0086] Figure 6 FIG. 600 is a flowchart of another method for outfitting, including step 602 of determining, by one or more computing devices, a current (e.g., preliminary) scope of work associated with a facility, step 604 of determining, by one or more computing devices, parts and tools associated with the current scope of work, step 606 of causing, by one or more computing devices, at least some of the parts and tools to be outfitted on a robotic component, step 608 of determining, by one or more computing devices, a path for navigating the robotic component within an environment having the facility, and step 610 of causing, by one or more computing devices, the robotic component to use the outfitted parts and tools to perform at least one of an inspection and repair of the facility.

[0087] Figure 7 FIG. 700 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary environment 700 in which a robotic component 300 may be configured to operate. Environment 700 includes a building 702 having one or more maintenance areas 704, such as an aircraft hangar or maintenance location, where a facility 706 is maintained. The robotic component 300 is shown within an outfitting room 708 that includes one or more outfitting stations 400 configured to outfit the robotic component 300 for a scope of work associated with the facility 706. Although the outfitting room 708 is shown as an enclosed space within the building 702, in other embodiments, the outfitting room 708 may include an open space within the building 702 (e.g., a common space shared with one or more maintenance areas 704). The outfitting room 708 may also be located within another building (not shown) or within an external environment relative to the building 702.

[0088] After receiving the mating components from the mating operation station 400, the robotic assembly 300 can navigate through the environment 700. Navigation can include, for example, determining a path 710 within the environment, e.g., from the mating station 400 to an appropriate maintenance area 704. The path 710 can be developed to avoid obstacles 712 within the environment 700. These obstacles 712 can include building supports, walls, doors, other equipment and robotic assemblies, parts, human operators, animals, etc. In an embodiment, the path 710 can be formed based on other robotic assemblies 300 also operating within the environment 700, e.g., taking into account the movement of other robotic assemblies 300. In an embodiment, the path 710 can be developed by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 and communicated to the robotic assembly 300.

[0089] The path 710 can be saved as a series of coordinates, lines, or other recognizable data and used to navigate the robotic assembly 300 through the environment 700. Deviations within the path 710 can occur as a result of unknown obstacles 712, e.g., a human operator moving through the building 702, dropped equipment or parts, etc. In an embodiment, an environment capture device 320 can be used during navigation to detect unknown obstacles 712 and assist in navigating through the environment 700. In another embodiment, a separate environment capture device (not shown) can be used to detect unknown obstacles 712. The detection of unknown obstacles can be communicated to one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330, and the path 710 can be updated in view thereof. The update of the path 710 can be performed autonomously.

[0090] Once reaching the equipment 706, the robotic assembly 300 can start a repair operation on the equipment 706 according to the associated work scope. In some embodiments, the work scope may not have been fully downloaded to the robotic assembly 300 before the previously described mating operation. In such cases, during navigation from the mating chamber 708 to the repair area 704, the download can be completed once at the repair area 704, or both. In other embodiments, the work scope can be continuously received during the repair operation. In yet another other embodiment, the work scope or at least a part of the work scope can be determined by the robotic assembly 300 itself. For example, the computing device 328 can be part of the robotic assembly 300 and is configured to autonomously or partially autonomously determine the work scope or a part thereof. In a particular embodiment, the computing device 328 can determine parts of the work scope, such as proper alignment relative to the equipment, capturing and / or correlating the manufacture and model of the equipment to determine the work scope, comparing the work scope with the entire fleet data, etc. In this regard, a large number of repair operations - that is, from forming the work scope to executing the work scope - can be performed locally by the robotic assembly 300. The present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the above methods of information transfer and transmission between two or more nodes and can include other methods of information transfer and transmission between two or more nodes.

[0091] For some work scopes, precise alignment may be required between the robotic assembly 300 and the equipment 706. Precise alignment can result in a higher degree of variable control between the positions of the equipment 706 and the robotic assembly 300. As an example, precise alignment can occur when the alignment deviation relative to the expected alignment between the equipment 706 and the robotic assembly 300 is less than 10 mm, such as less than 8 mm, such as less than 6 mm, such as less than 4 mm, such as less than 2 mm, such as less than 1 mm, such as less than 0.5 mm. In a particular embodiment, precise alignment occurs when the alignment deviation is less than 0.25 mm. In yet another embodiment, precise alignment occurs when the alignment deviation is less than 0.1 mm, such as less than 0.01 mm, such as less than 0.001 mm.

[0092] In an embodiment, the environmental capture device 320 can be used to establish precise alignment of the robotic assembly 300 relative to the equipment 706. In another embodiment, the robotic assembly 300 can also include a precise alignment detector 338( Figure 3 ), which is configured to establish precise data or position information of the robotic assembly 300 relative to the equipment 706. Exemplary precise alignment detectors 338 can utilize stereo vision, three-dimensional triangulation techniques, etc. Automatic collision avoidance can be used to ensure the risk of situational conflicts, for example, the risk of conflict relative to the equipment 706 is understood and avoided.

[0093] In some embodiments, one or more steps associated with a maintenance operation may require the use of additional, discrete maintenance components, such as additional robotic components or discrete sensors and detectors. The robotic component 300 may be configured to deploy one or more sensors or detectors along, near, and / or within the equipment 706 at any time relative to the maintenance operation. The one or more sensors or detectors may be placed precisely or imprecisely relative to the equipment 706. The one or more sensors or detectors may be used before, during, and / or after the maintenance operation to collect information related to the equipment 706, the maintenance operation, the robotic component 300, etc., or any combination thereof. In some cases, the one or more sensors or detectors may communicate with the robotic component 300 and / or one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330, such as wirelessly or wired, to transfer the sensed / detected information therewith.

[0094] Once properly positioned relative to the equipment 706 (e.g., either precisely aligned or ready for a maintenance operation), the robotic component 300 may be configured to perform an initial inspection. The initial inspection may include comparing the equipment 706 to the last known condition of the equipment 706 and optionally other additional information associated with the equipment 706. In some cases, the environmental capture device 320 may be used to perform the initial inspection of the current condition. As an example, the step of determining the current condition may be performed, for example, by one or more of the following: visual inspection, thermal inspection, fatigue indicators, strength tests, coating inspections (e.g., thickness, color, flaking, adhesion of contaminants, etc.), damage and degradation inspections, shrinkage and expansion determination, electronic verification, hose inspections, rotor inspections, and so on.

[0095] The current condition may be compared to the last known condition (i.e., reference information such as reference data), and the preliminary scope of work is at least partially based on the last known condition. The comparison may be made on a rolling (i.e., ongoing), graded, or completion-based protocol. In an embodiment, the current condition may be compared to computer-aided design (CAD) reference data including a CAD engine design. The comparison of the last known condition and the current condition may look for unexpected changes and analyze any unexpected changes based on the preliminary scope of work. As an example, the CAD reference data may include a tool envelope that defines the necessary dimensions of a tool in order to properly fit within the equipment 706 to perform a maintenance. An unexpected change in the equipment 706 may result in the tool envelope being invalidated, i.e., the specified tool cannot fit within the equipment 706 to perform the scope of work associated with the maintenance operation. Figure 8FIG. 800 is a flow chart showing a method for finding unexpected changes, including a step 802 of inspecting equipment and a step 804 of comparing the equipment to be inspected with reference data associated with the equipment to be inspected. In an embodiment, the step 802 of inspecting the equipment and the step 804 of comparing the equipment to be inspected may be performed simultaneously or substantially simultaneously. For example, while further inspection is being performed, aspects of the maintenance operation that have been inspected may be compared, and inspection and comparison may occur substantially simultaneously. Alternatively, substantially simultaneous occurrence may occur when the duration between inspection and comparison is negligible (e.g., less than 10 minutes or less than 1 minute).

[0096] In step 806, information associated with the comparison performed in step 804 may be used to determine whether the tools and / or parts 404 to be used during the performance of the maintenance are properly sized and / or shaped to mate with the equipment (i.e., to prevent tool envelope failures). The preliminary work scope may be updated in view of such unexpected changes (e.g., tool envelope failures), and in some embodiments, a modified work scope may be created. In an embodiment, the creation of the modified work scope may be performed by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330. In another embodiment, the creation of the modified work scope may be performed by a human operator. In another embodiment, the creation of the modified work scope may include the use of autonomous logic and one or more human operators. The comparison performed in step 804 may also be used to check for damage to the equipment being inspected in step 808.

[0097] The modified work scope may be communicated between two or more nodes, e.g., between two or more robotic components 300, between the mating station 400 and the robotic component 300, between one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 and any other node, between two or more other nodes, or any combination thereof. In some cases, the modified work scope may require the robotic component 300 to be re-mated in order to perform the modified work scope. For example, in the case where a tool envelope failure has occurred, re-mating may require the use of a smaller tool. In other cases, the modified work scope may generate an alert seeking human participation (e.g., involving an expert as described in more detail below). In other cases, some other combination of mating components already on the robotic component 300 (e.g., one or more redundant components on the robotic component 300) may be used to perform the modified work scope.

[0098] The robotic assembly 300 according to an embodiment described herein can be configured to operate autonomously or semi - autonomously. That is, the robotic assembly 300 can be configured to operate without or with minimal human active participation. The robotic assembly 300 can also be configured to operate in or near a high - temperature environment, such as near a gas turbine engine that is cooling from an operating temperature. In this way, the robotic assembly 300 can service equipment, such as a gas turbine engine, when human interaction is too dangerous. Given such capabilities, it may be advantageous to prioritize certain tasks within the scope of work.

[0099] In an embodiment, the scope of work can define a queue of tasks, including a plurality of ordered repair steps. For example, the scope of work can indicate an initial repair operation based on an initial environment or equipment condition, and subsequent repair operations based on successive environment or equipment conditions. As an example, a gas turbine engine being repaired on - wing immediately after use can have an initial high temperature near the operating temperature, which can decrease as it cools. The high temperature of a gas turbine engine can refer to an average ambient engine temperature of at least 300°F, such as at least 350°F, such as at least 400°F, such as at least 500°F, such as at least 750°F, such as at least 2000°F, or higher. In some embodiments, the average ambient engine temperature can be less than 10000°F, such as less than 5000°F. In some embodiments, the term "ambient engine temperature" can refer to the temperature of surface components of the engine, specific components of the engine being repaired, the area around the surface components or specific components of the engine being repaired, etc. Thus, if an operator or tool or robotic assembly services a specific component, the ambient engine temperature can be an indicator of the temperature to which the operator or tool or robotic assembly will be exposed. The scope of work can consider such high temperatures and cooling gradients when determining the order of repair operations.

[0100] Refer to Figure 9, The method 900 for servicing an engine according to an embodiment may include a step 902 of determining an operating scope associated with the engine, the operating scope including a plurality of tasks associated with at least one of inspection and repair of the engine. The method 900 further includes a step 904 of determining risk factors for at least two tasks of the operating scope. The method 900 further includes a step 906 of creating a queue of tasks based on the risk factors determined in step 904 and prioritizing the tasks determined to have high risk factors. In this way, in some embodiments, at least two tasks of the tasks of the operating scope can be evaluated against the risk factors associated therewith, and a resulting queue of tasks associated with the operating scope can be formed based on the risk factors. Tasks with higher risk factors can be prioritized in the queue. Risk factors can include, for example, the likelihood of task failure, task criticality, the likelihood that performing the task may cause the operating scope to escalate to a more severe or time-consuming operation, etc. In an embodiment, the queue can be passive. For example, a passive queue can contain a specific order of tasks to be completed without options for adjusting the order or scope of the tasks. In another embodiment, the queue can be dynamic. For example, in response to one or more unexpected changes associated with the servicing, a dynamic queue can be adjusted during the servicing operation. In an embodiment, machine learning can optionally be used by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 to manage the dynamic queue. The dynamic queue can provide servicing flexibility.

[0101] Referring again to Figure 3 , In an embodiment, the robotic assembly 300 may include a media dispenser 340 (e.g., a lubricant dispenser) configured to dispense one or more media, such as lubricants, relative to at least a portion of, for example, the equipment 706 (e.g., on one or more adjustable components of the engine, a surface component surrounding the adjustable component, or an area surrounding the adjustable component or the surface component). Dispensing lubricant on the equipment 706 is an exemplary task that can be prioritized in the queue of the operating scope because it can be an initial step required for a subsequent step (e.g., loosening of fasteners) to be performed. Lubricants can include, for example, boundary lubricants, blended lubricants, and / or full-film lubricants including hydrodynamic or elastohydrodynamic lubricants. Lubricants can include liquid lubricants, solid lubricants, gaseous lubricants, or semi-solid lubricants. As non-limiting examples, lubricants can include fatty alcohols, esters, EVA wax, PE wax, paraffin wax, soaps, amides, fatty acids, etc. and combinations thereof. In an embodiment, at least a portion of the lubricant dispenser 340 can be disposed on the robotic arm 304. Referring to Figure 22, the lubricant dispenser 340 may include a dispenser head 2200, such as a dispenser tip, and one or more lubricant containers (not shown). One or more biasing elements, such as one or more pumps, pistons, etc., may bias the lubricant from the one or more lubricant containers to the dispenser head 2200. The robotic arm 304 may be configured to move the dispenser head 2200 of the lubricant dispenser 340 relative to the equipment 706 to a position to lubricate one or more components 2202 or their blocks. The one or more components 2202 may include, for example, threaded or non-threaded fasteners, hole mirror plugs, hinges, clips, etc. In an embodiment, as an initial or near-initial operating step of the work range, the work range may cause the lubricant 2204 to be dispensed onto one or more components 2202 of the equipment 706. Then, the penetrating lubricant 2204 may have the opportunity to penetrate the one or more components 2202 to allow for easier operation thereon at a later step of the work range. Additionally, without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that at least some lubricants may perform better when applied to heated components and surfaces.

[0102] In some embodiments, the lubricant 2204 may be given a predetermined amount of penetration time. At the end of the predetermined amount of time, the robotic assembly may then proceed to a further task of the work range associated with the component 2202 downstream of the lubrication step (e.g., removing the component). In other embodiments, the robotic assembly may attempt to operate on the component until the component becomes operable. That is, for example, if the component is not yet operable, the robotic assembly may return to other tasks and resume attempting to operate on the component at a later time after further penetration of the lubrication has occurred.

[0103] In some embodiments, the robotic assembly 300 may further include a cooling component 342 configured to expose the equipment 706 or a portion thereof to a relatively low temperature coolant. The cooling component 342 may be disposed on the robotic arm 304 or another portion of the robotic assembly 300. In an embodiment, the cooling component 342 may include a sprayer configured to dispense a cooling spray on the equipment 706. The cooling spray may include, for example, a liquid coolant (e.g., liquid nitrogen) and / or a solid coolant (e.g., carbon dioxide). The cooling spray may be directionally biased to contact a specified location of the equipment 706. When the equipment 706 or a portion thereof is cooled in response to contact with the cooling spray, it may be easier to service. In another embodiment, the cooling component 342 may include a closed-loop coolant, such as a refrigerant that circulates through at least a portion of the cooling component 342. A conductive interface may be formed between the closed-loop coolant and the equipment 706 to expose a desired portion of the equipment 706 to the low temperature. The closed-loop coolant may allow the equipment 706 to be cooled without being wetted. As another example, the cooling component 342 may further include a Peltier effect thermo-electric cooler. As another example, the component 342 may include a non-cycling phase change material, such as paraffin wax or other materials having a relatively low temperature melting point compared to the equipment 706.

[0104] The local cooling facilitated by the cooling component 342 may allow, for example, male threaded fasteners to cool at a relatively faster rate than female threaded fasteners or the threads in which the male threaded fasteners are disposed. Thus, relying on the cooling and thermal gradients, the male threaded fasteners may contract relative to the female and the torque required to loosen the male threaded fasteners from the female may be reduced. In this manner, the risk of stripped threads or damaged equipment may be minimized without compromising the amount of time required to perform the repair operation.

[0105] The cooling operation may be carried out based on a cooling scheme established based on, for example, environmental conditions, component design, component materials, etc. In this regard, the unique characteristics of different equipment and components may be considered to determine the amount of cooling and the location of cooling to be applied to the equipment and / or component. For example, short set screws may be locally cooled without temperature gradient issues, while long shank bolts may require a specified cooling and / or heating scheme, i.e., a temperature control scheme, to affect the removal of the long shank bolts without the risk of damaging the equipment and / or the long shank bolts. Similarly, depending on the specific material characteristics of the screw, such as absolute temperature, desired cooling location, cooling duration, temperature profile, etc., the optimal cooling scheme for the screw may vary.

[0106] Based on reference values, fleet-wide data, maintenance history information, etc., necessary temperature control schemes, such as cooling schemes, can be included in the operating range. In an embodiment, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can determine an appropriate temperature control scheme for each component on the equipment. Such determination can be autonomous or semi-autonomous (i.e., including, for example, manual confirmation).

[0107] In an embodiment, the cooling component 342 can be part of a temperature control component (not shown). The temperature control component 342 can be constructed with a heating component configured to apply local heat to the equipment. In a particular embodiment, the cooling component and the heating component can be part of the same structure. As a non-limiting example, a compressed air vortex tube can supply hot air to a first part of the equipment and cold air to a second part of the equipment. In some cases, the application of hot air and cold air can occur simultaneously.

[0108] The robotic assembly 300 can also include an operating tool, such as a wrenching device 344, configured to operate on one or more components (e.g., one or more threaded or non-threaded fasteners of the equipment 706). The wrenching device 344 can be disposed on the robotic arm 304 or another part of the robotic assembly 300. For example, when the threaded fastener is at or above a threshold operating temperature, the wrenching device 344 can allow the threaded fastener to be loosened, at which threshold operating temperature it is not possible for a human to come into contact with it. In this regard, the robotic assembly 300 can operate on the equipment 706 while the equipment is above the manual operation threshold, such as above 200°F, such as above 500°F, such as above 1000°F. In an embodiment including the cooling system 342 and the wrenching device 344, the cooling system 342 can first be applied to the fastener for a specified duration, after which the wrenching device 344 can be used to remove the fastener. For a rapid cooling system 342, while the previous fastener is being removed by the wrenching device 344, the cooling system 342 can be used to cool a successive fastener, i.e., the next fastener. In another embodiment, the robotic assembly 300 can include an operating tool, such as a wrenching device equipped with a pulse loading device, to cause a shock wave to propagate through the threaded fastener, such pulse loading enabling the friction between the male and female threads of the fastener to be overcome without using an excessive torque or impact torque device.

[0109] The robotic assembly 300 may include a receiving area (not shown) in which fasteners or other removed components removed from the equipment 706 may be stored. In an embodiment, the receiving area may be configured to hold the removed fasteners and / or components at elevated temperatures without posing a danger to the fasteners or components, the equipment 706, the robotic assembly 300, nearby persons, or other sensitive equipment. In an exemplary operating range, the process of cooling, removing, and storing the fasteners and / or components may occur during one or more initial steps of the operating range, i.e., when the gas turbine engine is too hot for a human operator to approach.

[0110] The environmental capture device 320 can be used to observe the fasteners and other components of the equipment 706 when the fasteners and other components of the equipment 706 are removed from the equipment 706 or the receiving area of the robotic assembly 300. The environmental capture device 320 can detect the condition of at least some (e.g., all) of the components that are removed (and later reinstalled) for inbound (and outbound) verification of the components. Such verification can check for component damage and ensure that the reinstalled component matches the previously removed component. Such verification can further check that the component returns within the same range or within a safe range of the component's initial state. In an embodiment, the components removed from the equipment 706 may be recorded on a recorded component list, for example, by visual capture of the environmental capture device 320 and autonomous analysis performed at least in part by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330. During reassembly or reinstallation of the components on the equipment 706, the recorded component list may be adjusted to remove each component when it is reinstalled or when reinstallation is complete. After the reassembly of the equipment 706 is finally completed, the recorded component list should be empty as an indication that all components have been reinstalled relative to the equipment. When, after completing the reassembly of the equipment 706, one or more components remain on the recorded component list, diagnostics may be performed to determine the location where the remaining components need to be installed and / or analyze the repair issues that caused the remaining components to be omitted from the reinstallation.

[0111] In an embodiment, the environmental capture device 320 can be used to inspect for appropriate equipment failures in preparation for a repair operation. That is, for example, the environmental capture device 320 can identify one or more plugs, ports, and other components that need to be removed from the equipment 706 to perform / complete the repair. For example, in an embodiment, the robotic assembly 300 includes illumination devices 346, such as light pointers (e.g., lasers), light bulbs, etc., to shine light into cracks, crevices, openings, and other spaces of the equipment. The reflected or transmitted light detected by the environmental capture device 320 within the opening can represent, for example, a plug opening where the plug has been previously removed. Conversely, in a situation where reflected or transmitted light is expected but not detected, it may be that the plug or fastener has not been removed yet, or debris or other materials still remain within the opening. In response to detecting an object within an opening where no object was expected, the working range can be adjusted to remove the detected object. In some cases, this adjustment of the working range can be done on the fly, i.e., at the time of detection. In other cases, this adjustment can be queued as a later task to be completed after one or more intermediate tasks are finished. This may be particularly appropriate, for example, when the robotic arm 304 is actively engaged in a task that is not suitable for sudden termination.

[0112] In an embodiment, the environmental capture device 320 can be used to inspect for damage to the equipment 706 by observing the thermal response of the equipment over a period of time, such as during the duration of a thermal transition that occurs when the equipment varies between a high temperature (e.g., operating or near-operating temperature) and a lower temperature. When objects undergo a temperature change, they typically exhibit a reproducible thermal response, resulting in a thermal gradient that can be repeatedly observed with little or no variation. That is, for example, a gas turbine engine that is cooled starting from its operating temperature will exhibit a similar cooling pattern along its surface and on its components each time it is cooled. When the cooling pattern is different from what is expected, damage to the gas turbine engine can be identified. Specifically referring to the cooling transition below, however, in other embodiments, the same thermal response can be observed during a heating transition (i.e., a transition from a lower temperature to a high temperature). Additionally, the transition can occur naturally or through forced conditions (e.g., forced cooling and / or forced heating), and the forced conditions can occur in any number of possible combinations and arrangements.

[0113] Figure 10 A method 1000 for detecting damage within an equipment during an exemplary cooling transition is shown, including step 1002 of observing the thermal response from the equipment during the cooling transition when the equipment transitions from a high temperature to a lower temperature. In the case of an engine, the high temperature and the lower temperature can differ by at least 10°C, such as at least 20°C, such as at least 50°C, or higher. The exact cooling gradient required to observe the damage can vary depending on the material of the equipment, the type of the equipment, the location along the equipment, the schematic arrangement of the equipment, etc.

[0114] In an embodiment, cooling can occur naturally, e.g., as a result of ambient environmental conditions such as those encountered in a maintenance area. The step 1002 of observing the thermal response can occur during and / or after the cooling is completed. In another embodiment, the cooling can include forced cooling, where the component is cooled locally or as a whole, and the step 1002 of observing the thermal response is performed in response to the forced cooling operation. The specific type of cooling, i.e., natural or forced, and the location of the cooling, e.g., which parts locally or the whole component is cooled, can be information included as part of the scope of work associated with the maintenance operation. The step 1002 of observing the thermal response can be performed at least in part autonomously or semi-autonomously by the robotic assembly 300 based on the scope of work.

[0115] The method 1000 can further include step 1004 of using the observed thermal response to determine one or more cooling gradients in the equipment. This can include determining the potential damage to the equipment based on the observed thermal response of the equipment. In an embodiment, step 1004 can be performed at least in part by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330. Such determination can utilize finite element analysis, mapped thermal gradients, etc.

[0116] In step 1006, the method 1000 can include comparing the determined cooling gradient with one or more predetermined cooling gradient margins. In an embodiment, the predetermined cooling gradient margins can be formed based on past maintenance operations, computer simulation modeling, machine learning, fleet-wide analysis (e.g., created at least in part from information from other similar equipment), etc.

[0117] The method 1000 can further include step 1008 of generating an alert (or action) when the determined cooling gradient is different from one or more predetermined cooling gradient margins. This can be performed in response to the determined potential damage to the equipment. In an embodiment, the alert can be an alert detectable by a human operator. Exemplary alert schemes include audible, visual, and tactile alert notifications. In another embodiment, the alert can be detected by the robotic assembly. For example, the alert can be an information message to the robotic assembly to take action based on the potential damage. As an example, the task of the robotic assembly can be to reinspect the area determined to have potential damage. In yet another embodiment, the alert can include multiple aspects, e.g., a first alert for the human operator and a second alert for the robotic assembly.

[0118] Then, the determined cooling gradient can be compared to one or more predetermined cooling gradient margins (i.e., expected cooling gradients), which can be stored, for example, in a data lake, such as the data lake described in more detail below. The one or more predetermined cooling gradient margins (i.e., expected cooling gradients) can be determined, for example, based on historical information or fleet-wide information related to past maintenance events of the direct equipment, such as known and / or suspected defects found in other equipment in the fleet. When it is determined that one or more of the determined cooling gradients deviate from the predetermined cooling gradient margins by more than a threshold (e.g., a predetermined percentage or absolute value), an alert can be generated. The alert can indicate an unexpected condition of the equipment observed through an unexpected thermal gradient. An unexpected condition encountered during thermal gradient analysis can indicate damage to the equipment 706. The alert can signal the problem to one or more human operators (i.e., remotely or locally), or notify future aspects of the scope of work, e.g., causing the robotic assembly 300 to complete further tasks around the alert condition for confirmation, analysis, etc.

[0119] Figure 21 An isolated isometric side view of a burner section 2100 of a gas turbine engine is shown as observed from a captured image (still or moving) of an environment capture device, such as the aforementioned environment capture device 320. The burner section 2100 generally includes a body in which at least one combustion stage within the gas turbine engine can occur. As shown, the burner section 2100 includes a damaged area 2102, such as a crack. For ease of viewing, the damaged area 2102 is shown enlarged along the surface of the burner section 2100. It should be understood that, as shown, the damaged area 2102 may not be detectably or readily visibly detected. For example, the damaged area 2102 can include stress points at which accumulated stress has weakened the material of the burner section 2100, forming one or more microcracks, etc., which are not readily distinguishable by unaided human visual inspection. Additionally, while the damaged area 2102 is shown as a single discrete area along the burner section 2100, it should be understood that the damaged area 2102 can span one or more areas spaced apart over a larger section of the burner section 2100. Further, the damaged area 2102 can generally be located along the lining of the burner that forms the interior of the burner section 2100.

[0120] As Figure 21As shown, an image from the environmental capture device 320 can display the thermal gradient of the burner section 2100. The thermal gradient can be referenced to the relative or absolute temperature of the burner section 2100 on a local or aggregated basis. As a non-limiting example, the thermal gradient can include multiple lines 2104, each line indicating a temperature. The same line can extend along the surface of the burner section 2100 where the temperature is at a specific temperature. For example, line 2106 can indicate a first temperature, such as 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, and line 2108 can indicate a second temperature, such as 1300 degrees Fahrenheit. The positions along lines 2106 and 2108 correspond to the first and second temperatures, respectively. The positions between lines 2106 and 2108 are at a temperature between the first and second temperatures. The accuracy of the thermal analysis, i.e., the degree of thermal difference observed between adjacent lines 2104, can be as small as 0.001°F, such as 0.1°F. That is, adjacent lines 2104 can be narrowly spaced in terms of relative temperature.

[0121] The damaged area 2102 of the burner section 2100 is depicted as being surrounded by additional lines 2110 and 2112. By way of example, line 2110 can indicate a third temperature, such as 1100 degrees Fahrenheit, and line 2112 can indicate a fourth temperature, such as 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. The damaged area 2102 can be detected by comparing the lines 2104, or similar thermal gradient analysis (such as finite element analysis, color gradient, etc.) with one or more predetermined cooling gradient margins desired for the burner section 2100, because the damaged area 2102 can affect the cooling profile of the burner section 2100 as its temperature drops from a high temperature (e.g., operating temperature) that is different from the expected temperature. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that the damaged area 2102 can exist as local temperature fluctuations, such as local cold spots and / or local hot spots along the surface of the equipment or component. Such local temperature fluctuations can be caused by material thickness deviations, thereby altering the cooling characteristics of the component. Alternatively, one or more cracks or microcracks can allow air to penetrate deeper into the equipment or component at the damaged area 2102, thereby allowing the area to cool faster than the rest of the equipment or component. Such a damaged area 2102 can be detected by comparing the observed thermal gradient with the expected thermal gradient (i.e., the predetermined cooling gradient margin). As previously mentioned, in some embodiments, cooling can be performed by forced cooling and / or natural cooling. In some embodiments, the cooling component 342 can perform the forced cooling operation. In other embodiments, the robotic assembly 300 can further include additional cooling components configured to force-cool the equipment or component.

[0122] After or during an inspection of the equipment 706, the robotic assembly 300 can interact with the equipment 706 to perform maintenance on the equipment 706, e.g., to prepare for further inspection or repair. Such preparatory interaction can include, for example, opening latches and doors of the equipment 706 to reduce cool-down time and / or provide access to internal components of the gas turbine engine. In a gas turbine engine, the initial operating range can cause the task of the robotic assembly 300 to be to open the latches and keep the thrust reverser doors closed while closing the fan cowl doors. In an embodiment, if required as part of the operating range, the robotic assembly 300 can support the opening and closing of the latches and doors, respectively. With the doors and latches open, the environmental capture device 320 can observe one or more internal components of the gas turbine engine. The observation can include inspecting the current condition of one or more internal components, e.g., thermal inspection, damage inspection, cooling behavior, etc.

[0123] In some cases, the robotic assembly 300 can perform preparatory steps on the equipment 706 while an inspection is being carried out. That is, for example, the environmental capture device 320 can inspect one component of the equipment 706 while another part of the robotic assembly 300 opens the latches and doors of another component of the equipment 706. In other cases, the preparatory steps can be completed before any part of the inspection is carried out.

[0124] The inspection process can generally include inspecting the equipment 706 according to the operating range. For example, certain operating ranges or tasks of the operating range may relate to the thickness of a protective coating on the equipment 706. The inspection can include observing and testing the current coating thickness along one or more areas of the equipment 706. This can be performed by non-physical inspection, e.g., using a scanner, or by one or more physical inspections, e.g., using a push probe. In an embodiment, each task of the inspection can be performed separately, e.g., serially. That is, for example, the robotic assembly 300 can perform a second (subsequent) inspection task only when a first (preceding) inspection task has been completed. In other embodiments, at least two of the tasks associated with the inspection process can be performed simultaneously (e.g., in parallel). This is particularly applicable in cases where a large number of inspections on the equipment are highly intensive and / or time-intensive.

[0125] Examine inspection information that can result in inspection information describing an aspect of the equipment 706 being inspected, such as the tested coating thickness, surface damage, temperature gradient, etc. The inspection information associated with the maintenance operation can be sent to one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330. The inspection information can be utilized to compare the current condition of the equipment 706 with the last known condition of the equipment 706 and other information. In the case where no unexpected inspection information is found during the inspection, it may be suitable to proceed with the maintenance, such as performing any necessary repairs. In the case where unexpected inspection information is found during the inspection, it may be more appropriate to update the preliminary (previous) scope of work accordingly. The update of the scope of work can be performed by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330, by a human operator (such as an expert described in more detail below), or both.

[0126] In an embodiment, an alert can be generated when the updated condition of the equipment 706 determined after the inspection operation deviates from the original condition of the equipment 706 determined before the maintenance operation by more than a preset threshold. Figure 11 A flowchart of a method 1100 for generating an alert when the updated condition deviates from the original condition by more than a preset threshold is shown. Method 1100 includes a step 1102 of capturing and recording the original condition of the equipment before performing a task associated with maintaining the equipment. Method 1100 also includes a step 1104 of capturing and recording the updated condition of the equipment after performing the task. Method 1100 also includes a step 1106 of comparing the updated condition of the equipment with the original condition of the equipment. Method 1100 also includes, at step 1108, generating an alert when the updated condition deviates from the original condition by more than a preset threshold. For example, a gas turbine engine can include a hinged door that, in the original condition, i.e., before maintenance, is held closed by n fasteners. After maintenance, if the number of fasteners is different from n, the updated condition has deviated from the original condition by more than a preset threshold. Similarly, in an embodiment, an alert can be generated when the inspection information is outside of an acceptable condition.

[0127] An inspection of the equipment 706 can be performed to evaluate whether the condition of certain components of the equipment 706 is within predetermined limits and ranges. For example, certain coatings can pass the inspection when no part of the coating is less than a threshold thickness. The inspection process can include a step of capturing information associated with the coating thickness and evaluating whether the coating thickness is less than the threshold thickness. In the case where the thickness is less than the threshold thickness, an alert can be generated and / or the information associated with the thickness can be saved, such as uploaded to a node having a memory device (e.g., a data lake).

[0128] As used herein, the term "data lake" can refer to any one or more storage media configured to store large amounts of information. In an embodiment, all or substantially all of the data captured by the robotic assembly 300 (or another component operating on the equipment 706) is stored on the data lake. Visual images and / or videos of the inspection and / or repair process can be saved on the data lake for future analysis and inspection. Visual images and / or videos of the inspection can be further analyzed in real time for possible damage, defects, and other issues. Any detected damage, defect, or issue can be tagged or marked in the data lake with metadata for easier future access and categorization. Additionally, any data or information generated by any one or more tests, analyses, models, etc. can be stored on the data lake.

[0129] Inspection and / or repair information can be saved to the data lake and used to prepare for future scope of work, tasks within the scope of work, parts lists, etc. For example, the nth repair operation can result in repair information such as the information recorded, which can be stored on one or more computing devices and / or the data lake. The information recorded can relate to any inspection data captured, such as material thickness, wear grade, damage, etc. The information recorded can include representative data, such as data determined by one or more measurement steps of the inspection, such as visual data from an environmental capture device, audible data, including audio recordings created during the inspection, etc. Similarly, the (n + 1)th repair operation can result in repair information such as the information recorded, which can also be stored on one or more computing devices and / or the data lake. The information from the (n + 1)th repair operation can be synchronized with the information from the nth repair operation to provide a repair history of the equipment. The repair history can be used to autonomously inform aspects of the future scope of work of the equipment 706. For example, in the case where the detected wear rate repeatedly exceeds the expected range, the future scope of work can be adjusted to account for more frequent inspections, thicker repair coatings, etc. Additional repair operations, such as the (n + 2)th, (n + 3)th, etc., repair operations can result in further repair information, such as the information recorded, which can also be stored on one or more computing devices and / or the data lake to further update the repair history of the equipment and further inform aspects of the future scope of work. In an embodiment, the saved inspection and / or repair information can be used by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 to train processing elements to autonomously perform or upgrade inspections and repairs. That is, for example, as described above, in the case where the detected wear rate repeatedly exceeds the expected range, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can autonomously adjust at least the future scope of work associated with the equipment being operated such that subsequent inspections show the wear rate to be within the expected range.

[0130] Information from an inspection can be analyzed after capture. The analysis can be performed by a person (remotely and / or locally) and / or one or more machine processors (e.g., one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330). In some cases, the analysis can occur while the inspection is still ongoing. That is, for example, components that have been inspected can be analyzed while components that have not been inspected or are in a queue for inspection are still being inspected. In some embodiments, at least some of the analysis of the captured information from the inspection can occur prior to a repair operation. In this way, the repair operation can be delayed for a duration after the information is captured during the inspection. In some cases, it may be important to ensure that all inspections are clean, i.e., without major flagged conditions, etc., prior to initializing a repair to prevent the possibility of only performing some repairs and then finding that further steps in the repair cannot be completed due to a flagged condition.

[0131] According to an embodiment, to reduce the likelihood of late-detected flagged conditions or other issues that can cause an increase in the scope of later work (e.g., an inspection starts on a wing, but the later maintenance becomes increased due to issues encountered), the inspections can be sequenced so as to first inspect and / or analyze the inspection aspects that have the highest estimate or are most likely to cause a scope upgrade. For example, if a particular component is known to fail more quickly than other components, the inspection information associated with that particular component can be inspected and / or analyzed before the inspection information associated with other components. In this way, the issues that are known to have the highest likelihood of causing a long equipment downtime can be inspected and / or analyzed first. This can reduce the likelihood of investing a large amount of time in thorough inspections and / or repairs that become less valuable due to later decisions, such as removing a gas turbine engine from an aircraft wing (where the inspection is being performed on the wing) or opening the gas turbine engine further than expected. In cases where the gas turbine engine can remain on the wing during the inspection, a prioritized analysis of the inspection information can reduce the maintenance time and provide the maximum time to obtain the tools and components required for the maintenance operation. As an example, in cases where a component is routinely outside of a threshold expected range, the inspection of that component can be performed earlier during the inspection process, e.g., during one of the initial tasks of the inspection process.

[0132] In an embodiment, for example, after an initial inspection reveals an unexpected problem, additional inspections can be ensured. That is, while certain work scopes may define tasks associated with additional follow-up inspections, in other cases, the follow-up inspections may not be part of the original work scope. In these instances, the instructions associated with the follow-up inspections can be executed with a degree of autonomy at the task level or sub-task level. For example, the follow-up inspections can be based on the initial inspection and autonomously updated based on one or more problems encountered during the initial inspection. In this way, delays that occur as a result of generating additional work scopes can be minimized, and downtime can be shortened. However, such autonomous follow-up inspections may not be applicable to all cases. For example, there may be maintenance operations that require a human interface to determine the necessary aspects of the maintenance to ensure follow-up inspections. In such cases, a remote operator may be able to provide a local simulation environment to simulate the maintenance or a part thereof without delay. The local simulation environment can be generated, for example, by one or more CAD programs that can analyze equipment within the environment under normal load and operating conditions. The remote operator can use the CAD programs to effectively simulate the environment to perform tests that might otherwise require a local operator. The remote operator may be able to generate new autonomous task-based or sub-task-based work scopes at least in part based on simulated machine intelligence observations or machine learning based on trial and error tested in the simulation of the environment and system. The remote operator can also verify the newly generated autonomous task-based or sub-task-based work scopes based on presenting the simulated boundary error conditions to the operator. If needed, local operators, i.e., one or more operators located within the environment, can be arranged to assist with the locally performed operations. In some cases, the local and remote operators can work together to affect the work scope or one or more tasks associated therewith.

[0133] As previously mentioned, the inspection information can be stored in a data lake. Information such as tagged conditions or components can be forwarded to human operators, such as one or more experts on that particular component or engine section. Figure 12Method 1200 for providing input using a human operator such as a remote expert is shown. Method 1200 may include step 1202 of recording information associated with equipment at a first location. Method 1200 may also include step 1204 of sending the recorded information to an operator, for example, via a node. In response to the information, the expert may create a deployment of the information and change the scope of work if needed. The expert may further request additional autonomous inspections, conduct remote inspections by controlling a machine (e.g., a field machine), or request on-site manual inspections as appropriate. In some cases, the expert may use a model (e.g., a computer simulation) to analyze the recorded information. Running the model to analyze the recorded information may include performing a component analysis of components of the equipment to determine data, e.g., indicating the likelihood of component failure. One exemplary component analysis includes running a component analysis of a turbine blade with a crack to determine whether the crack will cause the turbine blade to fail and after what duration the failure may occur.

[0134] Method 1200 may also include step 1206 of receiving operator input. Method 1200 further includes step 1208 of performing a repair based on the received operator input. In some embodiments, a second opinion may be invoked in cases where the expert diagnosis is different or in conflict with the diagnosis generated by the processor. This may allow for a repeated review where the results from the initial review are inconsistent.

[0135] One or more human operators may access information stored in a data lake via a user interface (not shown). In an embodiment, one or more human operators may include experts with advanced knowledge of components or sub-components of a gas turbine engine. The experts may access the information stored in the data lake to inspect at least a portion of the equipment, modify the scope of work associated with the equipment, provide approval for the continued scope of work, troubleshoot problems encountered, modify the CAD description of the equipment, etc. In an embodiment, information to be reviewed by the experts may be marked for their attention. For example, in cases where expert assistance is required for a portion of a repair, that portion of the information stored in the data lake may be marked for expert review. The marked information may include metadata, etc., which may describe the criticality of the problem, the area of expertise required for review, the review schedule, and other relevant information that may allow for a targeted expert review.

[0136] In some cases, the expert may be located at or near the environment where the equipment being repaired is located. In other cases, the expert may be remote. For example, the expert may be located in different countries or regions of the world where the inspection is being conducted. In this way, expert review may be conducted when there is no local on-site operator. In an embodiment, the expert may review the information associated with the marked problem when the repair is stopped (e.g., during an overnight repair).

[0137] When the inspection (and any necessary reinspection) is completed (or, in some embodiments, during this time), the repair operation may include repairing the equipment 706 according to the scope of work (i.e., the initial scope of work or one or more updated scopes of work). The term "repair" generally may refer to any repair or maintenance activity on the equipment, including any activity of adding material to the equipment, removing material from the equipment, or changing the material properties of all or part of the equipment. In at least some embodiments, the term "repair", when referring to a component of the equipment, refers to performing tasks related to the regeneration of the damaged part of the component and the maintenance or protection of the damaged and undamaged parts of the component. Repair may include changing pipes, belts, nozzles, valves, blades, etc., surface reconditioning operations, coating operations, cleaning operations, lubrication operations, timing adjustments, etc. The steps of repairing the equipment 706 may be performed at least in part in consideration of the information captured by the aforementioned environmental capture device 320.

[0138] Referring to Figure 13 , a close-up perspective view of the distal end 314 of the robotic arm 304 having the inspection and repair tool 1300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 13 The illustrated inspection and repair tool 1300 can be used for spraying burner components, but can also be used for, for example, spraying rotor blades, stator vanes, nozzles (e.g., first-stage turbine nozzles), shrouds, etc. The inspection and repair tool 1300 generally includes an elongated insertion member 1302 and an appliance body 1304 attached to the elongated insertion member 1302.

[0139] For the illustrated embodiment, the appliance body 1304 includes appliances for performing inspection and repair operations. Specifically, for the illustrated embodiment, the appliance body 1304 includes a base 1306 extending along the longitudinal direction L and a vision system that may be associated with the environmental capture device 320. More specifically, for the illustrated embodiment, the vision system is at least partially positioned within or coupled to the base 1306. More specifically, still for the illustrated embodiment, the vision system includes a plurality of cameras 1308, and specifically includes a first camera 1308A and a second camera 1308B. The first camera 1308A and the second camera 1308B are spaced apart along the longitudinal direction L of the base 1306.

[0140] The first camera 1308A may define a first field of view 1310A, and the second camera 1308B defines a second field of view 1310B. The first field of view 1310A overlaps with the second field of view 1310B. More specifically, for the illustrated embodiment, the first field of view 1310A and the second field of view 1310B overlap at a location 1312 within approximately 12 inches from the base 1306 of the appliance body 1304, such as within approximately 8 inches from the base 1306 of the appliance body 1304, such as within approximately 6 inches, such as within approximately 3 inches, such as within approximately 1 inch.

[0141] In this way, the vision system can provide improved feedback for navigating inspection and repair tools 1300 within a gas turbine engine and for inspecting the interior of a gas turbine engine. For example, when operating inspection and repair tools 1300, the overlapping fields of view 1310A, 1310B can provide a desired depth perception.

[0142] In addition, it should be understood that in some exemplary embodiments, the appliance body 1304 may additionally or alternatively include any other suitable means for determining the distance between the appliance body 1304 and the component being inspected. For example, the appliance body 1304 may include one or more laser depth sensors, or other suitable hardware (not shown).

[0143] In addition, it should be understood that one or more cameras 1308 of the vision system are operatively coupled to one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 (see Figure 2 ), such that the vision system can be used to inspect the interior (and exterior) of a gas turbine engine. For example, the vision system can be configured to transmit an image of a thermal barrier coating, an environmental barrier coating, etc. within the interior along with position information indicating the location of the thermal barrier coating within the interior to one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330. One or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can then be configured to compare the image with one or more baseline images to determine whether there is damage to the thermal barrier coating, environmental barrier coating, etc. For example, a sample image of a thermal barrier coating, environmental barrier coating, etc. may include damaged portions referred to as spalls, where the thermal barrier coating, environmental barrier coating, etc. has worn away. One or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can receive the image, compare it with one or more baseline images, and use, for example, pixel-by-pixel analysis, and determine the damage on the thermal barrier coating, environmental barrier coating, etc. that requires repair. As described below, the analysis performed by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can determine the extent (e.g., depth, width, area, shape, etc.) of the damaged portion to facilitate a customized repair of such damaged portion.

[0144] However, it should be understood that in other exemplary embodiments, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 may utilize any other suitable analysis techniques to determine whether there is any damage to thermal barrier coatings, environmental barrier coatings, etc., the extent of such damage, and the like. For example, in other exemplary embodiments, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 may utilize trained machine learning tools to identify the presence and / or extent of damage to thermal barrier coatings, environmental barrier coatings, etc. or other components within the engine.

[0145] The appliance body 1304 may further include a nozzle head 1314. The nozzle head 1314 is movably coupled to the base 1306 of the appliance body 1304 and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. Specifically, for the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle head 1314 is rotatably connected to the base 1306 about a pin connection 1316. For the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle head 1314 rotates at least about 30 degrees, such as at least about 45 degrees, such as at least about 90 degrees and less than 360 degrees between the retracted position and the extended position. It is noted that for the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle head 1314 rotates in a plane parallel to the longitudinal direction L along the reference arrow 1318. In this way, the nozzle head 1314 defines a first angle with the longitudinal direction L when in the extended position (e.g., about 90 degrees for the illustrated embodiment), and a second angle different from the first angle with the longitudinal direction L when in the retracted position (e.g., about 0 degrees for the illustrated embodiment).

[0146] In this way, when the nozzle head 1314 is in the retracted position, the appliance body 1304 defines a smaller cross-sectional profile to facilitate insertion of the appliance body 1304 into the interior of a gas turbine engine (e.g., through an access port). Subsequently, once the appliance body 1304 is inside, the nozzle head 1314 can be moved from the retracted position to the extended position to allow operation of the nozzle head 1314, as described below. The nozzle head 1314 may be spring-loaded.

[0147] It is noted that for the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle head 1314 is fluidly connected to a fluid source through one or more fluid channels 1320 extending along the length of the elongated insertion member 1302. The one or more fluid channels 1320 may be separate fluid conduits extending through the elongated insertion member 1302 or may be integrally formed within the elongated insertion member 1302. The one or more fluid channels 1320 may provide a flow of repair material 1322 to the nozzle head 1314 for spraying onto a damaged portion of a thermal barrier coating to repair the damaged portion of the thermal barrier coating. The repair material 1322 may be a slurry formed from a powder and a carrier, which may form a patch for the thermal barrier coating. For example, the powder may be a machine-curable ceramic powder mixture configured to bond to the damaged portion of the thermal barrier coating.

[0148] Although a single fluid passage 1320 is schematically shown in Figure 13 , in other exemplary embodiments, the inspection and repair tool 1300 may include multiple passages. For example, the inspection and repair tool 1300 may include a passage 1322 for repair materials, a passage for cleaning and conditioning fluids, a passage for curing fluids, etc. Each of these passages may be fixedly or selectively in fluid communication with the nozzle 1314.

[0149] Still referring to Figure 13 , it can also be understood that the nozzle 1314 may define an outlet 1324 for ejecting the repair material 1322 onto the damaged portion of the thermal barrier coating. For the illustrated embodiment, the outlet 1324 is within the field of view 1310 of the vision system. More specifically, for the illustrated embodiment, the outlet 1324 is within the first field of view 1310A and / or the second field of view 1310B of the first camera 1308A and the second camera 1308B of the vision system. In this way, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can confirm the positioning of the nozzle 1314 and the coverage of the ejected repair material 1322 (or other material / fluid).

[0150] In addition, it should also be understood that the exemplary tool body 1304 can be moved to assist the ejection operation. More specifically, for the illustrated embodiment, the tool body 1304 includes a fixed portion 1326 and a rotating portion 1328. The rotating portion 1328 includes a base 1306 and a nozzle 1314, and is rotatably coupled to the fixed portion 1326 such that it can rotate circumferentially about the longitudinal direction L along the circumferential direction C. The fixed portion 1326 includes one or more motors positioned therein for selectively moving the rotating portion 1328 about the circumferential direction C. Therefore, it should be understood that in certain exemplary embodiments, during the ejection operation, the tool body 1304 can move the nozzle 1314 along the circumferential direction C, providing a more uniform coverage of the ejected repair material 1322 (or other material / fluid).

[0151] It should be understood that the above exemplary inspection and repair tool 1300 is provided by way of example only. In other exemplary embodiments, the inspection and repair tool 1300 may have any other suitable structure. For example, in other exemplary embodiments, the nozzle 1314 may be movably coupled to the base 1306 in any other suitable manner (such as rotation and sliding, etc.), the nozzle 1314 may have an outlet of any other configuration (such as a linear array or other pattern of outlets), the tool body 1304 may have any other suitable vision system or inspection system, and the tool body 1304 may be configured to rotate in any other suitable manner, etc.

[0152] Figure 14A close-up schematic view of the distal end 314 of the robotic arm 304 is shown, which robotic arm 304 has an inspection and repair tool 1400 different from the inspection and repair tool 1300 described with respect to Figure 13 The inspection and repair tool 1300. It should be understood that for the exemplary embodiment shown, the operations performed by the robotic system 300 on the equipment 706 are physical operations (e.g., physically modifying the equipment). More specifically, for the embodiment shown, the operation is a material removal operation, and more specifically, still a drilling operation. It is noted that, as used herein, the term "drilling operation" generally refers to any operation for forming a hole in or through the equipment or its components, regardless of whether the cross-section of the hole is circular or defines some other shape. However, in other embodiments, the operation can be any other suitable physical operation (e.g., a material modification operation, or a material addition operation (such as a welding operation)), or other operations. For example, the operation can additionally or alternatively include one or more cutting operations, brazing operations, coating or slurry repair operations, etc. Specifically, for example, the operation can be a coating repair process (e.g., a thermal barrier coating repair process), whereby the first robotic arm can be operable to remove at least a portion of an existing coating, and the second robotic arm can be operable to apply a new coating. Similarly, the operation can be a slurry repair operation for a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component (e.g., a CMC bushing, a CMC shroud, etc.). Through such an operation, the first robotic arm can be operable to apply the slurry, while the second robotic arm can be operable to cure the slurry. Additionally, one or both of the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm (or additional robotic arms) can be operable to profile and / or level the slurry. In this way, it will be understood that, as used herein, the term "facilitate" can refer to performing functions simultaneously (e.g., the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm working together simultaneously to perform the operation), or alternatively can refer to performing functions sequentially. By another exemplary embodiment, the operation can be a cleaning operation (e.g., sandblasting, pressure washing, steam washing), etc.

[0153] As Figure 14 shown, for the exemplary embodiment shown, the inspection and repair tool 1400 includes a mechanical drill having a drill bit 1402. The first utility member 1404 can be configured to rotate the drill (and the drill bit 1402) to drill a hole H in or through the equipment 706, i.e., from the first side 1406 of the equipment 706 towards or to the second side 1408 of the equipment 706. The hole H can be, for example, a cooling hole, or can be provided for any other purpose. Additionally, it can be understood that the hole H can be a new hole drilled by the mechanical drill of the first utility member 1404, or, for example, an existing hole that is blocked and needs to be widened, etc.

[0154] Also for the illustrated embodiment, the second utility member 1410 includes at least one of a container or a suction member. More specifically, for Figure 14 the embodiment of, the second utility member 1410 includes a container 1412 that is configured to be positioned above a hole H on a second side 1408 of the equipment 706 to capture and / or otherwise contain debris and / or other materials generated by the operation of mechanically drilling the hole H in the equipment 706 by the first utility member 1404. More specifically, for Figure 14 the embodiment of, the container 1412 is positioned to completely surround / over the hole H on the second side 1408 of the equipment 706 and contacts the second side 1408 of the equipment 706. However, in other embodiments, the container 1412 may alternatively be positioned elsewhere to capture debris from the drilling operation. For example, in other embodiments, the container 1412 may be located below the mechanical drill of the first utility member 1404 on the first side 1406 of the equipment 706 to capture debris falling from the mechanical drill. Similarly, the container 1412 may be located below an opening on the second side 1408 of the equipment 706 where the hole H is drilled by the mechanical drill to capture debris when the mechanical drill passes through the second side 1408 of the equipment 706 or otherwise complete the drilling operation of the hole H.

[0155] Figure 15 An exemplary path 1500 of the robotic arm 304 through the environment 1502 is shown for positioning the utility head of the robotic arm 304 at a desired task location and providing an orientation. The robotic assembly 300 may be constructed in substantially the same manner as the exemplary robotic assembly 300 described above, and moreover, the environment 1502 may be constructed in substantially the same manner as one or more of the exemplary gas turbine engine environments described above.

[0156] More specifically, it should be understood that for Figure 15In the exemplary embodiment shown, the position of the known base 1504, the root end of the robotic arm 304, or both, relative to the environment 1502 (relative to the coordinate system of the environment 1502, which for the shown embodiment is the axial direction A, the radial direction R, and the circumferential direction C coordinate system). The position of the base 1504 or the root end can be manually input, or alternatively, can be determined by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 using, for example, one or more sensors of the robotic assembly 300. It should be understood that in addition to the position of the base 1504 or the root end, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can also know the orientation of the base 1504 or the root end. Further, the base 1504 and / or the root end of the robotic arm 304 can be mounted on another robot or joint that allows modification of the position and / or orientation of the base 1504 and / or the root end of the robotic arm 304. With this configuration, the position and / or orientation of the base 1504 or the root end can be transmitted to one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330.

[0157] Additionally, the task position and orientation 1506 of the utility members of the robotic arm 304 within the environment 1502 are known. The task position and orientation 1506 can be input into one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330. For example, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can note defects by inspection of the environment 1502 and automatically determine the task position and orientation of the utility head 1508 of the robotic assembly 300. Further, the three-dimensional constraints of the environment 1502 are known. The three-dimensional constraints of the environment 1502 can be determined by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330. For example, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 can use computer-aided design (“CAD”) files, and / or can determine the three-dimensional constraints by inspecting or scanning the environment 1502. It is noted that for the shown embodiment, the environment 1502 can be similar to, for example, the LP compressor 22 described above with reference to Figure 1 The LP compressor 22 described above. Thus, the three-dimensional constraints of the environment 1502 can be determined using, for example, one or more CAD files of the LP compressor 22 (and the turbofan engine 10), a three-dimensional map of the LP compressor 22, or any other suitable means. Of course, in other exemplary embodiments, the environment 1502 can be any other suitable environment, such as any other suitable section of a gas turbine engine, or other engine or system.

[0158] Further, a set of operability limitations of the robotic arm 304 are known (based on input to one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330, or for example, by sensing the operability of the robotic arm 304).

[0159] Based on the above factors, the robotic assembly 300, and more specifically, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 of the robotic assembly 300, are configured to determine a path 1500 of the robotic arm 304 through the environment 1502 for positioning the tool 1508 of the robotic arm 304 at a determined task position and orientation 1506 within the environment 1502. For example, the path 1500 can be determined by starting from a known task position and orientation 1506 and then constraining the path 1500 based on three-dimensional constraints of the environment 1502, a set of operability limitations of the robotic arm 304, and the position of the base 1504, the root end 312, or both relative to the environment 1502.

[0160] The path 1500 determined for the robotic arm 304 can include a plurality of sequential coordinates of the robotic arm (e.g., X1, Y1, Z1; X2, Y2, Z2; X3, Y3, Z3; etc., or more precisely A1, R1, C1; A2, R2, C2; A3, R3, C3; etc.) to follow within the three-dimensional environment 1502. Additionally, it should be understood that the path 1500 can further include orientation information of the robotic arm 304 at these positions (and / or between these positions) within the three-dimensional environment 1502. The orientation information can include angular information of the links of the robotic arm 304 at each coordinate with respect to each axis of the coordinate system of the environment 1502 (e.g., with respect to the axial direction A, the radial direction R, and the circumferential direction C), such that the path 1500 includes information of up to six degrees of movement along some or all of the path 1500. For example, if the tool or implement 1508 at the distal end of the robotic arm 304 has a greater range in one dimension than in another dimension (e.g., taller than its width), then in addition to the appropriate position, it is also necessary to ensure that the robotic arm 304 moves through the three-dimensional environment 1502 in an appropriate orientation. Therefore, it should be understood that in at least some exemplary aspects of the present disclosure, determining the path 1500 can include further considering certain dimensions of the implement 1508 and / or the orientation of the base 1504, the root end 312, or both (in addition to their positions) to determine the path 1500.

[0161] In certain maintenance operations, it may be desirable to mark an index position from which future measurements can be derived. For example, during an inspection, it may be desirable to generally or at a specific position mark an index turbine, such as an initial turbine, based on which relative position measurements or counts related to the index mark can be made. This can reduce errors associated with, for example, incorrect rotor blade counting, while allowing comparison with a reference point.

[0162] During maintenance operations, it may be further useful to identify the current step in the scope of work or the current location along the equipment 706 on which maintenance is currently being performed. For example, when servicing a gas turbine engine, it may be appropriate to inspect an airfoil. Since a gas turbine engine typically includes multiple stages, each stage having multiple airfoils, it may be useful to identify the current stage of the airfoil being serviced, or the exact airfoil being serviced, or even the exact location along the airfoil being serviced. In this way, problems associated with the various components of the gas turbine engine can be more easily identified. Additionally, the ability to identify the current operating location can enable the maintenance operation to be interrupted without the risk of omitting steps from the maintenance operation. That is, in the case of tracking the current step or component, the maintenance operation can be stopped for a period of time (e.g., one second, one day, one month, etc.) and resumed at a later time without losing track of the current task and with some knowledge of the last component operated on at the time of interruption. Thus, the repair operations can be performed as if they had occurred without interruption.

[0163] Identifying the current step in the scope of work or the current location of the repair can include marking the location of the current operation on the equipment. For example, marking the current airfoil of the gas turbine engine being inspected. Referring Figure 16 , a method 1600 of servicing equipment can include an initial step 1602 of performing at least one of an inspection and a repair associated with the scope of work of the equipment, where the scope of work includes a queue of tasks to be performed. At some point, the method 1600 can include a step 1604 of terminating the execution of the initial step 1602 before the queue is completed. That is, for example, the maintenance operation can be paused. In such a case, the method 1600 can include a step 1606 of marking the stopping point, which identifies the termination location relative to the queue and / or the equipment 706. Marking the location of the current operation can include, for example, applying a heat-resistant marking technique, which can withstand a high temperature of more than at least 300°F, such as at least 350°F, such as at least 400°F, such as at least 500°F, such as at least 750°F, such as at least 2000°F or higher. The marking technique can also include chemical marking, non-heat-resistant physical marking, etc. In certain embodiments, the marking technique can be configured to leave a permanent mark on the equipment. In other embodiments, the marking technique can be configured to leave a temporary mark on the equipment. For example, the mark can fade or otherwise disappear over time or when washed or treated with a particular mark-removing material. The same or a different marking technique, type, or other identifying factor as that used for the above-indexed location can be used to mark the step 1606 of the current step or location along the equipment 706.

[0164] In an embodiment, the micro-features of the equipment 706 can be marked. For example, a gas turbine engine typically includes microscopic surface textures or defects formed due to manufacturing, use, maintenance, or other circumstances. The presence of such microscopic surface textures or defects can allow the marking of the current maintenance location associated therewith. For example, in one embodiment, marking the current operating location can include the steps of identifying one or more micro-features of the gas turbine engine at or near the current location, and associating the current operating location with the one or more micro-features. By way of example, the micro-features can correspond to surface textures, surface markings, surface defects (e.g., nicks, scratches, etc.), surface features, surface colors, surface temperatures, etc., or any combination thereof. To record the current operating location, these micro-features can be identified (e.g., mapped) relative to the current location.

[0165] In embodiments where the marking is performed using non-physical markings (e.g., the identification and mapping of the micro-features of the equipment 706), the location of the marking (i.e., the location of the marking relative to the mapped location of the micro-feature) can be appropriately stored in a memory device associated with one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330, a data lake, or another computing device. The mapped location can include, for example, a coordinate system relative to the micro-feature. In the case of using multiple micro-features in combination, the coordinate system can triangulate the mapped location based on the information associated with the micro-features. Accessing the stored data associated with the marked location can allow the robotic component 300 (or another component, assembly 200, or person) to easily orient to the current location, e.g., the exact three-dimensional coordinates within the work range corresponding to the current location, and quickly resume the maintenance operation.

[0166] Method 1600 can further include step 1608, which includes, after a period of time, locating a termination position by identifying the stopping point of the marking performed in step 1606. In response to locating the termination position in step 1608, method 1600 can further include step 1610 of starting at least one of resuming inspection and repair at the termination position relative to the queue or the equipment. For example, in the case where an operation related to the inspection of the surface of an airfoil was previously performed, resuming the inspection at step 1610 after a period of time can include bypassing the area of the airfoil that has already been inspected and immediately resuming the inspection at the termination position of the previous inspection process. In this way, the inspection can be carried out more quickly without repeated, time-consuming operations.

[0167] In some cases, one or more repair operations can be performed with the help of a local human operator. In an embodiment, when performing a repair operation, at least one local human operator can wear something similar to Figure 17The augmented reality device 1700 shown. As an example, the augmented reality device 1700 can include a pair of augmented reality glasses 1702, which include a camera 1704 and one or more displays 1706, and the display 1706 is configured to generate a current field of view display. For example, the camera 1704 can include a 3D camera capable of capturing three-dimensional images, a standard two-dimensional camera, a video camera, an infrared imager, etc. The camera 1704 can also include other types of sensors, such as an inertial navigation system (INS), to provide precise position feedback to one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330. Compared with visual detection and processing protocols, the INS can be particularly less resource-intensive. The augmented reality device 1700 can also include other types of augmented reality devices, such as personal computing devices, including smart phones, laptop computers, and tablet computers. The augmented reality device 1700 can be used to obtain real-time images as seen by a local human operator from the camera 1704, and use the display 1706 to display augmented images to the operator.

[0168] The augmented reality device 1700 can include a computing device that includes, for example, a processor and a memory configured to store software executable by the processor. The computing device can be configured to store, access instruction images, and display the instruction images to an operator on the display 1706.

[0169] During a repair operation, the current field of view display 1706 on the augmented reality device 1700 can be used to display a rendering of a component, instructions regarding an operation to be performed, direction arrows or situational information associated with the component or equipment, etc. The augmented reality device 1700 can also be configured to generate audible instructions. In some cases, the augmented reality device 1700 can communicate with the robotic component 300. In other cases, the augmented reality device 1700 can communicate with one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330. In yet other cases, the augmented reality device 1700 can communicate with a data lake. In a further case, the augmented reality device 1700 can communicate with any combination of the robotic component 300, one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330, and the data lake. Using the augmented reality device 1700, a local human operator can initiate a repair operation on the equipment. Additionally, in some embodiments, the augmented reality device 1700 can promote on-site safety, for example, by displaying certain warnings associated with a hazardous environment (such as a hot surface, hot fluid, slippery floor, presence of electric charge, etc.) to the operator. These warnings can be generated, for example, by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330 based on changes in environmental conditions, predefined hazardous conditions, or a combination thereof. The augmented reality device 1700 can also provide a conventional safety function or in combination with a safety function by providing physical protection for the eyes of the human operator.

[0170] Figure 18 FIG. 1800 is a flowchart of a method 1800 for using an augmented reality device to service equipment such as an engine. Method 1800 includes a step 1802 of receiving information corresponding to one or more components of the engine. The information may be received by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330. Method 1800 may further include a step 1804 of determining, by one or more computing devices, the position of one or more components of the equipment relative to the augmented reality device. Method 1800 may further include a step 1806 of presenting at least a portion of the information corresponding to one or more components of the equipment in a current field of view display of the augmented reality device. A portion of the information may include at least one of the following: a rendering of one or more components, instructions regarding an operation to be performed on one or more components, a direction arrow or contextual information associated with one or more components, or any combination thereof. An operator may utilize a portion of the information presented in the current field of view as part of a servicing operation. For example, in a case where an inspection of a particular component of the equipment requires human interaction, the augmented reality device may be configured to guide the operator to the location and / or present any relevant or necessary information, such as the local temperature of the equipment or component, tools required for the inspection, an access path to the component, etc. In some cases, the augmented reality device may be configured to automatically detect an action taken by the operator. In other cases, the operator may manually notify the augmented reality device of the completion or occurrence of one or more actions taken. For example, the operator may audibly describe the operation being completed, or may haptically input information associated with the operation.

[0171] In an embodiment, the robotic assembly 300 can be configured to provide information to a human operator via one or more user interfaces. In an embodiment, the user interface can include a screen. In another embodiment, the user interface can include a projected image. In some cases, the projected image can be projected onto a surface at a repair location, such as the floor near the equipment. In other cases, the projected image can be projected onto the equipment. The projected image can be projected onto, for example, a flat surface of the equipment, a smooth surface of the equipment, or at a location along the equipment where a manual repair operation is to be performed. The projected image can include instructions, markings, or other information that can assist the human operator in performing the repair operation. The projected image can be static, dynamic, or both. The projected image can move relative to the equipment to indicate the next task or associated component. In an embodiment, the projected image can be seen without the aid of the aforementioned augmented reality device 1700. In another embodiment, the projected image may require the use of equipment, such as the augmented reality device 1700, glasses, etc. In some cases, the human operator can utilize the augmented reality device 1700 and the projected image to complete the manual repair operation. In other cases, the human operator can use the augmented reality device 1700 alone or rely solely on the projected image.

[0172] Upon completion of the repair operation, the equipment 706 can be re-inspected by the robotic assembly 300. In an embodiment, the re-inspection process can be similar to the aforementioned initial and / or additional inspection processes. For example, the autonomous robotic assembly 300 can be used to perform the re-inspection process to verify the successful and completed execution of the repair process. The re-inspection can verify the condition of the equipment 706, that the parts and / or tools 404 have been properly used and / or returned to the robotic assembly 300, that the repair objectives have been met, etc.

[0173] Data collected during the re-inspection can be uploaded to the aforementioned data lake for analysis. The analysis results can be used to predict component lifetimes based on the current condition of the equipment after repair and to re-anchor engine-specific condition data to predict future engine lifetimes and inspection and maintenance requirements.

[0174] For example, a pre-maintenance (initial) condition profile CP1 of an engine that can be used to establish a preliminary scope of work during an initial maintenance operation can be updated or supplemented with an updated condition profile CP2 that has a re-anchored condition determined as a result of the initial maintenance and an analysis of the engine. Successive maintenance operations can be at least partially based on CP2 and further optionally based on CP1. Further maintenance operations can be similarly performed, including steps of updating or supplementing a condition profile with a previous condition profile of the engine and in accordance with the maintenance performed at that time. For example, a further updated condition profile CP3 can be formed in response to a further maintenance operation, and so on. Condition profiles, such as CP1, CP2, CP3, CP4, etc., can be locally stored by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330, such as at the robotic assembly 300, in a data lake, etc. In this regard, data from reinspection can re-anchor the engine condition to inform future scope of work associated with the equipment. Additionally, in an embodiment, the data can be used to set a time interval until a particular task performed during a maintenance operation requires a future action. For example, when a maintenance operation reveals a cracked surface on the equipment, data associated with the crack can be used to predict the expected remaining working life cycle of the cracked portion of the equipment and, for example, to inform a date of a future scope of work to repair or replace the cracked portion based on the expected remaining working life cycle. Although some cracks can be predicted to require replacement after 25 additional operating cycles, other cracks with different characteristics and severity levels may not require replacement until an additional 100 operating cycles. Thus, the analysis associated with the crack can be used not only to determine the scope of work to be performed, but also to determine the timing of that work. As previously described, the logistics associated with the collateral operations to repair the crack can also be determined such that parts and tools associated with the crack repair scope of work arrive at the maintenance location at the right time.

[0175] Data can also be incorporated into a whole-fleet model, allowing adjustment of the whole-fleet scope of work protocol. For example, if multiple engines show more wear over time than expected, the whole-fleet scope of work protocol can be updated, for example, by adding additional inspection steps to adjust the maintenance operations to address the accelerated wear rate.

[0176] Figure 19A flowchart of an exemplary method 1900 for servicing an engine using a condition profile re-anchored based on a previous servicing operation is shown. Method 1900 may include a step 1902 of receiving information including an initial condition profile CP1 of the engine. In some cases, the information may be received by one or more computing devices (e.g., one or more of the computing devices 328 and / or 330 previously described). Method 1900 also includes a step 1904 of servicing the engine using the initial condition profile CP1. That is, for example, information from CP1 may be used to determine the operating range of the equipment, set thresholds for inspections, etc. After completing the servicing, method 1900 may include a step 1906 of determining an updated condition profile CP2 of the engine. The step 1906 of determining CP2 may be made based on the servicing performed using CP1 in step 1904. For example, if the servicing based on CP1 results in a change in the thickness of the thermal coating, the updated thickness may be stored in the updated condition profile CP2. Similarly, the performance, condition, etc. of the engine may be considered when updating the condition profile. Method 1900 may further include a step 1908 of storing the updated condition profile CP2 for subsequent servicing operations, such as a second servicing based on CP2 (and optionally CP1), a third servicing based on CP3 (determined based on the results of the servicing according to CP2), and so on.

[0177] Figure 23 A graph depicting an initial condition profile CP1 associated with the prediction of a certain engine parameter is shown. The initial condition profile CP1 parameter may be, for example, the maximum service life measured over time or cycles until the coating is predicted to reach failure. After an initial inspection IN1 reveals that the coating is better than the predicted value provided by the initial condition profile CP1 at the time or cycle associated with IN1, a new updated condition profile CP2 may be generated, which effectively updates the expected maximum service life measured over time or cycles until the coating is predicted to reach failure. After an additional inspection IN2 again reveals that the coating is better than the predicted value provided by the updated condition profile CP2 at the time or cycle associated with IN2, a further updated condition profile CP3 may be generated, which effectively updates the expected maximum service life measured over time or cycles until the coating is predicted to reach failure. This process (e.g., IN3, CP4, etc.) may be repeated until the expected failure date is determined to be outside an acceptable safety margin or other determinable margin, at which point a repair may be made or scheduled for a future date.

[0178] In an embodiment, the reinspection process can look for foreign object debris (FOD) left in the engine. FOD can include, for example, materials not originating from the engine. In another embodiment, the reinspection process can look for domestic object debris (DOD) left in the engine. DOD can include, for example, materials from the engine that have moved and are found in locations where they should not be found. Examples include loose fasteners, fragmented coated materials, and the like.

[0179] The reinspection process can include inspecting repair equipment left near, on, or within the equipment via the robotic assembly 300. The repair equipment can include, for example, tools, unused parts, packaging, and containers (e.g., related to one or more parts used in the repair), repair accessories, and the like. In some cases, the reinspection can examine blocks of repair equipment, such as disconnected parts of the repair equipment that may be inside the equipment. Inspecting the repair equipment left in the engine can include, for example, an initial step of capturing an initial view of the repair equipment before the repair, and a second step of capturing a post - view of the repair equipment after the repair and comparing the initial view with the post - view. This comparison can be performed by one or more computing devices 328 and / or 330. When an unexpected event is detected, e.g., the initial view and the post - view are different, an alert can be generated to inspect the equipment for the repair equipment. Inspecting the equipment can include scanning or viewing the equipment at one or more locations to search for missing parts of the repair equipment.

[0180] As previously described, in some cases, maintenance operations can be performed autonomously. Exemplary processes for autonomous maintenance operations include the step of performing an initial maintenance operation, which is monitored by one or more computing devices via, for example, the environment capture device 320, and determining whether a continuous operation is related to the initial maintenance operation. For example, performing the initial maintenance operation can include performing maintenance on the equipment within the provided work scope, monitoring the maintenance operation, recording the maintenance operation, and creating an autonomous maintenance protocol in response to the monitored maintenance operation. When it is determined that a continuous maintenance operation is related to the work scope of the initial maintenance operation, i.e., if the continuous maintenance operation is similar or identical to the initial maintenance operation, the continuous maintenance operation can be performed autonomously according to the autonomous maintenance protocol. If the determined continuous maintenance operation is not related to the work scope of the initial operation, the method can further include receiving an updated work scope, performing maintenance on the equipment within the provided updated work scope, monitoring the updated maintenance operation, recording the updated maintenance operation, and creating an updated autonomous maintenance protocol associated with the updated work scope. In this regard, future maintenance operations can then check whether they are related to the initial maintenance operation or the updated maintenance operation and accordingly select the autonomous maintenance protocol or develop a further updated autonomous maintenance protocol.

[0181] Figure 20 Illustrates an example implementation 2000 of a machine learning model according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The machine learning model may utilize machine learning algorithms. As shown, one or more computing devices may provide input data 2002 to the model 2004. The input data 2002 may include one or more inputs associated with a maintenance operation. In some implementations, the input data 2002 may include inspection results from an inspection operation. In other implementations, the input data 2002 may include repair results from a repair operation. In further implementations, the input data 2002 may include information associated with inspection operations and repair operations. The model 2004 may weight various inputs 2002 to determine one or more characteristics of the equipment being repaired, the maintenance operation itself, the scope of work (past, present, or future), the entire fleet data, etc. One or more computing devices may receive data 2006 as the output of the model 2004, where the data 2006 indicates one or more characteristics of the equipment being repaired, the maintenance operation itself, the scope of work (past, present, or future), the entire fleet data, etc.

[0182] In some implementations, the output (and / or associated characteristics) of the model 2004 for a given object (e.g., at a first time step) may be provided as input to the model 2004 for another object (e.g., at a subsequent time step). In this way, the entire fleet data can be processed and utilized to create an entire fleet standard. In other words, in some implementations, the process may be iterative such that over time, the entire fleet data can be recalculated as it becomes clearer what maintenance operations the fleet requires. For example, the model 2004 may include one or more autoregressive models. In some implementations, the model 2004 may include one or more machine learning recurrent neural networks. For example, the recurrent neural network may include a long short-term memory recurrent neural network, a gated recurrent unit network, or other forms of recurrent neural networks.

[0183] In some implementations, a machine learning computing system may train a machine learning model by using a model trainer. The model trainer may be implemented with hardware, firmware, and / or software that controls one or more processors. The model trainer may use one or more training or learning algorithms to train the machine learning model. An example training technique is backpropagation of error. In some implementations, the model trainer may perform a supervised training technique using a set of labeled training data. In other implementations, the model trainer may perform an unsupervised training technique using a set of unlabeled training data. The model trainer may perform various generalization techniques to improve the generalization ability of the model being trained. Generalization techniques include weight decay, dropout, or other techniques.

[0184] In particular, a model trainer can train a machine learning model based on a set of training data. The training data can include, for example, multiple sets of reference data obtained from previously observed maintenance operations. In some embodiments, the reference data used to create the training data can be taken from the same equipment or the same type of equipment. In this way, the model can be trained in a manner customized for the equipment to determine equipment information (e.g., operating range).

[0185] In some embodiments, to train the model, a training computing system can input a first portion of a set of reference data into the model to be trained. In response to receiving such a first portion, the model outputs one or more output variables that predict the remaining portion (e.g., a second portion of the data) of the set of reference data. After such prediction, the training computing system can apply or otherwise determine a loss function that compares one or more second portions of the data generated by the model with the remaining portion (e.g., the second portion of the data) of the reference data that the model is attempting to predict. The training computing system can then backpropagate the loss function through the model to train the model (e.g., by modifying one or more weights associated with the model).

[0186] The techniques discussed herein relate to computing devices, databases, software applications, and other computer-based systems, as well as actions taken and information sent to and from such systems. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the inherent flexibility of computer-based systems permits various possible configurations, combinations, and divisions of tasks and functions among and within components. For example, the computer-implemented processes discussed herein can be implemented using a single computing device or multiple computing devices working in combination. Databases and applications can be implemented on a single system or distributed across multiple systems. Distributed components can operate sequentially or in parallel. Additionally, computing tasks performed at a computing device remote from the equipment and / or robotic components discussed herein can instead be performed at the equipment and / or robotic components, and vice versa. Such configurations can be achieved without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0187] The systems and methods described herein are particularly advantageous for maintenance equipment in which an initial operating range notifies autonomous maintenance operations that can be autonomously, or semi-autonomously, modified or otherwise adjusted in response to autonomously observed information and data and problems encountered during the maintenance operation. The embodiments described herein can contribute to faster maintenance operations. Additionally, due to the updated overall fleet model formed during multiple consecutive maintenance operations analyzed by one or more computing devices and / or human operators, the embodiments described herein can allow for the improvement of maintenance operations over time.

[0188] In some cases, using systems and methods such as those described herein can reduce the wasted life of parts and components of equipment, such as a gas turbine engine. For example, due to the higher safety factors associated with part failures, manual inspections can lead to premature repair operations. That is, without the use of robotic components and / or autonomous processes such as those described herein for maintenance operations and notifying future maintenance operations, certain aspects of the equipment can be replaced, repaired, or otherwise operated upon before such operations are needed. As a non-limiting example, certain coatings can be functionally satisfactory when inspected by the robotic components described herein but not by human hands. Thus, the frequency of replacement or repair of the coatings may be higher during manual maintenance, which results in longer engine downtime, increased costs, and reduced efficiency.

[0189] It should be understood that although for the exemplary embodiments and aspects described herein, the "environment" through which the exemplary robotic arm extends is described as a gas turbine engine, such as the turbine of a gas turbine engine, in other exemplary embodiments and aspects, the exemplary robotic arm described herein can extend through other suitable environments. For example, using the systems and methods described herein, the robotic arm can extend through hazardous environments, such as those found in the nuclear industry, the oil drilling industry, etc. Other environments can also be contemplated.

[0190] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also enables any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any device or system and performing any incorporated method. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims or if they include equivalent structural elements that do not differ substantially from the literal language of the claims.

[0191] Other aspects of the invention are provided by the subject matter of the following clauses:

[0192] A method of outfitting a robotic component for maintaining equipment, the method comprising: determining a current scope of work associated with the equipment; determining one or more parts and tools associated with the current scope of work; outfitting the robotic component with at least some of the determined parts and tools; the robotic component autonomously navigating within a location corresponding to the equipment; and the robotic component autonomously performing at least one of an inspection and a repair of the equipment using the outfitted parts and tools.

[0193] A computer-implemented method for preparing a robotic assembly for servicing a piece of equipment, the method comprising: determining, by one or more computing devices, a current scope of work associated with the equipment; determining, by the one or more computing devices, parts and tools associated with the current scope of work; causing, by the one or more computing devices, at least some of the parts and tools to be equipped on the robotic assembly; determining, by the one or more computing devices, a path for navigating the robotic assembly within a location corresponding to the equipment; and causing, by the one or more computing devices, the robotic assembly to autonomously perform at least one of an inspection and a repair of the equipment using the equipped parts and tools.

[0194] A method for servicing a piece of equipment, the method comprising: determining a scope of work associated with the equipment, the scope of work including a plurality of tasks associated with at least one of an inspection and a repair of the equipment; determining risk factors for at least two tasks of the scope of work; and creating a queue of tasks based on the determined risk factors, wherein tasks with higher risk factors are prioritized in the queue.

[0195] A method for servicing a piece of equipment, the method comprising: performing at least one of an inspection and a repair associated with a scope of work of the equipment, wherein at least one of the inspection and the repair includes a queue of tasks to be performed; terminating at least one of the inspection and the repair before completing the queue; marking a stopping point identifying a termination location relative to the queue and the equipment; and resuming at least one of the inspection and the repair at the termination location relative to the queue and the equipment.

[0196] A computer-implemented method for servicing a piece of equipment, the method comprising: receiving, by one or more computing devices, information including an initial condition profile CP1 of the equipment; servicing the equipment using information associated with CP1; after servicing is complete, determining an updated condition profile CP2 of the equipment; and storing, by one or more computing devices, information associated with CP2 for use in subsequent servicing operations.

[0197] A method for servicing a piece of equipment, the method comprising: capturing and recording an original condition of the equipment before performing tasks associated with servicing the equipment; capturing and recording an updated condition of the equipment after performing the tasks; comparing, using one or more computing devices, the updated condition of the equipment with the original condition of the equipment; and generating an alert when the updated condition deviates from the original condition by more than a preset threshold.

[0198] A method of preparing an equipment for maintenance, the method comprising: inspecting one or more components of the equipment; and comparing the inspected components of the equipment with reference data associated with the inspected components, wherein comparing the inspected components with the reference data is used to: determine whether tools or parts to be used in maintaining the equipment are properly sized and shaped to fit relative to the equipment during maintenance, and inspect for damage to the inspected components.

[0199] A computer-implemented method for maintaining an equipment, the method comprising: recording aspects of the equipment during an nth maintenance; storing the recorded aspects of the equipment during the nth maintenance on one or more computing devices; recording aspects of the same equipment during an (n + 1)th maintenance conducted at a time different from the nth maintenance; storing the recorded aspects of the equipment during the (n + 1)th maintenance on the one or more computing devices; synchronizing the recorded aspects from the nth maintenance with the recorded aspects from the (n + 1)th maintenance, wherein the synchronized aspects provide a maintenance history of the equipment; and using the maintenance history of the equipment by the one or more computing devices to autonomously inform aspects of a future scope of work of the equipment.

[0200] A method of maintaining an equipment, the method comprising: autonomously inspecting a remaining life of components of the equipment; and repairing one or more components of the equipment, or generating a new scope of work, or marking a future repair, wherein the one or more components of the equipment are determined to have a remaining life less than a duration until the next scheduled maintenance.

[0201] A method of maintaining an equipment, the method comprising: recording information associated with the equipment at a first location; sending the recorded information to a node; receiving maintenance input from an operator at a second location different from the first location, the operator having prepared the maintenance input in response to the recorded information on the node; and performing maintenance according to the operator's input.

[0202] A computer-implemented method for maintaining an equipment, the method comprising: recording information associated with an aviation equipment at a first location; sending the recorded information to one or more nodes; at a second location different from the first location, evaluating the recorded information from the one or more virtual nodes; preparing maintenance input in response to the recorded information; and sharing the prepared maintenance input by the one or more computing devices to the first location.

[0203] A robotic assembly for repairing equipment, the robotic assembly comprising: a supporting area, which is configured to receive supporting components associated with a working range of the equipment; an environment capture device, which is configured to capture one or more images of an environment in which the repair equipment is located; and one or more computing devices, which are configured to: locate the equipment in the environment, autonomously navigate the robotic assembly through the environment to reach the equipment, and autonomously adjust the position of the robotic assembly in response to the working range.

[0204] A method for repairing equipment, the method comprising: receiving a working range associated with the equipment; selecting one or more supporting parts associated with the working range, the one or more supporting parts being arranged in one or more storage areas; loading the supporting parts onto a robot assembly; navigating the repair equipment with the supporting parts to the equipment; and autonomously performing the repair operation using the supporting parts using the robot assembly.

[0205] A method for servicing equipment at high temperatures, the method comprising: navigating an autonomous robotic assembly to a location associated with the equipment; applying lubrication from the robotic assembly to one or more adjustable components of the equipment; waiting for a period of time; and operating on the one or more adjustable components using the robotic assembly.

[0206] A robotic assembly for servicing equipment at high temperatures, the robotic assembly comprising: a robotic arm; a lubricant dispenser disposed on the robotic arm and configured to dispense lubricant to one or more fasteners of the equipment; and a wrenching device configured to operate on the one or more fasteners, wherein the robotic assembly is configured to operate autonomously on the one or more fasteners before the equipment cools to a threshold temperature that enables human interaction.

[0207] A robotic assembly comprising a lubricant dispenser and a wrenching device configured to autonomously operate on one or more fasteners of an equipment at elevated temperatures, wherein the robotic assembly is configured to exploit a temperature gradient between the one or more fasteners and the remainder of the engine in order to reduce the torque requirement to loosen the one or more fasteners.

[0208] A method for detecting damage in equipment, the method comprising: observing a thermal response of the equipment during a transition between an elevated temperature and a lower temperature; determining one or more thermal gradients of the equipment during the transition; comparing the one or more thermal gradients to one or more predetermined thermal gradient margins; determining when the one or more thermal gradients exceed the one or more predetermined thermal gradient margins; and generating an alarm when the one or more thermal gradients exceed the one or more predetermined thermal gradient margins.

[0209] A robotic component for detecting damage to equipment, the robotic component comprising: an autonomous platform configured to move through an environment containing the equipment; an environmental capture device coupled to the autonomous platform and configured to observe the thermal response of the equipment during a cooling duration that occurs from a high temperature to a lower temperature; and one or more computing devices configured to: determine a cooling gradient in the equipment during the cooling duration based on information from the environmental capture device, compare the cooling gradient with a predetermined cooling gradient margin, determine when the cooling gradient exceeds the predetermined cooling gradient margin; and generate an alert when the cooling gradient exceeds the predetermined cooling gradient margin.

[0210] A computer-implemented method for detecting damage to equipment, the method comprising: receiving, by one or more computing devices, information from an environmental capture device that captures the thermal condition of the equipment during a cooling duration that occurs from a high temperature to a lower temperature; determining, by the one or more computing devices, a cooling gradient in the equipment during the cooling duration; comparing, by the one or more computing devices, the cooling gradient with a predetermined cooling gradient margin; determining, by the one or more computing devices, when the cooling gradient exceeds the predetermined cooling gradient margin; and generating, by the one or more computing devices, an alert when the cooling gradient exceeds the predetermined cooling gradient margin.

[0211] A method of repairing equipment, the method comprising: receiving, by one or more computing devices, information corresponding to one or more components of the equipment; determining, by the one or more computing devices, the position of the one or more components of the equipment relative to the position of an augmented reality device; and presenting, in a current field of view display of the augmented reality device, at least a portion of the information corresponding to the one or more components of the equipment.

[0212] A system for repairing equipment, the system comprising a memory storing processor-executable instructions and a processor that executes the processor-executable instructions to cause the system to: receive information corresponding to one or more components of the engine; determine the position of the one or more components of the equipment relative to the position of an augmented reality device; and present, in a current field of view display of the augmented reality device, at least a portion of the information corresponding to one or more components of the engine.

[0213] An autonomous robotic component configured to navigate relative to and service a piece of equipment, the autonomous robotic component including an environment capture device, a memory storing processor-executable instructions, and a processor that executes the processor-executable instructions to cause the autonomous robotic component to service the equipment by: determining completed service tasks and service tasks yet to be completed; maintaining an activity log representative of a current step in servicing the equipment; moving relative to the equipment during servicing; and inspecting the equipment after servicing.

[0214] A method of inspecting and servicing a piece of equipment, the method including: autonomously navigating a robotic component to the piece of equipment using an environment capture device of the robotic component; capturing a supply of the piece of equipment using the environment capture device; comparing a current service task being performed on the piece of equipment to a queue of tasks associated with servicing the piece of equipment; determining completed service tasks and service tasks yet to be completed; and marking a current service location of the piece of equipment.

[0215] An autonomous robotic component configured to service a piece of equipment, wherein the autonomous robotic component includes an environment capture device configured to provide information to one or more computing devices, wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to use the information to (i) autonomously navigate the robotic component within an environment containing the piece of equipment, and (ii) service the piece of equipment.

[0216] A method of servicing a piece of equipment, the method including: with respect to an initial operation of the piece of equipment: servicing the piece of equipment within a provided scope of work; monitoring the servicing operation by one or more computing devices; recording the servicing operation by the one or more computing devices; and creating an autonomous servicing protocol associated with the scope of work by the one or more computing devices; and with respect to a continuous operation of the piece of equipment: determining by the one or more computing devices whether the continuous operation involves the scope of work of the initial operation; and autonomously performing the servicing protocol if it is determined that the continuous operation is related to the scope of work of the initial operation.

[0217] The method or component according to any one or more of these clauses, wherein the piece of equipment includes aviation equipment.

[0218] The method or component according to any one or more of these clauses, wherein the piece of equipment includes a gas turbine engine.

[0219] A computer-implemented method for repairing an engine, the method comprising: receiving information including an initial condition profile CP1 of the engine; forming a scope of work associated with a repair operation of the engine based on the initial condition profile CP1; performing a repair of the engine according to the scope of work; at least partially determining an updated condition profile CP2 of the engine based on information obtained during the repair; and storing the updated condition profile CP2 for use in subsequent repair operations.

[0220] The method according to any of the preceding clauses, further comprising: receiving information including the updated condition profile CP2 of the engine to prepare for a subsequent repair operation; forming a subsequent scope of work associated with the subsequent repair operation; subsequently performing a repair of the engine according to the subsequent scope of work; determining a further updated condition profile CP3 of the engine based on information obtained during the subsequent repair; and storing the further updated condition profile CP3 for further subsequent repair operations.

[0221] The method according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the initial condition profile CP1 is based on at least one of a modeled condition of the engine, fleet-wide data, and previous repair operations associated with the engine.

[0222] The method according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the step of storing the updated condition profile CP2 is performed by storing the updated condition profile CP2 in a data lake.

[0223] The method according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the step of at least partially determining the updated condition profile CP2 is performed autonomously.

[0224] The method according to any of the preceding clauses, further comprising forming a future scope of work based on information associated with the updated condition profile CP2.

[0225] The method according to any of the preceding clauses, further comprising subsequently at least partially using the future scope of work to repair the engine.

[0226] The method according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the step of repairing the engine is at least partially performed by an autonomous robotic assembly.

[0227] A method for repairing equipment, comprising: determining an original condition of the equipment before performing a task associated with a scope of work for repairing the equipment; capturing an updated condition of the equipment after performing the task; using one or more computing devices to compare the updated condition of the equipment with the original condition of the equipment; and generating an alert when the updated condition deviates from the original condition by more than a preset threshold.

[0228] According to the method described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein determining the original condition of the equipment includes capturing and recording the original condition of the equipment using one or more visual capture devices, and wherein the condition of the equipment continues to be captured and recorded while performing the task.

[0229] According to the method described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the task includes at least one of drilling, cleaning, cutting, and coating.

[0230] According to the method described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the preset threshold is determined at least partially autonomously based on an analysis profile of the equipment and the full fleet operating range.

[0231] According to the method described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the step of comparing the updated condition with the original condition is performed using information stored in a data lake, and wherein an operator can access the information from the data lake.

[0232] According to the method described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the steps of capturing the original condition and the updated condition of the equipment are performed by an autonomous robotic component configured to further perform repairs on the equipment.

[0233] A method of servicing equipment, comprising: performing at least one of an inspection and a repair associated with an operating range of the equipment, wherein at least one of the inspection and the repair includes a queue of tasks to be performed; terminating at least one of the inspection and the repair before completing the queue; marking a stop point identifying a termination position relative to the queue and the equipment; and resuming at least one of the inspection and the repair at the termination position relative to the queue and the equipment.

[0234] According to the method described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the step of marking the stop point includes marking an interface position between where the equipment has performed a task or a part of a task and where the equipment has not performed a task.

[0235] According to the method described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the step of marking the interface position includes: identifying one or more micro-features of the equipment at or near the interface position; and associating the interface position with the one or more micro-features.

[0236] According to the method described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein marking the interface position includes using chemical marking, marking the interface position with heat-resistant marking, or both.

[0237] A method according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein at least one of marking the stop point and performing inspection and repair recovery is carried out using a vision capture device of an autonomous robotic component, the autonomous robotic component being configured to perform the repair operation.

[0238] A method according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the equipment comprises a gas turbine engine.

Claims

1. A method of servicing a piece of equipment, characterized in that, comprising: performing at least one of an inspection and a repair associated with the operating range of the equipment, wherein at least one of the inspection and the repair includes a queue of tasks to be performed; terminating at least one of the inspection and the repair before completing the queue; marking a stop point identifying the termination position relative to the queue and the equipment; and starting to resume at least one of the inspection and the repair at the termination position relative to the queue and the equipment.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, wherein the step of marking the stop point includes marking an interface position between tasks or parts of tasks that have been performed on the equipment and tasks that have not yet been performed on the equipment.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, wherein the step of marking the interface position includes: identifying one or more micro-features of the equipment at or near the interface position; and associating the interface position with the one or more micro-features.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, wherein the one or more micro-features include one or more of surface texture, surface markings, surface defects, surface features, surface color or surface temperature.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, wherein marking the interface position includes using chemical marking, marking the interface position with heat-resistant marking, or both.

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, wherein marking the interface position includes applying a temporary marking that fades or otherwise disappears over time or when washed or treated with a specific marking removal material.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, wherein at least one of marking the stop point and resuming at least one of the inspection and the repair is performed using a vision capture device of an autonomous robotic component.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, wherein the stop point is marked by a robotic component, and at least one of the inspection and the repair is resumed by the robotic component or a human.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, wherein marking the stop point includes storing the termination position in a computer-readable memory device.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, further comprising: determining the original condition of the equipment before performing at least one of the inspection and the repair associated with the operating range of the equipment; capturing the updated condition of the equipment after completing at least one of the inspection and the repair of the equipment; comparing the updated condition of the equipment with the original condition of the equipment using one or more computing devices; and generating an alarm when the updated condition deviates from the original condition by more than a preset threshold.

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