Wind power blade lightning receptor conduction test terminal and conduction test method

Abstract

The application provides a wind power blade lightning receptor conduction test terminal and a conduction test method, and relates to the technical field of wind power equipment detection. The conduction test terminal is arranged at the end of a mechanical arm. A force sensing module arranged between the mechanical arm and a test probe is used to detect the contact force between the probe and the lightning receptor in real time. A servo control module is used to control the corresponding driving mechanism of the probe based on the feedback signal of the contact force to keep the contact force constant. An electrical measurement module is used to test the electrical performance of the lightning receptor under the condition of maintaining constant contact force. The technical problems of large conduction test error and poor reliability are solved, and the technical effects of improving the accuracy, stability and automation degree of the conduction test are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of wind power equipment testing, and more specifically, to a continuity testing terminal and method for a wind turbine blade lightning arrester. Background Technology

[0002] Continuity testing of lightning rods on wind turbine blades is a crucial step in ensuring the reliability of wind turbine lightning protection systems. Traditional testing primarily relies on manual measurement using megohmmeters or continuity meters, directly contacting the lightning rods with probes or clamps. In recent years, to achieve automated testing, wall-climbing robots or drones equipped with simple electrical contact modules have emerged, but their testing reliability still has significant issues. Existing robotic arm systems mostly employ open-loop control or simple position control strategies, making them extremely sensitive to minute fluctuations in contact resistance, which significantly affects the accuracy of continuity resistance measurements. When there is instability in the robot's posture, uneven blade surfaces, or manufacturing tolerances in the lightning rods, insufficient contact pressure can easily lead to incomplete connections, or excessive pressure can cause mechanical damage to the probe / lightning rod surface, ultimately affecting contact reliability.

[0003] Because lightning rods are exposed to the outdoor environment for extended periods, an oxide layer inevitably forms on their surface, accumulating contaminants such as salt spray, dust, or oil. These non-conductive substances create an insulating barrier between the probe and the lightning rod, effectively adding an unstable insulation resistance in series with the test circuit during actual measurements. This causes the measured value to be much higher than the actual conduction resistance, resulting in a false "non-conductivity" misjudgment. This is the problem of measurement data distortion caused by surface contamination.

[0004] Most current robotic systems employ a simple two-wire measurement method. The measurement results include not only the target conduction resistance but also the inherent resistance of the test cable and the contact resistance between the probe and the lightning arrester. These additional resistance values ​​are often on the same order of magnitude or even larger than the actual conduction resistance (typically in the micro-ohm range), making it difficult for the system to accurately assess the actual connection status between the lightning arrester and the grounding grid. Therefore, the existing measurement methods exhibit significant shortcomings in their interference immunity. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a continuity test terminal and continuity test method for wind turbine blade lightning arresters, so as to alleviate the technical problems of large continuity test errors and poor reliability in the prior art. In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a continuity testing terminal for a wind turbine blade lightning arrester, disposed at the end of a robotic arm; the continuity testing terminal includes: a force sensing module disposed between the robotic arm and a test probe, configured to detect in real time the contact force between the test probe and the surface of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester; a servo control module configured to control a drive mechanism corresponding to the test probe based on a feedback signal of the contact force to maintain the contact force at a preset target value; and an electrical measurement module configured to perform electrical performance testing on the wind turbine blade lightning arrester while maintaining a constant contact force.

[0006] In some alternative implementations, the aforementioned drive mechanism is disposed between the aforementioned test probe and the aforementioned force sensing module, and is configured to generate displacement along the feed direction of the aforementioned test probe in response to instructions from the aforementioned servo control module.

[0007] In some optional implementations, an in-situ self-cleaning module is also included, configured to clean the surface of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester to be contacted before the test probe contacts the wind turbine blade lightning arrester.

[0008] In some optional implementations, the aforementioned in-situ self-cleaning module includes: a cleaning execution unit disposed around and coaxially arranged with the test probe, configured to perform physical cleaning operations on the surface to be contacted by the wind turbine blade lightning arrester; a gas injection unit disposed around the cleaning execution unit, configured to provide directional airflow to the surface to be contacted to assist in the removal of loose contaminants; and a waste collection unit configured to collect or guide the discharge of cleaning byproducts generated by the cleaning execution unit and the gas injection unit during the cleaning process.

[0009] In some optional implementations, the aforementioned electrical measurement module includes: an electrical connector comprising a current drive path for injecting test current and a voltage sensing path for acquiring voltage drop; wherein the current drive path includes two current drive terminals and the voltage sensing path includes two voltage sampling terminals; and a microohmmeter electrically connected to the aforementioned electrical connector, configured to apply test current to the aforementioned current drive path through the two current drive terminals and calculate the on-resistance value of the aforementioned wind turbine blade lightning arrester based on the voltage drop signal acquired by the aforementioned voltage sensing path.

[0010] In some optional implementations, the force sensing module includes a six-dimensional force sensor configured to monitor in real time the force and torque components in three orthogonal directions experienced by the test probe during contact with the lightning arrester of the wind turbine blade.

[0011] In some optional implementations, the force sensing module includes a combination structure of a one-dimensional force sensor and a two-dimensional displacement sensor; wherein the one-dimensional force sensor is based on the strain gauge principle and is configured to detect the micro-deformation of the probe in the normal direction; the two-dimensional displacement sensor is based on optical principles and is configured to detect the displacement change of the probe in two orthogonal planes perpendicular to the normal. The above-mentioned combined structure is configured to determine the contact force between the test probe and the wind turbine blade lightning rod based on the above-mentioned micro-deformation and displacement change.

[0012] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a continuity testing method applied to a continuity testing terminal for a wind turbine blade lightning arrester as described in any of the first aspects above. The method includes: controlling the continuity testing terminal to contact the wind turbine blade lightning arrester and detecting the contact force between the test probe and the surface of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester in real time; controlling the drive mechanism corresponding to the probe based on the feedback signal of the contact force to maintain the contact force constant at a preset target value; and performing an electrical performance test on the wind turbine blade lightning arrester while maintaining a constant contact force.

[0013] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention provide an electronic device, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program that can run on the processor, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the method described in any of the second aspects above.

[0014] Fourthly, embodiments of the present invention provide a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when invoked and executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method described in any of the second aspects above.

[0015] This invention provides a continuity testing terminal and method for a wind turbine blade lightning arrester. The continuity testing terminal is installed at the end of a robotic arm. A force sensing module located between the robotic arm and the test probe detects the contact force between the probe and the lightning arrester in real time. A servo control module controls the drive mechanism corresponding to the probe based on the feedback signal of the contact force to maintain a constant contact force. An electrical measurement module performs electrical performance testing on the lightning arrester while maintaining a constant contact force. This invention solves the technical problems of large continuity testing errors and poor reliability, and achieves the technical effect of improving the accuracy, stability and automation of continuity testing. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a wind turbine blade lightning arrester continuity test terminal provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a continuity testing method provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating another continuity testing method provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] Most existing robotic arms use open-loop control or simple position control. Small fluctuations in contact resistance can significantly affect the measurement accuracy of conduction resistance. Therefore, when the robot body shakes, the blade surface is uneven, or there are manufacturing tolerances in the lightning arrester, it is easy to cause insufficient pressure to produce a false connection or excessive pressure to cause scratches on the probe / lightning arrester surface, resulting in poor contact reliability.

[0020] Lightning arresters, when exposed to the outdoors for extended periods, develop an oxide layer, accumulate salt spray, dust, or oil on their surface. These non-conductive contaminants form an insulation barrier between the probe and the arrester. Direct measurement is equivalent to adding an unstable insulation resistance in series in the circuit, resulting in a measured value much larger than the actual conduction resistance and a false "non-conductivity" misjudgment. In other words, surface contamination leads to measurement distortion. Most robots use a simple two-wire measurement method, and the measurement results include the resistance of the test cable itself and the contact resistance between the probe and the arrester. These additional resistances may be on the same order of magnitude or even larger than the actual conduction resistance (typically in the micro-ohm range), making it impossible to accurately assess the true connection status between the arrester and the grounding grid. Therefore, existing measurement methods have weak anti-interference capabilities.

[0021] The continuity performance testing of lightning arresters on wind turbine blades is a core testing item to ensure the safe and reliable operation of wind turbine lightning protection systems. Currently, the industry generally uses manual testing methods, where operators use megohmmeters or continuity meters to directly contact and measure the lightning arresters using probes or clamps. In recent years, to improve testing efficiency, the industry has attempted to use wall-climbing robots or drone platforms equipped with basic electrical contact modules to achieve automated testing; however, the reliability of the test results still has significant shortcomings.

[0022] Based on this, the present invention provides a continuity test terminal and continuity test method for wind turbine blade lightning arresters, so as to improve the accuracy, reliability and automation of continuity testing of wind turbine blade lightning arresters, and overcome the problems of unstable contact resistance, surface contamination and large measurement error in traditional methods.

[0023] To facilitate understanding of this embodiment, a detailed description of a wind turbine blade lightning arrester continuity testing terminal disclosed in this embodiment of the invention will be provided first. (See [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 1 The diagram shows a structural schematic of a continuity testing terminal for a wind turbine blade lightning arrester. This continuity testing terminal can be installed at the end of the robotic arm of a drone or a wall-climbing robot, and mainly includes the following parts: Force sensing module 110, located between the robotic arm and the test probe, is configured to detect the contact force between the test probe and the surface of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester in real time. The servo control module 120 is configured to control the drive mechanism corresponding to the test probe based on the feedback signal of the contact force to keep the contact force constant at the preset target value. The electrical measurement module 130 is configured to perform electrical performance tests on the wind turbine blade lightning arrester while maintaining a constant contact force.

[0024] This invention provides a continuity testing terminal for a wind turbine blade lightning arrester, located at the end of a robotic arm. A force sensing module positioned between the robotic arm and a test probe detects the contact force between the probe and the lightning arrester in real time. A servo control module controls the corresponding drive mechanism of the probe based on the feedback signal of the contact force to maintain a constant contact force. An electrical measurement module performs electrical performance testing on the lightning arrester while maintaining a constant contact force. This solution addresses the technical problems of large continuity testing errors and poor reliability, achieving the technical effect of improving the accuracy, stability, and automation of continuity testing.

[0025] In one embodiment, the force sensing module is a six-dimensional force sensor configured to monitor in real time the force and torque components in three orthogonal directions experienced by the test probe during contact with the lightning arrester of the wind turbine blade.

[0026] Among them, the six-dimensional force sensor can be used to monitor the forces (Fx, Fy, Fz) and torques (Mx, My, Mz) in three directions that the probe experiences during contact with the lightning arrester in real time. This allows for a comprehensive and dynamic characterization of the multi-dimensional contact state between the probe and the lightning arrester, providing high-fidelity force feedback for the servo control module. It supports the accurate sensing, stable maintenance, and active control of the contact force, enabling controllable, reproducible, and adaptive contact at the mechanical level.

[0027] Alternatively, in another embodiment, the force sensing module includes a combination structure of a one-dimensional force sensor and a two-dimensional displacement sensor; wherein the one-dimensional force sensor, based on the strain gauge principle, is configured to detect the micro-deformation of the probe in the normal direction; the two-dimensional displacement sensor, based on optical principles, is configured to detect the displacement change of the probe in two orthogonal planes perpendicular to the normal; the combination structure is configured to determine the contact force between the test probe and the lightning arrester of the wind turbine blade based on the micro-deformation and displacement change.

[0028] Specifically, this combined structure uses a one-dimensional force sensor to sense the elastic micro-deformation caused by normal compression, and combines a two-dimensional displacement sensor to synchronously monitor the deflection or translation of the probe in the horizontal plane, so as to collaboratively calculate the equivalent force state during the contact process. This reduces system complexity and cost while ensuring measurement accuracy, and achieves reliable and stable sensing of contact force.

[0029] In one embodiment, the drive mechanism corresponding to the test probe, which is controlled by the servo control module 120, can be located between the test probe and the force sensing module and configured to generate a micron-level displacement along the feed direction of the test probe in response to the instructions of the servo control module, so as to compensate for the contact distance fluctuation caused by the shaking of the robot body or the surface morphology change of the tested part (i.e., the wind turbine blade lightning rod).

[0030] Specifically, the driving mechanism corresponding to the test probe can be a precision execution component integrated inside the test terminal, located downstream of the force sensing module (close to the probe side), which directly drives the probe or its supporting base to generate micron-level pose adjustment; its physical position is between the force sensing module and the test probe, and it is the energy output end of the force closed-loop control.

[0031] In another embodiment, the servo control module may further include a servo driver and a corresponding control unit, specifically: The servo drive is located near the force control actuator (such as integrated inside the probe base or arranged adjacent to the drive mechanism), and is configured to receive control commands and drive the actuator to produce precise displacement or force output; its corresponding control unit is located on the terminal main control board (or deployed in conjunction with the robot host computer), and is configured to run the force closed-loop control algorithm, process the feedback signals of the force sensing module, and generate real-time adjustment commands to achieve dynamic tracking and stable maintenance of contact force.

[0032] Furthermore, the aforementioned drive mechanism, servo driver, and corresponding control unit can together form a closed mechatronic force servo subsystem, all integrated within the housing of the continuity test terminal, electrically isolated from the robot body (interacting with the host computer only through a communication bus such as CAN / RS422), meeting the requirements of automated testing for modularity, plug-and-play functionality, and resistance to electromagnetic interference.

[0033] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned wind turbine blade lightning arrester continuity test terminal may further include: an in-situ self-cleaning module, configured to clean the surface of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester to be contacted before the test probe contacts the wind turbine blade lightning arrester.

[0034] Furthermore, the aforementioned in-situ self-cleaning module may include the following structure: The cleaning execution unit, located around and coaxially arranged with the test probe, is configured to perform physical cleaning operations on the surface to be contacted by the lightning rod of the wind turbine blade. The gas jet unit, located around the cleaning execution unit, is configured to provide directional airflow to the surface to be contacted to assist in the removal of loose contaminants; The waste collection unit is configured to collect or guide the discharge of cleaning byproducts generated by the cleaning execution unit and the gas injection unit during the cleaning process.

[0035] The cleaning execution unit, gas injection unit, and waste collection unit are integrated on the same mechanical base and share the same control timing signal to achieve synchronous start and stop of cleaning operations.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning execution unit is a microfiber rotary brush, coaxially fixed on the outer peripheral base of the test probe, with the bristle end face flush with the probe measurement contact surface; the rotary brush is driven by a micro DC motor with a rated speed of 2000–4000 rpm, and applies controllable radial friction force and axial light pressure to the surface of the test piece during operation to mechanically remove the oxide layer and adhering contaminants; Preferably, the gas injection unit can be composed of a miniature air pump, a precision flow control valve, and six inclined jet holes arranged in a ring. The jet holes are integrated on the support ring of the microfiber rotating brush, and the injection direction is at an angle of 15°-30° to the surface of the workpiece being tested. They are used to spray clean and dry compressed air onto the area to be contacted within 0.3-0.8 seconds before the cleaning execution unit is started, to blow away floating dust and loose particles. Preferably, the waste collection unit may include a negative pressure adsorption chamber and a guide chute disposed below the rotating brush; the negative pressure adsorption chamber is connected to a miniature vacuum generator of the robot body through a hose and operates continuously during the cleaning process, sucking the particles washed off by the brush and the dust carried by the airflow into the dust collection filter bag through the guide chute; at the same time, some of the light waste that is not captured is guided by the jet airflow to non-critical areas of the blade surface away from the probe contact area.

[0037] In another feasible embodiment, the cleaning execution unit can be an ultrasonic vibration cleaning head. Specifically, the ultrasonic vibration cleaning head includes a piezoelectric ceramic transducer and a titanium alloy radiating end face, which are fixed to the probe coaxial base. The working frequency is 25-40 kHz, and the amplitude is ≤5 μm. The high-frequency micro-vibration causes fatigue peeling of contaminants on the surface of the lightning arrester, which is suitable for scenarios with highly adhesive oil or salt crystals. At this time, the gas jet unit simultaneously provides a low-speed airflow to help shake off loose particles and cool the transducer.

[0038] In another feasible embodiment, the cleaning execution unit can be a low-power pulsed laser cleaning head. Specifically, the low-power pulsed laser cleaning head uses a nanosecond-level fiber laser (wavelength 1064 nm, single pulse energy ≤0.5 mJ, repetition frequency 1-10 kHz). After passing through a micro-reflector and a focusing lens, the light is projected onto the surface to be tested along the probe axis. The organic contaminants and thin oxide layers are ablated by selective photothermal effect without damaging the metal substrate. At this time, the gas jetting unit switches to inert gas (such as nitrogen) jetting to suppress plasma plume diffusion and remove ablation residue. The waste collection unit correspondingly enhances the negative pressure suction to capture the laser-induced nanoscale particles.

[0039] In the above embodiments, the cleaning execution unit, the gas injection unit, and the waste collection unit are all integrated into the same compact mechanical housing, sharing a power supply interface and a CAN bus communication interface; their start-stop sequence is uniformly scheduled by the servo control module: after the probe completes constant force contact, the self-cleaning process is immediately triggered, that is: first, the gas injection unit is started for pre-purging for 0.5 seconds, and then the cleaning execution unit and the waste collection unit are started simultaneously, lasting for 1.0-1.5 seconds and ending, with the entire process not exceeding 2 seconds, to ensure that the cleaned interface can be used for four-wire measurement immediately.

[0040] In one embodiment, the electrical measurement module may include an electrical connector and a micro-ohmmeter. Specifically, the electrical connector includes a current driving path for injecting test current and a voltage sensing path for acquiring voltage drop. The two paths (current driving path and voltage sensing path) are independent of each other in electrical path. The current driving path includes two current driving terminals, and the voltage sensing path includes two voltage sampling terminals.

[0041] In the above embodiments, a preferred implementation is as follows: the current driving path has an input interface and a return interface for injecting test current into the device under test; the voltage sensing path has a positive sampling interface and a negative sampling interface for acquiring the voltage drop across the device under test, and the contact positions of the positive sampling interface and the input interface on the device under test are adjacent, and the contact positions of the negative sampling interface and the return interface on the device under test are adjacent.

[0042] The micro-ohmmeter is electrically connected to the aforementioned electrical connector. The micro-ohmmeter is configured to apply a constant test current to the current drive path. After forming a measurement current loop in the wind turbine blade lightning arrester, it calculates the resistance value of the device under test electrically connected to the electrical connector, i.e., the on-resistance value of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester, based on the voltage drop signal output by the voltage sensing path.

[0043] Specifically, the current drive path and the voltage sensing path are physically and electrically isolated from each other to ensure that there is no coupling interference between the current loop and the voltage sampling loop; the voltage sampling terminal is arranged close to the corresponding current injection terminal so that the voltage measurement point is as close as possible to the start and end positions of the measured conduction path, thereby effectively eliminating the influence of lead resistance and additional impedance of the contact interface, and realizing high-precision, low-noise measurement of the intrinsic conduction resistance of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester.

[0044] As a concrete example, a four-wire electrical connector employs a coaxial probe integration structure, with a pair of current-driven probes (C) at the center. + / C - ), surrounded by a pair of ring-shaped voltage sampling probes (P) + / P - ), all four share the same probe axis and remain rigidly fixed; among them, P + The probe is located at C + P is located 0.3-0.5 mm directly below the probe. - The probe is located at C - At the same distance directly below the probe, the voltage sampling point is strictly limited to the near-field range of the current injection region, without introducing additional contact pressure differences. This structure ensures a minimal footprint while meeting the spatial constraints of Kelvin measurements, making it suitable for the small, curved, and high-curvature measurement conditions of wind turbine blade lightning arresters.

[0045] Based on the same inventive concept, this invention also provides a continuity testing method applied to the aforementioned wind turbine blade lightning arrester continuity testing terminal. The continuity testing method disclosed in this invention will be described in detail below. (See [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 2 The diagram shows a continuity test method, which can be executed by an electronic device and mainly includes the following steps S202 to S206: Step S202: Control the conduction test terminal to contact the wind turbine blade lightning rod, and detect the contact force between the test probe and the surface of the wind turbine blade lightning rod in real time. Step S204: Based on the feedback signal of the contact force, control the drive mechanism corresponding to the probe to keep the contact force constant at the preset target value; Step S206: Perform electrical performance testing on the wind turbine blade lightning arrester while maintaining a constant contact force.

[0046] To facilitate understanding, the following describes the above-mentioned continuity testing method in detail with reference to a preferred example of a continuity testing terminal for wind turbine blade lightning arresters. This continuity testing terminal is installed at the flange interface at the end of a robotic arm and is used for automated continuity testing of wind turbine blade lightning arresters. The continuity testing terminal mainly includes the following seven core components, which are hierarchically nested and functionally coupled in physical space, and achieve coordinated control through clearly defined signal flow and energy flow paths: (1) Robotic arm connecting flange, used to securely install the entire terminal to the end of the robot robotic arm to achieve mechanical connection and support.

[0047] (2) A six-dimensional force / torque sensor is used to detect the three-dimensional force (Fx, Fy, Fz) and three-dimensional torque (Mx, My, Mz) generated when the test probe contacts the test piece in real time and with high precision. The sensor also uploads the detected six-dimensional force electrical signal to the servo driver and control unit in real time. It is a key sensing element for constant force servo control.

[0048] (3) The terminal housing and probe base constitute the external protective structure of the test terminal and serve as the base for installing components such as probes and cleaning modules.

[0049] (4) The four-wire electrical connector and probe can be a dedicated electrical measurement component integrated on the probe base. The probe directly contacts the device under test, and the electrical connector separates the two pairs of paths, namely current drive (C+, C-) and voltage sensing (P+, P-), to achieve high-precision resistance measurement.

[0050] Furthermore, the four-wire electrical connector and probe can output four-wire electrical signals (i.e., current and voltage signals) to external precision measuring instruments (such as micro-ohmmeters), as well as servo drives and control units.

[0051] (5) The microfiber rotating brush and the drive motor constitute the actuator of the in-situ cleaning module. The drive motor drives the microfiber brush to rotate at high speed according to the instructions, and cleans the oxide layer and contaminants on the surface of the test piece by mechanical polishing.

[0052] (6) Miniature air pump and air circuit: The pneumatic part that constitutes the in-situ cleaning module. The miniature air pump generates high-pressure clean air, which is sprayed to the test point through the integrated air circuit to blow away floating dust and loose particles.

[0053] (7) Servo Driver and Control Unit: The central controller of the test terminal. It is responsible for processing force sensor signals, running the constant force control algorithm, and issuing control commands to the cleaning module, force control driver, etc., while also receiving status feedback from each module. Specifically, it includes: The servo driver and control unit send start / stop / pressure commands to the micro air pump and air circuit, and receive control status feedback from them; and send PWM / start / stop commands to the microfiber rotating brush and drive motor, and receive control status feedback from them.

[0054] (8) Force-controlled servo driver: Specifically designed to control drive mechanisms (such as miniature linear motors or piezoelectric ceramic drivers) related to probe contact actions. It is used to receive control commands from servo drivers and control units, and to translate the commands into actions through an integrated drive and motor control unit to apply driving force to the probe mechanism.

[0055] The logical relationships between the various structures are summarized as follows: The six-dimensional force / torque sensor provides a six-dimensional force electrical signal; this electrical signal is input to the servo driver and control unit, triggering them to send a posture correction control command to the force-controlled servo driver to realize a constant force servo closed loop; at the same time, the servo driver and control unit drive the in-situ self-cleaning module (microfiber rotating brush and drive motor, micro air pump and air circuit) according to a preset timing sequence to complete the pretreatment of the contact surface; after cleaning is completed and the constant force is stable, the servo driver and control unit send a measurement trigger signal, and the micro ohmmeter performs high-precision continuity measurement through a four-wire electrical connector and sends the result back.

[0056] The core of this invention lies in transforming continuity testing from a passive electrical signal acquisition process into an active and controllable "contact interface optimization and measurement" process. This method mainly includes the following steps: First, precise force sensing is achieved through the force sensing module of the conductive test terminal. Specifically, this involves installing a miniature six-dimensional force / torque sensor between the test terminal and the robotic arm (e.g., at the robotic arm's connecting flange). This sensor can monitor in real time the forces (Fx, Fy, Fz) and torques (Mx, My, Mz) in three directions experienced by the probe during contact with the lightning arrester. Then, a constant force servo control algorithm is used to control the drive mechanism corresponding to the test probe to maintain a constant contact force. Specifically, this may include... Figure 3The following steps are shown: S301, Visual Guidance Positioning; Guided by the vision system, the robotic arm first moves the test terminal to the vicinity of the lightning arrester contact point; S302, Low-speed proximity lightning arrester; Then, the drive mechanism of the servo control module controls the test terminal to approach the lightning arrester at low speed along a preset direction (usually the blade surface normal). S303, determine whether the contact force exceeds the threshold; If yes, then execute S304; otherwise, return to S302. S304, switch to force control mode constant force servo contact; When the six-dimensional force sensor detects that the contact force (Fz) exceeds the preset contact threshold (e.g., 0.1N), the control unit of the servo control module determines that contact has occurred and immediately switches from "position control mode" to "force control mode".

[0057] In force control mode, with the goal of maintaining a constant and optimal contact force F_target (e.g., 5N ± 0.2N), the control unit of the servo control module (e.g., a PID controller) dynamically adjusts the posture of the robotic arm end based on the deviation between the contact force and the target value in real time feedback. This compensates for distance changes caused by robot shaking or uneven surfaces, ensuring stable contact force.

[0058] In another embodiment, the six-dimensional force sensor can be replaced by a combination of a strain gauge-based micro one-dimensional force sensor (measuring only the normal force) and a two-dimensional optical displacement sensor, which indirectly calculates the contact force by detecting the micro-deformation of the probe (see the foregoing embodiments for details, which will not be repeated here).

[0059] S305, initiate in-situ cleaning; Specifically, this includes in-situ self-cleaning and contact surface pretreatment; this step is performed by an integrated cleaning actuator. As a specific example, a ring of microfiber rotating brushes is coaxially arranged around the continuity test probe, and the rotating brushes are driven by a micro motor; at the same time, multiple inclined micro air jets are arranged around the brush body and connected to a micro air pump mounted on the robot.

[0060] Next, the "blow-then-brush" cleaning process is executed: Before the test terminal contacts the lightning arrester surface, a high-pressure air pump is used to briefly (e.g., 0.5 seconds) spray clean, dry air through the jet nozzles onto the pre-contact point to remove surface dust and loose particles. Then, a micro-motor is activated to drive a microfiber rotating brush at high speed (e.g., 3000 rpm) to briefly (e.g., 1 second) abrasive clean the contact point to remove stubborn oxide layers and contaminants. Cleaning debris can be partially adsorbed by negative pressure or blown away from the contact area by the airflow.

[0061] In another embodiment, the microfiber rotating brush can be replaced with an ultrasonic vibration cleaning head or a laser cleaning head (low power, for ablation of contaminants) for more demanding contaminated environments.

[0062] S306, performs four-wire Kelvin measurement; The dedicated electrical connector provided in the above embodiments is preferably used to achieve the following: the test terminal adopts a four-wire connection, and the probe or electrical gripper is designed with a dual-path structure: one pair is a current-driven path (C+, C-) used to inject a constant test current (I) into the lightning arrester; the other pair is a voltage-sensing path (P+, P-) used to measure the voltage drop (U) across the lightning arrester under the test current with high precision. The voltage-sensing path is directly connected near the contact point between the probe and the lightning arrester.

[0063] The micro-ohmmeter calculates the resistance value based on Ohm's law R = U / I. Because the voltage sensing circuit has extremely high input impedance and the current flowing through it is minimal, the voltage drop across the voltage measuring cable and contact points is negligible. Therefore, the final measured resistance value greatly eliminates the influence of wire resistance and contact resistance, truly reflecting the conductivity of the lightning arrester itself.

[0064] In another embodiment, for scenarios with slightly lower reliability requirements, the above measurement can be simplified to a three-wire measurement as a low-cost solution, but it is still superior to the traditional two-wire system.

[0065] S307, record data and retrieve it.

[0066] In summary, the above embodiments integrate a six-dimensional force / torque sensor to perceive the multi-dimensional contact force between the probe and the lightning arrester in real time. Combined with a closed-loop constant force servo control algorithm, the system automatically switches from position control to normal force control after detecting initial contact, dynamically adjusting the end effector posture of the robotic arm to maintain the optimal constant contact force. This achieves active, stable, and reproducible control of the physical state of the contact interface. By coaxially integrating miniature high-pressure air nozzles and microfiber rotating brushes around the test probe, and coordinating with the electronic control system according to the timing logic of "air blowing first, then brushing," the system achieves pre-cleaning of contaminated surfaces and in-situ activation of the contact surface, eliminating interference from insulating contaminants on conductivity measurements. By compactly integrating the force sensing and servo execution module, the in-situ cleaning module, and the four-wire (Kelvin) micro-ohm measurement module within the same robot end effector housing, an integrated terminal architecture with rigid structural coupling, sequential functional linkage, and non-interference signals is formed. This enables fully automatic, high-precision, and highly robust in-situ detection of the conductivity performance of wind turbine blade lightning arresters in complex field environments.

[0067] Based on this, the present invention achieves a systematic improvement in three dimensions—accuracy, safety, and automation—for the continuity testing of wind turbine blade lightning arresters: In terms of measurement accuracy, constant force contact ensures the stability of the contact resistance between the probe and the lightning arrester; in-situ self-cleaning eliminates the influence of contaminants such as surface oxide layers, salt spray, dust, and oil on the continuity circuit; and the four-wire Kelvin measurement method effectively eliminates interference from the resistance of the test cable and the contact interface resistance. The synergistic effect of these three factors makes the repeatability and accuracy of the on-site measurement results comparable to laboratory conditions, reducing the false judgment rate by more than 90%. In terms of equipment and blade protection, constant force servo control avoids excessive contact force, preventing scratches or mechanical damage to the probe or lightning arrester surface due to pressure overload, extending the service life of the testing device, and ensuring the integrity of the wind turbine lightning protection system and asset safety. In terms of automation and reliability, the entire cleaning, contact, and measurement process is completed automatically and sequentially by the system without manual intervention, significantly reducing the intensity of operation and dependence on personnel skills, making it particularly suitable for carrying out efficient and reliable automated testing during severe weather windows.

[0068] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present invention also provide an electronic device, specifically, the electronic device includes a processor and a storage device; the storage device stores a computer program, and the computer program, when run by the processor, executes the method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0069] See Figure 4 As shown, an electronic device 400 provided in this embodiment of the invention includes: a processor 410, a memory 420, a communication interface 430, and a bus 440. The memory 420 stores machine-readable instructions that can be executed by the processor 410. When the electronic device is running, the processor 410 communicates with the memory 420 through the bus 440. The processor 410 executes the machine-readable instructions to perform the steps of the method described above.

[0070] Specifically, the memory 420 and processor 410 can be general-purpose memory and processor, without any specific limitations. When the processor 410 runs the computer program stored in the memory 420, it can execute the above method.

[0071] Processor 410 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In implementation, each step of the above method can be completed by the integrated logic circuitry in the hardware of processor 410 or by instructions in software form. The processor 410 may be a general-purpose processor, including a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Network Processor (NP), etc.; it may also be a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this invention. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this invention can be directly manifested as execution by a hardware decoding processor, or execution by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software module can reside in a mature storage medium in the art, such as random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, or registers. This storage medium is located in memory 420, and processor 410 reads the information from memory 420 and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the above method.

[0072] Corresponding to the above method, this embodiment of the invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing machine-executable instructions. When the computer-executable instructions are called and run by a processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to perform the steps of the above method.

[0073] In the embodiments provided by this invention, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and method can be implemented in other ways. The apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. Furthermore, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Additionally, the displayed or discussed mutual couplings, direct couplings, or communication connections may be through some communication interfaces; indirect couplings or communication connections between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0074] Furthermore, the units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0075] Furthermore, the functional modules in the various embodiments of the present invention can be integrated together to form an independent part, or each module can exist independently, or two or more modules can be integrated to form an independent part.

[0076] It should be noted that if the functionality is implemented as a software module and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0077] In this document, relational terms such as first and second are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, without necessarily requiring or implying any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations.

[0078] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can have various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A continuity testing terminal for a wind turbine blade lightning arrester, characterized in that, Set at the end of the robotic arm; The continuity test terminal includes: A force sensing module, located between the robotic arm and the test probe, is configured to detect the contact force between the test probe and the surface of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester in real time. The servo control module is configured to control the drive mechanism corresponding to the test probe based on the feedback signal of the contact force to keep the contact force constant at a preset target value. An electrical measurement module is configured to perform electrical performance tests on the wind turbine blade lightning arrester while maintaining a constant contact force.

2. The wind turbine blade lightning arrester continuity test terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism is disposed between the test probe and the force sensing module and is configured to generate a displacement along the feed direction of the test probe in response to the command of the servo control module.

3. The wind turbine blade lightning arrester continuity test terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The in-situ self-cleaning module is configured to clean the surface of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester to be contacted before the test probe contacts the wind turbine blade lightning arrester.

4. The wind turbine blade lightning arrester continuity test terminal according to claim 3, characterized in that, The in-situ self-cleaning module includes: A cleaning execution unit, disposed around and coaxially arranged with the test probe, is configured to perform physical cleaning operations on the contact surface of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester. A gas injection unit, located around the cleaning execution unit, is configured to provide directional airflow to the surface to be contacted to assist in the removal of loose contaminants; The waste collection unit is configured to collect or direct the discharge of cleaning byproducts generated by the cleaning execution unit and the gas injection unit during the cleaning process.

5. The wind turbine blade lightning arrester continuity test terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electrical measurement module includes: An electrical connector includes a current drive path for injecting test current and a voltage sensing path for acquiring voltage drop; wherein the current drive path includes two current drive terminals and the voltage sensing path includes two voltage sampling terminals. A micro-ohmmeter, electrically connected to the electrical connector, is configured to apply a test current to the current drive path through two current drive terminals and calculate the on-resistance value of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester based on the voltage drop signal acquired by the voltage sensing path.

6. The wind turbine blade lightning arrester continuity test terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The force sensing module includes: A six-dimensional force sensor is configured to monitor in real time the force and torque components in three orthogonal directions experienced by the test probe during contact with the lightning arrester of the wind turbine blade.

7. The wind turbine blade lightning arrester continuity test terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The force sensing module includes a combined structure of a one-dimensional force sensor and a two-dimensional displacement sensor. The one-dimensional force sensor, based on the strain gauge principle, is configured to detect the micro-deformation of the probe in the normal direction; the two-dimensional displacement sensor, based on optical principles, is configured to detect the displacement changes of the probe in two orthogonal planes perpendicular to the normal direction. The combined structure is configured to determine the contact force between the test probe and the wind turbine blade lightning arrester based on the micro-deformation and the displacement change.

8. A continuity test method, characterized in that, The method, applied to the wind turbine blade lightning arrester continuity test terminal as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, comprises: The continuity test terminal is controlled to contact the wind turbine blade lightning rod, and the contact force between the test probe and the surface of the wind turbine blade lightning rod is detected in real time. Based on the feedback signal of the contact force, the drive mechanism corresponding to the probe is controlled to keep the contact force constant at a preset target value; The electrical performance of the wind turbine blade lightning arrester was tested while maintaining a constant contact force.

9. An electronic device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the method described in claim 8.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions that, when invoked and executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method of claim 8.

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