Inspection system for at least partially blocked cooling holes in components

Abstract

An inspection system (126) and a related method are provided for inspecting cooling holes (120) in a component (90). The inspection system includes at least one inspection element (128). Each inspection element includes a probe element (132) configured to be inserted into a corresponding cooling hole (120) among a plurality of cooling holes. Each inspection element includes a triaxial force / torque transducer (140) operatively coupled to each probe element. The triaxial force / torque transducer measures a triaxial force and a triaxial torque applied to the probe element during insertion of the probe element into the corresponding cooling hole. A controller (150) is operatively coupled to each inspection element and determines whether the corresponding cooling hole into which the corresponding inspection element is inserted is at least partially blocked based on at least one of the triaxial force and triaxial torque measured by the triaxial force / torque transducer of the corresponding inspection element.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to industrial components. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a system for inspecting at least partially blocked cooling holes in industrial components. More particularly, the invention claimed herein relates to the subject matter set forth in the appended claims. Background Technology

[0002] Industrial components may include a body having one or more hollow cooling channels through which coolant passes to cool the component. The cooling channels may extend to the surface of the industrial component (e.g., a turbine airfoil or nozzle), with coolant exiting from multiple cooling holes in fluid communication with the coolant channels. The number of cooling holes can reach thousands on larger components.

[0003] After manufacturing or during maintenance, inspect cooling holes to ensure they are not clogged. Cooling holes can become at least partially clogged in a variety of ways. For example, cooling holes can be clogged by coatings applied to the outer surface of the component. In another example, cooling holes can be clogged by debris from reamers and / or drill bits used to shape their interior. Moreover, during certain processes, masking materials may be applied to cooling holes to prevent damaging material from entering, thereby avoiding damage to coolant channels, cooling holes, or other structures of the component. In some cases, the removal of masking material is incomplete, resulting in at least partial clogging of the cooling holes.

[0004] After any process that could potentially clog cooling orifices, inspect them to ensure they are not blocked. Inspection can take several forms. One method is to visually inspect the cooling orifices. Another method is to manually insert a wire or pin-like structure into the cooling orifice to identify blockages, for example, through human sensory feedback. Both of these methods are unreliable because they are highly subjective and based on the human user, and they are inefficient because, as noted, there can be thousands of cooling orifices. Furthermore, cooling orifices typically do not provide unobstructed views, making these methods highly subjective. Other methods involve flowing temperature-controlled fluid through the component and identifying blockages based on expected thermal imaging data, or flowing fluid through the component and checking the expected fluid flow rate from the cooling orifices. Both of these methods require equipment to flow fluid through the component and to thermally image the component or measure the flow rate at each cooling orifice of the component. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The invention claimed herein relates to the subject matter set forth in the appended claims. Aspects, examples, and features are described in the following description, whether or not they are claimed herein. All aspects, examples, and features mentioned below may be combined in any technically possible manner.

[0006] One aspect of this disclosure provides an inspection system for inspecting a plurality of cooling holes in a component. The inspection system includes: at least one inspection element, each inspection element comprising: a probe element, the probe element or at least a front end portion of the probe element being configured to be inserted into a respective cooling hole among the plurality of cooling holes; and a triaxial force / torque transducer operatively coupled to each probe element, the triaxial force / torque transducer being configured to measure a triaxial force and a triaxial torque applied to the probe element during insertion of the probe element into the respective cooling hole; and a controller operatively coupled to each inspection element and configured to determine, based on at least one of the triaxial force and triaxial torque measured by the triaxial force / torque transducer of the respective inspection element, whether a respective cooling hole into which at least partially, i.e., at least its front end portion, is inserted is at least partially blocked. As used herein, a triaxial force / torque transducer refers to a combined force and torque transducer configured and adapted to measure a force along each of the three axes and a torque about each of the three axes. A force / torque transducer is configured to measure the force along its axis, which may be referred to as a force value measuring axis. A force / torque transducer is configured to measure the torque around its axis, which may be referred to as a torque measuring axis. In a specific, and non-limiting aspect, at least one axis for measuring the force along its axis (i.e., at least one force value measuring axis) may be the same as at least one axis for measuring the torque around its axis (i.e., at least one torque measuring axis). In a further, and non-limiting, specific aspect, each of the three force value measuring axes may be the same as one of the three torque measuring axes. In other aspects, the force / torque transducer may be configured to simultaneously measure the force along each force value measuring axis. In a further aspect, the force / torque transducer may be configured to simultaneously measure the torque around each torque measuring axis. The force / torque transducer may be configured to simultaneously measure both force and torque. The force / torque transducer may be configured to simultaneously measure the force along each of the three force value measuring axes and the torque around each of the three torque measuring axes.

[0007] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and the controller is further configured to generate a dataset that associates a plurality of blockage features with a plurality of blockage types for at least one type of cooling hole, wherein each blockage feature is based on at least one of a triaxial force and a triaxial torque measured by a triaxial force / torque transducer for at least partial blockage of a corresponding cooling hole of the same type as at least one type of cooling hole.

[0008] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and the controller is further configured to identify the blockage type of the at least partially blocked portion by comparing the blockage features of the at least partially blocked portion in another corresponding cooling hole with a plurality of blockage features in a dataset.

[0009] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and the controller includes at least one of a machine learning algorithm and an advanced statistical analysis engine configured to analyze the dataset.

[0010] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and at least one inspection element further includes a tactile transducer configured to measure a tactile response to at least partial blockage in the respective cooling orifice in response to a predefined frequency applied to the respective cooling orifice, wherein each blockage feature is also based on a tactile response measured by the tactile transducer for at least partial blockage of the respective cooling orifice of the same type as at least one type of cooling orifice.

[0011] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and at least one inspection element further includes a tactile-visual transducer configured to measure the tactile and visual responses of the respective cooling orifice in response to a predefined frequency applied to the respective cooling orifice, and wherein each blockage feature is also based on the tactile and visual responses measured by the tactile-visual transducer for at least partial blockage of the respective cooling orifice of the same type as at least one type of cooling orifice.

[0012] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and at least one inspection element further includes a tactile transducer configured to measure the tactile response of the respective cooling hole in response to a predefined frequency applied to the respective cooling hole, wherein the controller is further configured to determine, in addition to at least one of the triaxial force and triaxial torque measured by a triaxial force / torque transducer of the inspection element inserted into the respective cooling hole, whether the respective cooling hole is at least partially blocked based on the tactile response.

[0013] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and at least one inspection element further includes a tactile-visual transducer configured to measure the tactile and visual responses of the respective cooling hole in response to a predefined frequency applied to the respective cooling hole, and wherein the controller is further configured to determine, in addition to at least one of the triaxial force and triaxial torque measured by a triaxial force / torque transducer of the inspection element inserted into the respective cooling hole, whether the respective cooling hole is at least partially blocked based on the tactile and visual responses.

[0014] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and also includes at least a semi-automatic positioning system configured to insert each probe element into a corresponding cooling hole.

[0015] Another aspect of this disclosure includes a method for inspecting a plurality of cooling holes in a component, the method comprising: inspecting each respective cooling hole of the plurality of cooling holes using an inspection element, the inspection element comprising: a probe element, the probe element or at least a front end portion thereof being configured to be inserted into the respective cooling hole of the plurality of cooling holes; and a triaxial force / torque transducer operatively coupled to the probe element, the triaxial force / torque transducer being configured to measure a triaxial force and a triaxial torque applied to the probe element, wherein the inspection includes inserting the probe element or at least a front end portion thereof into the respective cooling hole; using a controller operatively coupled to each inspection element, determining whether the respective cooling hole is at least partially blocked based on at least one of the triaxial force and triaxial torque measured by the triaxial force / torque transducer of the inspection element inserted into the respective cooling hole; and in response to the respective cooling hole being at least partially blocked, performing an action to correct the at least partial blockage.

[0016] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and also includes generating a dataset that associates a plurality of blockage features with a plurality of blockage types for at least one type of cooling hole, wherein each blockage feature is based on at least one of a triaxial force and a triaxial torque measured by a triaxial force / torque transducer for at least partial blockage of a corresponding cooling hole of the same type as at least one type of cooling hole.

[0017] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and further includes identifying the blockage type of the at least partially blocked portion by comparing the blockage features of the at least partially blocked portion in another corresponding cooling hole with a plurality of blockage features in a dataset.

[0018] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and also includes analyzing the dataset using at least one of machine learning algorithms and advanced statistical analysis engines.

[0019] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and at least one inspection element further includes a tactile transducer configured to measure a tactile response to at least partial blockage in the respective cooling orifice in response to a predefined frequency applied to the respective cooling orifice, wherein each blockage feature is also based on a tactile response measured by the tactile transducer for at least partial blockage of the respective cooling orifice of the same type as at least one type of cooling orifice.

[0020] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and at least one inspection element further includes a tactile-visual transducer configured to measure the tactile and visual responses of the respective cooling orifice in response to a predefined frequency applied to the respective cooling orifice, and wherein each blockage feature is also based on the tactile and visual responses measured by the tactile-visual transducer for at least partial blockage of the respective cooling orifice of the same type as at least one type of cooling orifice.

[0021] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and at least one inspection element further includes a tactile transducer configured to measure the tactile response of the respective cooling hole in response to a predefined frequency applied to the respective cooling hole, and the determination of whether the respective cooling hole is at least partially blocked is also based on the tactile response, in addition to at least one of the triaxial force and triaxial torque measured by a triaxial force / torque transducer of the inspection element inserted into the respective cooling hole.

[0022] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects and / or the features of any of the appended claims, and at least one inspection element further includes a tactile-visual transducer configured to measure the tactile and visual responses of the respective cooling hole in response to a predefined frequency applied to the respective cooling hole, and wherein determining whether the respective cooling hole is at least partially blocked is based on the tactile and visual responses, in addition to at least one of the triaxial force and triaxial torque measured by a triaxial force / torque transducer of the inspection element inserted into the respective cooling hole.

[0023] Two or more aspects described in this disclosure (including those described in this overview section) can be combined to form specific embodiments not specifically described herein. That is, all embodiments described herein can be combined with each other.

[0024] Details of one or more specific embodiments are set forth in the following figures and description. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the specification, figures, and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0025] These and other features of the present disclosure will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of various aspects of the present disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings depicting various embodiments thereof, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 A perspective view of an exemplary industrial component in the form of a turbine blade to which the teachings of this disclosure can be applied is shown;

[0027] Figure 2 A perspective view is shown of an exemplary industrial component in the form of a turbine nozzle to which the teachings of this disclosure can be applied;

[0028] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an inspection system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional side view of an inspection element in a cooling hole that is at least partially blocked, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown.

[0030] Figure 5 Cross-sectional views of cooling holes with different cross-sectional dimensions are shown;

[0031] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of an inspection element according to other embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0032] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an inspection element according to an additional embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0033] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating a method for inspecting multiple cooling holes according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0034] Figure 9 A graph showing triaxial force measurements Fx, Fy, and Fz versus time during inspection of at least partially blocked cooling holes, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is provided.

[0035] Figures 10A to 10B A partial cross-sectional side view of an inspection element inserted into a cooling hole that is at least partially blocked, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown.

[0036] Figure 11 A graph illustrating triaxial force measurements Fx, Fy, and Fz versus time during inspection of partially blocked cooling holes, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, is shown; and

[0037] Figure 12 A graph showing triaxial torque measurements Mx, My, and Mz versus time during inspection of partially blocked cooling holes, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is presented.

[0038] It should be noted that the accompanying drawings of this disclosure are not necessarily drawn to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of this disclosure and should therefore not be considered as limiting the scope of this disclosure. In the drawings, similar numbers denote similar elements between figures. Detailed Implementation

[0039] First, in order to clearly describe the subject matter of the present art, it will be necessary to select certain terms when referring to and describing relevant machine parts in exemplary applications of industrial components (such as turbine nozzles or airfoils) having cooling holes. In doing so, common industry terms will be used and adopted in a manner consistent with their accepted meanings, where possible. Unless otherwise stated, such terms should be given a broad interpretation consistent with the context of this application and the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art will understand that several different or overlapping terms may generally be used to refer to a particular part. An object that can be described herein as a single part may include multiple parts and is referred to in another context as being composed of multiple parts. Alternatively, an object that can be described herein as comprising multiple parts may elsewhere be referred to as a single part.

[0040] Furthermore, several descriptive terms may be used regularly throughout this document, and it should prove helpful to define these terms at the beginning of this section. Unless otherwise stated, these terms and their definitions are as follows. As used herein, “downstream” and “upstream” are terms that indicate the direction of flow relative to a fluid, such as coolant flowing through cooling holes in turbine components. The term “downstream” corresponds to the direction of fluid flow, and the term “upstream” refers to the direction opposite to the flow.

[0041] It is often necessary to describe parts that are radially positioned relative to a central axis. The term "axial" refers to movement or positioning parallel to an axis (e.g., the axis of a cooling hole). The term "radial" refers to movement or positioning perpendicular to an axis (e.g., the axis of a cooling hole). In such cases, if a first part resides closer to the axis than a second part, this document will state that the first part is "radially inward" or "inner" of the second part. On the other hand, if the first part resides further away from the axis than the second part, this document may state that the first part is "radially outward" or "outer" of the second part. Finally, the term "circumferential" refers to movement or positioning about an axis, such as the circumferential inner surface of a cooling hole. As noted above, it should be understood that such terms can be applied relative to the axis of a cooling hole in a turbine component or other structure.

[0042] In addition, several descriptive terms may be used regularly in this document, as described below. The terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to indicate the location or importance of a single component.

[0043] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that, when used in the specification, the terms “comprising” and / or “including” specify the presence of the stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. “Optional” or “optionally” means that the events subsequently described may or may not occur, or the features subsequently described may or may not be present, and the description includes instances where the events occur (or the features are present) and instances where the events do not occur (or the features are not present).

[0044] When an element or layer is referred to as “on another element or layer,” “joined to another element or layer,” “connected to another element or layer,” “linked to another element or layer,” or “mounted to another element or layer,” it may be directly on, joined to, connected to, linked to, or mounted to another element or layer, or an intermediary element or layer may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as “directly on another element or layer,” “directly joined to another element or layer,” “directly connected to another element or layer,” or “directly linked to another element or layer,” an intermediary element or layer is not present. Other terms used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., “between” vs. “directly between,” “adjacent” vs. “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The verb forms “link” and “mount” are used interchangeably herein.

[0045] Embodiments of this disclosure include an inspection system and related methods for inspecting cooling holes in components. The inspection system includes at least one inspection element. Each inspection element includes a probe element configured to be inserted into a corresponding cooling hole among a plurality of cooling holes. Each inspection element also includes a triaxial force / torque transducer operatively coupled to each probe element. The triaxial force / torque transducer measures triaxial forces Fx, Fy, Fz and triaxial torques Mx, My, Mz applied to the probe element during insertion of the probe element into the corresponding cooling hole (i.e., over time). A controller is operatively coupled to each inspection element and determines whether the corresponding cooling hole into which the inspection element is inserted is at least partially blocked based on at least one of the triaxial forces Fx, Fy, Fz and triaxial torques Mx, My, Mz measured by the triaxial force / torque transducer of the corresponding inspection element. This disclosure enables non-destructive inspection of cooling holes with improved accuracy and efficiency. Inspection systems and methods do not necessarily require fluid to flow through components or direct the line of sight to cooling holes, and do not rely on human sensory feedback.

[0046] Figure 1 and Figure 2 An inspection system according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Figures 1 to 2 A perspective view of an exemplary industrial component 90 (not shown). For descriptive purposes, the exemplary industrial component 90 may include a turbine blade 100 (…). Figure 1 ) or turbine fixed nozzle 102 ( Figure 2 Each component 90 includes a body 110, which may have one or more central cooling channels 112 defined therein for delivering coolant through portions of the body 110. In an exemplary component, at least a portion of the body 110 may include an airfoil 114 through which the cooling channels 112 extend; however, it should be understood that the teachings of this disclosure can be applied to a variety of other portions of the turbine blade 100 or turbine nozzle 102. The cooling channels 112 may take various paths through the airfoil 114, such as sinusoidal, U-shaped, etc. The cooling channels 112 also include sub-channels 116 for delivering coolant to an outer surface 118 of the component 90. The coolant exits the component 90 through a plurality of cooling holes 120 disposed in the outer surface 118 of the component 90. Although the cooling holes 120 are shown as being in a specific edge (e.g., trailing or leading edge) of the airfoil 114, it should be appreciated that they may be located in a variety of locations on the component 90. It should be understood that each component 90 may include hundreds, possibly thousands, of cooling holes 120. As noted, material may at least partially block one or more cooling holes 120, and may enter the cooling holes during the initial formation of the cooling holes 120 and / or during maintenance of the component 90.

[0047] Figure 3A schematic diagram of an inspection system 126 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The inspection system 126 includes at least one inspection element 128 for inspecting corresponding cooling holes 134 among a plurality of cooling holes 120 in a component 90. Figure 3 Seven inspection elements 128 are shown, but any number can be used. The inspection elements 128 can be arranged to inspect any corresponding number of corresponding cooling holes 134 simultaneously or sequentially. As will be described herein, the inspection system 126 also includes a computerized controller 150. Optionally, as will be described herein, the inspection system 126 may also include at least a semi-automatic positioning system 178 for one or more inspection elements 128.

[0048] refer to Figures 4 to 7 The details of inspecting element 128 will now be described. Figure 4 A side view of an inspection element 128 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Each inspection element 128 includes a probe element 132 configured to be inserted into a corresponding cooling hole 134 among a plurality of cooling holes 120. In this respect, the probe element 132 may have a maximum external dimension (OD) smaller than the minimum internal dimension (ID) of the corresponding cooling hole 134. Although the probe element 132 and the corresponding cooling hole 134 are shown as circular (see, for example...), Figure 3 However, they can have different cross-sectional shapes. Cooling holes 134 can have a variety of alternative shapes, such as, but not limited to, oval and trapezoidal. Furthermore, as understood in the art, cooling holes 134 can have different cross-sectional shapes and / or dimensions at different locations along their length. Figure 5 An example of a cooling orifice 134 is shown, which has different cross-sectional shapes and / or sizes for the cooling orifice 134. In this example, the cooling orifice 134 may have an internal metering portion 167 and an external expansion portion 169, the internal metering portion having a first cross-sectional area (at D1) for metering the coolant flow from the respective cooling orifice 134, and the external expansion portion having an enlarged or amplified cross-sectional area (indicated by D2) extending from the internal metering portion 167 to the outer surface 118 of the component 90 for allowing the coolant to expand and unfold as it exits the respective cooling orifice 134. It should be appreciated that the cooling orifice 134 may have a variety of alternative shapes and / or sizes that can be addressed by the inspection system 126 within the scope of this disclosure. The probe element 132 typically has a maximum external dimension OD ( Figure 4 ) to be assembled in the minimum internal dimension (ID) of the corresponding cooling hole 134 ( Figure 4 Within. Each probe element 132 can be in various forms to ensure it is fitted into the corresponding cooling hole 134 to the desired depth. Although Figure 3All probe elements 132 in the diagram are shown as the same type, but when multiple inspection elements 128 are used, the format (e.g., cross-sectional shape, cross-sectional size, length, etc.) of each probe element 132 may vary depending on the corresponding cooling hole 134 used therein.

[0049] The probe element 132 may be made of any material with sufficient strength to accurately transmit the triaxial forces Fx, Fy, Fz and / or the triaxial torques Mx, My, Mz (i.e., rotational forces) along its length, i.e., when inserted into the corresponding cooling hole 134. In some embodiments, the probe element 132 may be rigid; however, it may also have a degree of flexibility to allow it to pass through the bending areas of the corresponding cooling hole 134. The probe element 132 may be made of metal or metal alloys (such as aluminum), plastic, or other materials with sufficient strength to accurately transmit the triaxial forces Fx, Fy, Fz and / or the triaxial torques Mx, My, Mz along its length, i.e., when inserted into the corresponding cooling hole 134.

[0050] like Figure 4 As shown, each inspection element 128 also includes a triaxial force / torque transducer 140 operatively coupled to each probe element 132. The triaxial force / torque transducer 140 (hereinafter referred to as "3FT transducer 140") is configured to measure the forces applied to the probe element 132 along the three axes (i.e., X, Y, and Z) and the torques applied to the probe element 132 about the three axes (i.e., rotational forces about the three axes X, Y, and Z) during insertion of the probe element 132 into the corresponding cooling hole 134. That is, the 3FT transducer 140 converts the mechanical forces (i.e., the triaxial forces, Fx, Fy, Fz, and the triaxial torques, Mx, My, Mz) into electrical signals that can be read and analyzed. The 3FT transducer 140 may include any triaxial force / torque transducer or sensor now known or developed hereafter, such as, but not limited to, strain gauge-based, piezoelectric-based, capacitance-based, optical-based, magnetostrictive-based, and / or combinations thereof.

[0051] Figure 6 and Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the inspection element 128 according to various other embodiments is shown. In some embodiments, such as Figure 6As shown, the inspection element 128 may also include a tactile transducer 142 configured to measure the tactile response TR of the corresponding cooling hole in response to a predefined frequency FP applied to the corresponding cooling hole 134. The tactile transducer 142 may include any device now known or developed hereafter that transmits vibration (i.e., at the predefined frequency FP) into the cooling hole 134 and measures the tactile response TR, i.e., converts the vibration response into an electrical signal that can be read and analyzed. The tactile response can be analyzed to identify blockages within the corresponding cooling hole 134. The tactile transducer 142 may include any tactile / vibration transducer or sensor now known or developed hereafter, such as, but not limited to, those based on piezoresistive, optical, magnetic, and / or combinations thereof. The tactile transducer 142 may include an array of tactile elements, wherein each element functions similarly to an image pixel, providing both the location and numerical value of the measured force and / or torque.

[0052] In some implementations, such as Figure 7 As shown, the inspection element 128 may further include a tactile-visual transducer 144 configured to measure the tactile response TR and visual response VR of the respective cooling hole in response to a predefined frequency FP applied to the respective cooling hole 134. The tactile-visual transducer 144 may include a tactile transducer 142 as described herein and an imaging device 146. In some cases, the tactile transducer 142 and the imaging device 146 may be an integrated unit. The imaging device 146 may include any device now known or developed hereafter that captures a visual image from the respective cooling hole 134 in an electronic signal (i.e., a digital camera). The tactile response TP and visual response VR may be analyzed to identify blockages within the respective cooling hole 134. The tactile-visual transducer 144 may include any tactile / vibration and visual transducer or sensor now known or developed hereafter that combines tactile and visual sensing capabilities, enabling simultaneous perception of touch and line of sight, such as GelSight, available from Waltham, Massachusetts, USA. ® Some of their products.

[0053] Return to Figure 3 The inspection system 126 also includes a controller 150, which is operatively coupled to each inspection element 128 and configured to operate based on the triaxial forces Fx, Fy, Fz (measured by the 3FT transducer 140 of the respective inspection element 128). Figure 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 ) and triaxial torques Mx, My, Mz ( Figure 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 7At least one of the following is used to determine whether the corresponding cooling hole 134 into which the corresponding inspection element 128 is inserted is at least partially blocked, etc. That is, the controller 150 determines whether the corresponding cooling hole 134 into which the corresponding inspection element 128 is inserted is at least partially blocked based on the force Fx, force Fy, force Fz, torque Mx, torque My and / or torque Mz measured by the 3FT transducer 140 of the corresponding inspection element 128. The controller 150 may include any industrial computerized controller now known or developed hereafter capable of performing the functions described herein. More particularly, in some embodiments, the controller 150 includes a computer infrastructure 152 capable of performing the various process steps described herein with respect to the inspection system 126. The computer infrastructure 152 is shown as including a computing device 154 that includes an inspection system controller 156 and an optional positioning system controller 188. The inspection system controller 156 enables the computing device 154 to use the inspection element 128 to determine whether the cooling hole 120 is at least partially blocked. As will be described herein, the optional positioning system controller 188 provides at least some control over the (optional) at least semi-automatic positioning system 178.

[0054] The computing device 154 of controller 150 is shown as including memory 160, processor (PU) 162, input / output (I / O) interface 164, and bus 168. Furthermore, computing device 154 is shown communicating with external I / O interface 170 and storage system 172. As is known in the art, generally, processor 162 executes computer program code stored in memory 160 and / or storage system 172, such as checking system controller 156. While executing the computer program code, processor 162 may read and / or write data (such as operational data) to / from memory 160, storage system 172, and / or I / O interface 170. Bus 168 provides a communication link between each component in computing device 154. I / O interface 170 may include any device that enables a user to interact with computing device 154 or any device that enables computing device 154 to communicate with one or more other computing devices, checking element 128, and / or at least semi-automatic positioning system 178. Input / output devices (including but not limited to keyboards, displays, pointing devices, inspection elements 128, etc.) can be connected to the system directly or through an intermediate I / O controller.

[0055] In any case, computing device 154 may include any general-purpose computing article (e.g., personal computer, server, handheld device, etc.) capable of executing computer program code installed by a user. However, it should be understood that computing device 154 and inspection system controller 156 (and positioning system controller 188) represent only various possible equivalent computing devices capable of performing the various process steps of this disclosure. In this regard, in other embodiments, computing device 154 may include any special-purpose computing article having hardware and / or computer program code for performing a specific function, any computing article including combinations of special-purpose and general-purpose hardware / software, etc. In each case, the program code and hardware may be created using standard programming and engineering techniques, respectively.

[0056] Similarly, computer infrastructure 152 only illustrates various types of computer infrastructure used to implement this disclosure. For example, in one embodiment, computer infrastructure 152 includes two or more computing devices (e.g., a server cluster) communicating via any type of wired and / or wireless communication link (such as a network, shared memory, etc.) to perform various process steps of this disclosure. When the communication link includes a network, the network may include any combination of one or more types of networks (e.g., the Internet, a wide area network, a local area network, a virtual private network, etc.). Network adapters may also be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system to connect to other data processing systems or remote printers or storage devices via intermediary private or public networks. Modems, cable modems, and Ethernet cards are just a few of the types of network adapters currently available. In any case, communication between computing devices can utilize any combination of various types of transmission technologies.

[0057] As previously mentioned and further discussed below, the inspection system controller 156 enables the computing infrastructure 152 to transmit data to / from the inspection element 128 and analyze data from the inspection element 128. The inspection system controller 156 also enables the computing infrastructure 152 to transmit data to / from the database 174 to determine blockages in the cooling orifice 120. For example, as will also be described herein, the database 174 may store / include datasets that associate multiple blockage characteristics with multiple blockage types for at least one type of cooling orifice 120, etc. As will also be described herein, the datasets can be used to determine whether at least partial blockage exists in the corresponding cooling orifice 134 and / or the type of blockage. Blockage characteristics may include properties (e.g., values ​​and / or patterns) of any of the forces Fx, Fy, Fz, torques Mx, My, and Mz associated with a blockage type for a particular type of cooling orifice 120, etc. As described, the types of blockage may include, but are not limited to: complete blockage of a flat surface, complete blockage of a non-flat surface that forces the probe to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise, and partial blockage that causes axial dispersion of various force and torque values ​​over time when the probe element 132 is inserted.

[0058] For introduction, an inspection system controller 156 is shown, comprising a determiner 180, a feature generator 182, and a blockage type characterizer 184. The inspection system controller 156 may also optionally include at least one of a machine learning algorithm (ML Alg.) and an advanced statistical analysis (ASA) engine 186. The functionality of all the components of the inspection system controller 156 mentioned above will also be described herein. The inspection system controller 156 may interact with a positioning system controller 188 to control the operation of at least a semi-automatic positioning system 178. Alternatively, the positioning system controller 188 may be configured separately from the inspection system 126, for example, as part of at least a semi-automatic positioning system 178, and may communicate operationally with the inspection system controller 156 rather than as part of the inspection system 126. The inspection system controller 156 may also include other system components (not shown) to aid in determining whether the cooling hole 120 is at least partially blocked, in addition to those explicitly described herein. It should be understood that... Figure 3 Some of the various systems shown may be implemented, combined, and / or stored in memory independently for one or more separate computing devices included in computer infrastructure 152. Furthermore, it should be understood that some systems and / or functions may not be implemented, or additional systems and / or functions may be included as part of computer infrastructure 152.

[0059] As those skilled in the art will understand, the inspection system controller 156 and positioning system controller 188, and portions thereof, according to this disclosure, may be embodied as a system, method, or computer program product. Therefore, portions of this disclosure may take the form of a completely hardware implementation, a completely software implementation (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or a combination of software and hardware implementations that are generally referred to herein in their entirety as a “circuit,” “module,” or “system.” Furthermore, portions of this disclosure may take the form of a computer program product embodied in any tangible medium containing computer-usable program code.

[0060] Any combination of one or more computer-usable or computer-readable media may be used. Computer-usable or computer-readable media can be, for example, but not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatuses, devices, or propagation media. More specific examples of computer-readable media (not an exhaustive list) will include: electrical connections with one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, transmission media (such as those supporting the Internet or intranets), magnetic storage devices, or solid-state storage devices. It should be noted that computer-usable or computer-readable media can even be another suitable medium, such as paper or on which a program is printed, because a program can be captured electronically via, for example, optical scanning of paper or other media, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed as appropriate, and then stored in computer memory. In the context of this document, computer-usable or computer-readable media can be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Computer-usable media may include propagated data signals embodying computer-usable program code, either in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. The computer-usable program code can be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, fiber optic cable, RF, etc. In some embodiments, the computer-usable program code is in a non-transitory form.

[0061] Computer program code used to perform the operations of this disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​(such as Python, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, C, C#, C++, SQL, etc.) and regular procedural programming languages. The program code may be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter case, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network (including cellular networks, local area networks (LANs), or wide area networks (WANs)), or the connection may be to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0062] In some embodiments, insertion of the inspection element 128 into the corresponding cooling hole 134 can be performed manually by a human. In this case, each of the one or more inspection elements 128 can be arranged to be manually positioned in the corresponding cooling hole 134 among the possible plurality of cooling holes 120. Some form of trigger (not shown) may be provided that causes the controller 150 to guide the 3FT transducer 140 to measure at least three-axis forces and three-axis torques, namely force Fx, force Fy, force Fz, torque Mx, torque My, and / or torque Mz. However, in other embodiments, as noted, the inspection system 126 may also include at least a semi-automatic positioning system 178 (hereinafter referred to as "positioning system 178") configured to, for example, insert each probe element 132 into the corresponding cooling hole 134 simultaneously or sequentially. The controller 150 is operatively coupled to the positioning system 178 to control at least some operations of the positioning system 178 via a positioning system controller 188 of the positioning system. Alternatively, the positioning system 178 may be used separately from the controller 150 to position each of one or more inspection elements 128 at least semi-automatically into a corresponding cooling hole 134 among a plurality of cooling holes 120. In some embodiments, the positioning system 178 may comprise any now-known or later-developed form of fully automated robot that does not require human-machine interaction. Alternatively, the positioning system 178 may comprise any now-known or later-developed semi-automated collaborative robot that requires some human-machine interaction. The semi-automated collaborative robot may assist human activities, such as lifting and / or positioning multiple inspection elements 128. In any case, such as Figure 3As shown, the positioning system 178 is configured to insert (and retract from) the probe element 132 of the inspection element 128 into the corresponding cooling hole 134. More specifically, the positioning system 178 is configured to position the inspection element 128 (possibly under the control of the controller 150) within the corresponding cooling hole 134 such that the 3FT transducer 140 can measure at least three-axis forces Fx, Fy, Fz and three-axis torques Mx, My, Mz, i.e., over time. Since different types of positioning systems 140 are well known in the art, further details are not required for understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0063] Regardless of whether the inspection system 126 is fully automatic, semi-automatic, or manually operated, the controller 150 can use the 3FT transducer 140 to measure at least three-axis forces Fx, Fy, Fz and three-axis torques Mx, My, Mz. The controller 150 can also determine whether a corresponding cooling hole 134 is at least partially blocked based on at least one of the three-axis forces Fx, Fy, Fz and three-axis torques Mx, My, Mz measured by the 3FT transducer 140 inserted into the inspection element 128 in the corresponding cooling hole 134. When using the positioning system 178, the controller 150 can also control parameters of the positioning of the injector element 128, such as the initial force, speed, and / or path used.

[0064] refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figures 6 to 8 The following describes a computer-based method for detecting blockages in cooling vents. Figure 8 A plurality of cooling holes 120 are shown for describing the inspection component 90. Figures 1 to 3 A flowchart of a computer-implemented method. More specifically, the flowchart describes the triaxial forces Fx, Fy, Fz (measured by a 3FT transducer 140 via an inspection element 128 inserted into the corresponding cooling hole 134) based on measurements of the triaxial forces Fx, Fy, Fz. Figure 4 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 ) and triaxial torques Mx, My, Mz ( Figure 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 The method of determining whether the corresponding cooling hole 134 is at least partially blocked by at least one of the following.

[0065] In step S10, as Figure 4As shown, for each corresponding cooling hole 134 of a plurality of cooling holes 120 to be inspected, the method may include using a corresponding inspection element 128 to inspect each or at least some of the corresponding cooling holes 134. More specifically, the inspection includes inserting a probe element 132 of the inspection element 128 into the corresponding cooling hole 134. As described herein, each inspection element 128 includes a probe element 132 configured to be inserted into a corresponding cooling hole 134 of the plurality of cooling holes 120 and a 3FT transducer 140 operatively coupled to the probe element 132. Furthermore, the 3FT transducer 140 is configured to measure triaxial forces Fx, Fy, Fz and triaxial torques Mx, My, Mz applied to the probe element 132. More specifically, during insertion into the corresponding cooling hole 134, the 3FT transducer 140 measures at least three axial forces Fx, Fy, Fz and three axial torques Mx, My, Mz, that is, it begins and continues to measure the three axial forces Fx, Fy, Fz and the three axial torques Mz, My, Mz over time when the probe element 132 is inserted. Figure 6 In this implementation, the tactile transducer 142 can also measure the tactile response TR. Figure 7 In one implementation, the tactile-visual transducer 144, including the imaging device 146, can also measure the visual response VR, for example, an image that is at least partially obscured. As noted, some form of trigger may be used to indicate when to begin measurement, or measurement may be started automatically based on some change in the measured values ​​of the triaxial forces Fx, Fy, Fz or the triaxial torques Mx, My, Mz from the non-insertion position of the probe element 132, for example, starting from an "always-on" arrangement.

[0066] As noted, insertion of probe element 132 can be performed manually. Alternatively, positioning system 178 can be used to position each of one or more inspection elements 128 into a corresponding cooling hole 134 among a plurality of possible cooling holes 120, at least semi-automatically. As noted, positioning system 178 may comprise any now-known or later-developed form of fully automated robot that does not require human-machine interaction. In this case, positioning system 178 may be controlled by inspection system controller 156 via positioning system controller 188, or by positioning system controller 188 alone, to position probe element 132 into the corresponding cooling hole 134. Alternatively, positioning system 178 may comprise any now-known or later-developed semi-automated collaborative robot that requires some human-machine interaction. In any case, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the positioning system 178 can optionally be used to position the probe element 132 of the inspection element 128 within the corresponding cooling hole 134.

[0067] Figure 9An illustration of an embodiment according to this disclosure is shown during inspection. Figure 4 The graph shows the triaxial force measurements Fx, Fy, and Fz versus time during the period when the cooling hole 120 was blocked. Figure 4 As shown, the corresponding cooling hole 134 has a certain type of plugging material 190 that at least partially blocks the corresponding cooling hole 134. Figure 4 Examples include drill bits and shielding materials. Figure 4 In cross-section, the blocking material 190 blocks most of the corresponding cooling hole 134, so it appears to be completely blocked. That is, it should be understood that a portion of the cooling hole entering or leaving the page may be open, so the cooling hole 134 is only partially blocked. The blocking material 190 is also shown as a flat surface 192 having an axis perpendicular to the probe element 132 (see dashed line). Figure 9 As shown, when probe element 132 is inserted (see illustration A), the triaxial forces Fx, Fy, and Fz remain constant at zero. When probe element 132 engages the blocking material 190 at time T1 (see illustration B), as... Figure 4 The triaxial force Fz shown in the diagram is the axial force along the probe element 132, and its value increases rapidly as the probe element 132 is pushed against the blocking material 190. Here, the blocking material 190 has sufficient volume and / or extends across the corresponding cooling hole 134 to prevent the probe element 132 from rotating or turning, which will produce a change in the triaxial torques Mx, My, or Mz. Conversely, the blocking material 190 only produces an increase in the value of the axial force Fz. That is, in Figure 4 and Figure 9 In the example, since the probe element 132 enters the corresponding cooling hole 134 and is not rotated by any obstacle, no changes in the triaxial torques Mx, My, and Mz values ​​are measured. Figure 9 The measurement shown is typical of a fully blocked system, where the blockage material 190 is positioned approximately perpendicular to the Z-axis of the probe element 132 and the 3FT transducer 140 (see [reference]). Figure 4 The flat surface 192 (dashed line in the diagram). The force Fz is increased to a specific maximum level (i.e., the force used to insert the probe element 132), after which no further insertion of the probe element 132 occurs.

[0068] continue Figure 8 During insertion, as shown in optional step S12 (within dashed box), controller 150 may also guide tactile transducer 142 ( Figure 6 (If provided) Measure tactile response TR ( Figure 6For example, each tactile element measures an image pixel, providing both the location and numerical value of the force and / or torque. This tactile data may also include information about peak frequencies and can be used to correlate with and identify the type and severity of the blockage. Peak frequency refers to the rate at which the tactile elements within tactile transducer 142 record force or torque events. Furthermore, it may also represent the frequency at which the force or torque sensed by tactile transducer 142 exceeds a specified threshold. During insertion, as shown in the optional step S14 (dashed box), controller 150 may also guide tactile-visual transducer 144 via imaging device 146 (… Figure 7 (If provided) Measure visual response VR ( Figure 7 ).

[0069] Step S10, and optional steps S12 and S14, can be performed by the inspection system 126 for each corresponding cooling hole 134 in which the inspection element 128 is inserted, thus allowing measurements to be determined for any number of cooling holes 120. This process can occur simultaneously or sequentially.

[0070] In step S16, the determiner 180 determines whether the corresponding cooling hole 134 into which the corresponding inspection element 128 is inserted is at least partially blocked based on at least one of the triaxial forces (i.e., Fx, Fy, and / or Fz) and triaxial torques (i.e., Mx, My, and / or Mz) measured by the 3FT transducer 140 of the corresponding inspection element 128. That is, the controller 150 ( Figure 3 The inspection system controller 156 ( Figure 3 The determiner 180 ( Figure 3 The presence or absence of at least partial blockage in the corresponding cooling hole 134 into which the corresponding inspection element 128 is inserted is determined based on the forces Fx, Fy, Fz, torque Mx, torque My, and / or torque Mz measured by the 3FT transducer 140 of the corresponding inspection element 128. This step can be performed for each inspection element 128 used by the inspection system 126, thus allowing simultaneous determination of blockage for any number of multiple cooling holes 120. Figure 9 An illustrative measurement is shown in one example, for which the plugging material 190 ( Figure 4 The complete blockage extending across the entire cross-section of the corresponding cooling hole 134 can be determined by the determiner 180 based on a force Fz change exceeding a predefined amount, which can be specified by the user. As noted, Figure 9 The curve graph shows the 3FT transducer 140 ( Figure 3 and Figure 4 The illustrative measurement performed indicated complete blockage.

[0071] The application of the inspection system 126 is not limited to the measurement of a single axial force Fz. As described herein, the 3FT transducer 140 measures forces Fx, Fy, Fz, torque Mx, torque My, and / or torque Mz. Furthermore, the tactile transducer 142 optionally measures the tactile response TR (…). Figure 6 ), and the haptic-visual transducer 144 optionally measures the visual response VR via the imaging device 146. Figure 7 According to embodiments of this disclosure, various measured parameters can be used to make a more accurate and detailed determination relative to at least partial blockage of the cooling hole 120. For illustration, Figures 10A to 10B An inspection system 126 according to other embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional side view of the inspection element 128 inserted into the at least partially blocked cooling hole 134. Figures 10A to 10B As shown, the corresponding cooling hole 134 has plugging materials 190A to 190E that at least partially block the corresponding cooling hole 134 at different axial positions along the hole. Figure 4 For example, masking material residue, parts of the drill bit, etc. For descriptive purposes, it is assumed that each blockage material 190A to 190E is blocked by: a) only a portion of the cross-sectional dimension of the corresponding cooling hole 134, so that the probe element 132 can sequentially engage each blockage material 190A to 190E; b) only a small axial length of the corresponding cooling hole 134; and c) possibly only a portion of the circumferential range of the corresponding cooling hole 134. Figures 10A to 10B Step S10 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, wherein partial blockage exists in the respective cooling hole 134.

[0072] Figure 11 The following is shown in the inspection Figures 10A to 10B The graph shows the triaxial forces Fx, Fy, and Fz measured relative to time during the partial blockage of cooling holes 134. Figure 12 The following is shown in the inspection Figures 10A to 10B The graph shows the triaxial torque measurements Mx, My, and Mz versus time during the partial blockage of the cooling hole 134. As noted, for each corresponding cooling hole 134 among a plurality of cooling holes 120, the method may include using an inspection element 128 to inspect each or at least some of the corresponding cooling holes 134. More specifically, the inspection includes inserting the probe element 132 of the inspection element 128 into the corresponding cooling hole 134, such as... Figure 10A As shown. Figure 11 As shown, when probe element 132 is inserted, the triaxial forces Fx, Fy, and Fz remain constant at zero. Also... Figure 11As shown, when probe element 132 engages the outermost blocking material 190A at time T1, all three triaxial forces Fx, Fy, and Fz change their values. For example, forces Fy and Fz can be positive forces above zero (e.g., thrust), and force Fx can be a negative force below zero (e.g., tension). Similarly, as Figure 12 As shown, when probe element 132 engages the plugging material 190A at time TT1, the torques Mx and My change from zero. For example, torque My can be a positive torque above zero (e.g., a clockwise rotational force), and torque Mx can be a negative torque below zero (e.g., a counterclockwise rotational force). In this example, torque Mz remains zero. In summary, the plugging material 190A has sufficient volume and / or extends across the corresponding cooling hole 134 in such a way that when probe element 132 engages the plugging material 190A, probe element 132 is rotated about two axes (X and Y) and forces (non-zero) are generated along three axes (X, Y, and Z).

[0073] Additionally, the 3FT transducer 140 and probe element 132 can be configured such that the measurement value of the 3FT transducer 140 is zeroed before being inserted into the corresponding cooling hole 134, and the probe element 132, in a predefined orientation, generates known positive and negative measurements for triaxial forces (e.g., thrust in the positive direction and tension in the negative direction) and triaxial torques (e.g., clockwise positive and counterclockwise negative) by engaging with the blocking material 190A to 190E in the corresponding cooling hole 134 through forced (rotational or linear) movement in a given direction from the predefined orientation.

[0074] continue Figure 10B As the probe element 132 continues to be inserted into the corresponding cooling hole 134, such as Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, it occurs in different ways at different times T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 ( Figure 11 ) and TT1, TT2, TT3, TT4, TT5 ( Figure 12 (This can be combined with different plugging materials: 190B, 190C, 190D, and 190E.) (Note:) Figure 10B The end of probe element 132 that has passed through blockage material 190C is shown, but it should be understood that probe element 132 sequentially passes through each blockage material 190A to 190E. When this occurs, the triaxial forces Fx, Fy, and Fz change values, and the triaxial torques Mx, My, and Mz change values, depending on how each blockage material 190B to 190E causes probe element 132 to react, as measured by the 3FT transducer 140. For example, as... Figure 11As shown, at time T2, at least one of the three axial forces changes from its value at time T1. For example, force Fx increases to a positive value, force Fy decreases to a negative value, and force Fz decreases to near zero. Similarly, as... Figure 12 As shown, when probe element 132 engages the blockage material 190B at time TT2, the torques Mx and My change. For example, torque My decreases to a negative torque below zero (e.g., counterclockwise rotational force), and torque Mx increases to a positive torque above zero (e.g., clockwise rotational force). In this example, torque Mz remains zero. Here, material 190B has sufficient volume and / or extends across the corresponding cooling hole 134 in such a way that it rotatably forces (non-zero) probe element 132 about two axes (X and Y) and generates forces (non-zero) along three axes (X, Y, and Z), but in a different manner than those measured for material 190A. In this way, each at least partially blockage produced by blockage materials 190A to 190E has different “blockage characteristics,” including, for example, specific values ​​or patterns of forces Fx, Fy, Fz and / or torques Mx, My and / or Mx that can be used to identify the type of blockage, for example, in other cooling holes 120.

[0075] Note that the clogging characteristics for each clogging material 190A to 190E are typically shown at the time the probe element 132 engages with it. It should be emphasized that... Figure 11 and Figure 12 The numbered times on the graph (e.g., Figure 11 T1 to T6 and Figure 12 The TT1 to TT6 in the diagram may not match in time sequence based on their numerical assignment. More specifically, for any of the exemplary plugging materials 190A to 190E, the 3FT transducer 140 can measure force and torque at different times as the probe element 132 engages and / or moves through a given plugging material 190A to 190E. For example, when the probe element 132 initially engages the plugging material 190C, the 3FT transducer 140 can measure a change in one force or another at time A, but not a change in one torque or another until after time A. That is, the force can change at different times, and the torque can change at different times. It should also be noted that... Figure 11 Time T6 and Figure 12 The time TT6 indicates the time since the last plugging material 190E was applied to probe element 132, and the force and torque remain constant because no additional plugging material other than plugging materials 190A to 190E is engaged with probe element 132.

[0076] Also about Figure 11 and Figure 12In the manner described, each plugging material 190A to 190E possesses its own specific plugging characteristics for the corresponding cooling orifice 134 based on its triaxial force and triaxial torque measured by the 3FT transducer 140. More specifically, the result of the previously described process is that each plugging material 190A to 190E has a unique plugging characteristic for a given type (e.g., size, shape, etc.) of the corresponding cooling orifice 134, which can be correlated with multiple plugging types. Based on available data, the number and variety of plugging types identified can be as many as the user might desire. Plug types can be classified, for example, as: complete blockage (e.g., where the maximum force Fz increases to...). Figure 9 The blockage can be categorized as follows: partial blockage (e.g., where forces Fx, Fy, Fz and torques Mx, My, Mz vary over time); or multiple blockages forming complete blockages (e.g., where forces Fx, Fy and / or Fz and / or torques Mx, My and / or Mz are approximately constant over time). The blockage type can also be classified, for example, as extending completely around the inner circumference of the corresponding cooling hole 134 (determined by, for example, a temporarily increased force Fz when the probe element 132 engages and passes through it), or partially extending circumferentially (determined by, for example, the probe element 132 being rotated in one or more directions, thereby generating various torques My, Mx). The blockage type can also be classified, for example, based on the curvature of the surfaces of the blockage materials 190A to 190E: flat (determined by, for example, the absence of torque), or angular or curved in a certain direction (determined by, for example, the possible combination of certain torques with certain forces). Clogging types can be classified based on the material of the clogging, such as, but not limited to: foreign contaminants from the service of the equipment (e.g., rust, debris); residual metal coatings; residual masking materials; and / or other foreign matter from the manufacturing process: machining chips, shavings, ash, welding / brazing overflows, sandblasting media, etc.

[0077] Using tactile transducer 142 ( Figure 6 and Figure 7 In the case of ), the tactile response TR can also be used to classify the type of blockage. For example, different types of tactile response TRs can be included in the blockage characteristics associated with the materials that determine the different blockage materials 190A to 190E, the different shapes, sizes, and axial depths (see the list above) of the different blockage materials 190A to 190E. The axial depth of the blockage depends on the source of the blockage, but in a non-limiting example, the axial depth can be greater than the diameter of the hole, such as 2 to 3 times the diameter of the hole. When using imaging device 146 ( Figure 7 In the case of [specific application], visual response (VR) can be used to confirm any of the properties of the clogging materials 190A to 190E described herein. Tactile response (TR) and / or visual response (VR) may also be included as part of the clogging characteristics.

[0078] It should be emphasized that the types of congestion described herein are not an exhaustive list, and any type of congestion that can be identified based on data collected from the various devices described herein may be used within the scope of this disclosure.

[0079] Return to Figure 8 In optional step S18, the feature generator 182 of the inspection system controller 156 of the controller 150 can generate a dataset that associates multiple blockage features with multiple blockage types for at least one type of cooling hole 120, and this dataset can be stored in the database 174. Figure 3 Each blockage feature is based on at least one of the triaxial forces Fx, Fy, Fz and triaxial torques Mx, My, Mz, measured by the 3FT transducer 140 for at least partial blockage of a corresponding cooling hole 134 of the same type as at least one type of cooling hole 120. As noted, the feature generator 182 may store a dataset including blockage features in a database 174 containing information related to any desired details about the type of the corresponding cooling hole 134, such as component 90 ( Figure 4 , Figure 5 The outer surface 118 (Figure 10) Figure 4 , Figure 5 The internal dimension ID at (Figure 10) Figure 4 (and Figure 10) or D1 and D2 ( Figure 5 ), length, angle, etc. In this way, different blockage characteristics can be associated with various blockage types for a specific cooling hole and stored for later use.

[0080] Different blockage features can be associated with various blockage types in any way now known or later developed. In some embodiments, a user can interact with feature generator 182 to associate specific blockage features with blockage type and cooling hole type. In other embodiments, feature generator 182 can automatically store specific blockage features with blockage type and cooling hole type, for example, by constructing a dataset based on previous information in the dataset. In other embodiments, controller 150 (e.g., inspection system controller 156) may also include at least one of a machine learning algorithm (MLA / ASA) and an advanced statistical analysis (ASA) engine 186 configured to analyze the dataset. Analysis performed by the MLA / ASA engine 186 can correlate measurement data with various blockage features, thereby improving detection accuracy and predicting potential blockage problems before they become severe. For example, the MLA / ASA engine 186 can effectively identify and classify the type and severity of blockages. This predictive capability not only improves operational efficiency but also aids in maintenance planning and risk management for systems that rely on, for example, effective cooling mechanisms. Additionally, the MLA / ASA engine 186 can help identify blockage types and recommend appropriate corrective procedures.

[0081] In optional step S20, the blockage type identifier 184 of the controller 150 can identify the blockage type of at least partially blocked cooling hole 134 by comparing the blockage characteristics of at least partially blocked cooling hole 134 with a plurality of blockage characteristics in a dataset. The dataset may include, but is not limited to, time-series data representing the magnitude and direction of the measured force and / or rotational torque; the relative changes of the measured force and torque over time; and / or tactile and / or visual responses, wherein each tactile element is analogous to an image pixel, providing both the location and value of the measured force and / or torque. In this way, prior knowledge of the blockage characteristics can be used to identify the blockage type for a specific type of cooling hole 120.

[0082] In step S22, in response to the at least partial blockage of the corresponding cooling hole 134, some form of action may be performed to correct the at least partial blockage. This action may include any work now known or developed later to remedy at least partial blockage. In some embodiments, this action may be based on the type of blockage identified in step S20. Some examples of this action may include, but are not limited to: removing at least partial blockage using any suitable technique for the type of blockage (e.g., where the type of blockage allows), repairing the corresponding cooling hole 134 to avoid at least partial blockage, and / or sealing the corresponding cooling hole, for example, by filling the corresponding cooling hole 134 at the outer surface 118 of the component 90 (e.g., where the type of blockage cannot be effectively corrected). Removal of the blockage may include, for example, manual methods such as inserting a pin gauge or piano wire; mechanical methods such as diamond reaming / honing using a diamond reamer and / or drilling to open the blocked cooling hole using a drill bit; and / or electrical methods such as EDM using an electrical discharge machining (EDM) machine to open the blocked cooling hole.

[0083] The embodiments disclosed herein offer various technical and commercial advantages, examples of which are discussed herein. The inspection system enables non-destructive inspection of cooling holes with increased accuracy and efficiency. The inspection system and method do not require fluid flow through the component or directing the line of sight to the cooling holes, and do not rely on human sensory feedback.

[0084] This disclosure is described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the disclosure. It should be understood that each block in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, executable via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the function / action specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams.

[0085] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable medium that instructs a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable medium produce an article of writing including instruction means that perform the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0086] Computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions, which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus, provide a process for implementing the function / action specified in one or more boxes of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0087] As discussed herein, various systems and components can be described as “acquiring” data. It should be understood that any solution can be used to acquire the corresponding data. For example, a corresponding system / component may generate and / or be used to generate data, retrieve data from one or more data storage devices (e.g., a database), receive data from another system / component, etc. When data is not generated by a specific system / component, it should be understood that, in addition to the system / component shown, another system / component may be implemented that generates data and provides it to the system / component and / or stores the data for access by the system / component.

[0088] As used throughout the specification and claims, approximate language may be used to modify any quantitative expression that may be varied without causing a change in the essential function associated with it. Therefore, values ​​modified by one or more terms (such as “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially”) are not limited to the specified precise values. In at least some cases, approximate language may correspond to the precision of the instrument used to measure the value. Herein and throughout the specification and claims, range limitations may be combined and / or interchanged; unless the context or language otherwise indicates, these ranges are identified and include all subranges contained therein. The term “about” or “approximately” applied to a specific value within a range applies to both ends of the range and, unless otherwise dependent on the precision of the instrument used to measure the value, may indicate + / - 10% of the stated value.

[0089] The foregoing figures illustrate some associated processes according to several embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each figure or block within the flowcharts of the figures represents a process associated with an embodiment of the method. It should also be noted that in some alternative embodiments, the actions mentioned in the figures or blocks may not occur in the order shown in the figures, or, for example, may actually be performed substantially simultaneously or in reverse order, depending on the actions involved. Moreover, those skilled in the art will recognize that additional blocks may be added to describe the process.

[0090] All means or steps plus functional elements in the following claims are intended to include any structure, material, action, and equivalent for performing a function in conjunction with other claimed elements of a particular claim. The description of this disclosure has been given for purposes of illustration and description, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments explicitly shown herein. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the appended scope. Embodiments have been selected and described in order to best explain the principles and practical application of this disclosure, and to enable others skilled in the art to understand various embodiments of this disclosure with various modifications suitable for the intended particular use.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting a plurality of cooling holes (120) in a component (90), the method comprising: An inspection element (128) is used to inspect (S10) each of the plurality of cooling holes, the inspection element comprising: at least one probe element (132), at least a front end portion of the at least one probe element being configured to be inserted into a corresponding cooling hole of the plurality of cooling holes; and a triaxial force / torque transducer (140) operatively coupled to the probe element, the triaxial force / torque transducer being configured to measure forces applied to the probe element along three force measurement axes and torques applied to the probe element around three torque measurement axes. The inspection includes inserting at least the front end portion of a corresponding probe element of the at least one probe element (132) into the corresponding cooling hole (120). The force applied to the corresponding probe element of the at least one probe element along each of the three force measurement axes and the torque applied to the corresponding probe element of the at least one probe element around each of the three torque measurement axes are measured via the triaxial force / torque transducer (140).

2. The method according to the preceding claim, the method further comprising determining (S16) whether the respective cooling hole (120) is at least partially blocked based on at least one of the triaxial force and triaxial torque measured by the triaxial force / torque transducer of the inspection element inserted into the respective cooling hole.

3. The method according to the preceding claim, the method comprising performing (S22) action to correct at least the partial blockage in response to at least partial blockage of the respective cooling hole (120).

4. The method according to any preceding claim, the method further comprising generating (S18) a dataset that associates a plurality of blockage features with a plurality of blockage types for at least one type of cooling hole, wherein each blockage feature is based on at least one of the triaxial force and the triaxial torque measured by the triaxial force / torque transducer for at least a partial blockage of a corresponding cooling hole of the same type as the at least one type of cooling hole.

5. The method according to the preceding claim, the method further comprising identifying (S20) the blockage type of the at least partially blocked part by comparing the blockage characteristics of at least partially blocked part in another corresponding cooling hole with the plurality of blockage characteristics in the dataset.

6. The method according to any one of claims 4 or 5, further comprising analyzing the dataset using at least one of a machine learning algorithm and an advanced statistical analysis engine.

7. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inspection element (128) further comprises a tactile transducer (142), and the method further comprises using the tactile transducer to measure (S12) the tactile response of the at least partially blocked portion in the respective cooling hole in response to a predefined frequency applied to the respective cooling hole.

8. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inspection element further comprises a tactile-visual transducer (144), and the method further comprises using the tactile-visual transducer to measure the tactile response (S12) and visual response (S14) of the respective cooling hole in response to a predefined frequency applied to the respective cooling hole.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding two claims, the method further comprising, in addition to determining, based on at least one of the triaxial force and the triaxial torque measured by the triaxial force / torque transducer of the inspection element inserted into the respective cooling hole, whether the respective cooling hole (120) is at least partially blocked based on at least one of the tactile response measured by the tactile transducer (142) and a combination of the tactile response and the visual response measured by the tactile / visual transducer (144).

10. The method according to the preceding claims including the features of claim 4, wherein each blockage feature is further based on at least one of the tactile response measured by the tactile transducer (142) and the combination of the tactile response and the visual response measured by the tactile / visual transducer (144) for the at least partial blockage of the corresponding cooling hole of the same type as the at least one type of cooling hole.

11. An inspection system (126) for inspecting a plurality of cooling holes (120) in a component (90), the inspection system comprising: At least one inspection element (128), each inspection element comprising: At least one probe element (132), wherein at least a front end portion of the at least one probe element is configured to be inserted into a corresponding cooling hole in the plurality of cooling holes; and A triaxial force / torque transducer (140) is operatively coupled to each probe element, the triaxial force / torque transducer being configured to measure the forces applied to the probe element along three force measurement axes and the torques applied to the probe element around three torque measurement axes. A controller (150) is operatively coupled to each inspection element and configured to determine whether the corresponding cooling hole (120) into which the corresponding inspection element is at least partially blocked is based on at least one of the triaxial force and the triaxial torque measured by the triaxial force / torque transducer (140) of the corresponding inspection element.

12. The inspection system according to the preceding claim, wherein the controller (150) is further configured to generate a dataset that associates a plurality of blockage features with a plurality of blockage types for at least one type of cooling hole, wherein each blockage feature is based on at least one of the triaxial force and the triaxial torque measured by the triaxial force / torque transducer for at least partial blockage of a corresponding cooling hole of the same type as the at least one type of cooling hole.

13. The inspection system according to any one of claims 11 or 12, wherein the at least one inspection element (128) further comprises a tactile transducer (142) configured to measure a tactile response of the respective cooling hole in response to a predefined frequency applied to the respective cooling hole (120), wherein the controller (150) is further configured to determine, in addition to at least one of the triaxial force and the triaxial torque measured by the triaxial force / torque transducer of the inspection element inserted into the respective cooling hole, whether the respective cooling hole is at least partially blocked based on the tactile response.

14. The inspection system according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the at least one inspection element further comprises a tactile-visual transducer (144) configured to measure a tactile response and a visual response of the respective cooling hole in response to a predefined frequency applied to the respective cooling hole, and wherein the controller (150) is further configured to determine, in addition to at least one of the triaxial force and the triaxial torque measured by the triaxial force / torque transducer of the inspection element inserted into the respective cooling hole, whether the respective cooling hole (120) is at least partially blocked based on the tactile response and the visual response.

15. The inspection system according to any one of claims 11 to 14, the inspection system further comprising at least a semi-automatic positioning system (178) configured to insert at least the front end portion of each of the at least one probe element (132) into the corresponding cooling hole (120).

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