Blade Inspection Imaging With Camera-Based Fan Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical inspection systems for gas turbine engine blades lack the ability to synchronize the shutter of high-speed cameras with the rotational position of the blades, leading to inconsistent framing and complicating defect detection due to varying illumination and exposure, as there is no available sensor to indicate the rotational position of the blades.
Innovation Solution
An in-situ system using a high-speed camera to measure the rotational speed and indicate the rotational position of the blades, employing video analytics to synchronize the shutter and ensure consistent framing through techniques like principal component analysis and frequency modulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a high-speed camera is used to capture blade images, then the frame rate and resolution are improved, but the synchronization with blade rotational position becomes difficult without additional sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The high-speed camera serves dual functions: capturing high-resolution blade images for inspection and simultaneously measuring rotational speed through tachometer analysis of the captured footage. This eliminates the need for separate sensors and synchronization systems, resolving the contradiction between image quality and system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own camera resource to perform the tachometer function for synchronization, rather than requiring an external sensor. The camera's captured video is processed to extract rotational speed information, which then triggers the shutter at appropriate blade positions, making the system self-sufficient
2Ease of operation
If the shutter is not synchronized with blade rotational position, then the system operation is simpler, but the image framing and illumination become inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures the actual rotational speed from captured video frames and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the shutter trigger timing. This ensures that despite variations in rotational speed, the shutter consistently captures blades at the same rotational position, maintaining framing consistency while keeping the control logic relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs tachometer analysis on initial captured frames to determine rotational speed before proceeding with synchronized image capture. This preliminary measurement allows the system to establish the correct trigger timing in advance, ensuring consistent framing from the start of inspection
3Measurement precision
If additional sensors are added to measure rotational position, then the synchronization accuracy is improved, but the system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The high-speed camera performs both image capture and rotational speed measurement functions, eliminating the need for separate tachometer sensors or position sensors. The same hardware resource is utilized for multiple purposes, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own camera resource to perform the tachometer function for synchronization, rather than requiring an external sensor. The camera's captured video is processed to extract rotational speed information, making the system self-sufficient and avoiding additional hardware costs
Data Source
AI summary
An in-situ system for a gas turbine engine blade inspection including a sensor system configured to capture images of a forward surface of at least one gas turbine engine blade; a processor coupled to the sensor system, the processor configured to determine damage to the at least one gas turbine engine blade based on video analytics; and a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored therein that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising receiving, by the processor, data for the forward surface of at least one gas turbine engine blade from the sensor system; determining, by the processor, a rotational speed of a fan; and determining, by the processor, a fan synchronization.