Industrial Machine Assessment via Digital Part Grading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial machines, such as gas turbine engines and gas compressors, face challenges in assessing wear, corrosion, and fatigue damage due to their operating conditions, requiring effective methods for component evaluation to determine replacement needs.
Innovation Solution
A system and process for assessing industrial machines, including an assessment device with a user interface that displays a part assessment interface with engineering instructions and grading comparison images, allowing assessors to input measurements and select part grades, generating an assessment report that recommends part replacement based on the evaluation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual assessment methods are used for industrial machine parts, then assessors can evaluate wear, corrosion and fatigue damage, but the accuracy and consistency of part grading varies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates digital copies of parts through 3D scanning and imaging technologies. These digital replicas capture precise geometric and surface information, which can be repeatedly analyzed without variation. The digital models serve as consistent reference copies for assessment, eliminating the variability inherent in manual measurement methods while preserving the ability to evaluate wear, corrosion and fatigue damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical assessment methods with automated image-based evaluation systems. Instead of relying on assessors' subjective judgment and physical measurements, the system uses captured images and automated analysis algorithms to evaluate part conditions. This substitution of mechanical/manual processes with automated optical and computational methods improves both accuracy and consistency of grading.
2Measurement precision
If detailed measurements and image collection are performed on each part, then assessment accuracy improves, but the time required for assessment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by capturing comprehensive images and creating digital models of parts before the actual assessment process. This advance data collection ensures that all necessary information is available upfront, eliminating the need for repeated measurements or additional data gathering during assessment. The preliminary digital records enable rapid, accurate evaluation without time-consuming manual measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
By creating digital copies through imaging and 3D scanning, the system captures all necessary assessment data in a single rapid operation. These digital replicas can be analyzed immediately without requiring physical handling or repeated measurements of the actual parts. The copying process preserves all relevant geometric and surface information while dramatically reducing the time required for subsequent assessment operations.
3Reliability
If comprehensive part assessment protocols are implemented, then reliability of machine operation improves, but the complexity of the assessment system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the assessment functionality into a separate, dedicated system that captures images and generates reports independently. This extraction separates the complex assessment protocols from the operational machine systems, allowing comprehensive reliability assessment without complicating the machine's operational complexity. The standalone assessment module handles all detailed evaluation tasks while leaving machine operation simple and straightforward.
Solution Approach 2:
The assessment system performs self-service by automatically capturing images, analyzing part conditions, and generating assessment reports without requiring complex external intervention. The system uses its own integrated resources (imaging devices, processing algorithms, report generation) to complete the full assessment cycle. This self-contained approach achieves comprehensive reliability monitoring while minimizing the complexity burden on external systems and operators.
Data Source
AI summary
The systems and methods disclosed herein include an assessment system and process for assessing an industrial machine and its various sections, sub-sections, and parts. In embodiments, the assessment system includes an assessment device that includes an assessment overviewer and a part assessor. The assessment overviewer provides an assessor with a selectable industrial machine schematic that illustrates the assessment status of each section of the industrial machine, such as by changing the appearance of each section based its assessment status. The part assessor provides a part assessment interface with engineering instructions and a part grading user interface that provides for a comparison of digital images to complete the part grading.