Tank Wall Probe Mount for Accurate Thickness Inspection on Irregular Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned inspection vehicles struggle to accurately inspect tank wall thickness due to irregular tank surfaces, as their probes cannot adjust their posture to match these surfaces, leading to inaccurate or unattainable measurements, particularly at weak points prone to damage.
Innovation Solution
A tank wall thickness inspecting module with a posture-adjustable probe that automatically adjusts its angle based on the surface being inspected, using a base mount, guide rails, a slide, an actuator, a posture-adjustable seat, and a buffer device to ensure positive contact with the surface, ensuring accurate measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a fixed probe is used on unmanned inspection vehicles, then the inspection path can be automated, but the detection accuracy deteriorates on irregular surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The probe is mounted on a posture-adjustable seat that can dynamically change its angle and position. The actuator drives the slide along the guide rails to move the probe, while the buffer device allows the posture-adjustable seat to automatically adjust its angle relative to the slide, enabling the probe to adapt to irregular tank surfaces while maintaining automated inspection path execution
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the spatial parameters (position and angle) of the probe based on the surface characteristics. The posture-adjustable seat modifies the probe's orientation parameters to ensure optimal contact with the tank surface, while the actuator controls the positional parameters by moving the slide along the guide rails
2Measurement precision
If manual ultrasonic probes are used, then detection accuracy can be maintained, but the inspection efficiency deteriorates due to labor intensity and sampling limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The unmanned inspection vehicle performs self-navigation and self-inspection by following pre-programmed paths autonomously. The probe system automatically adjusts its own posture and position without human intervention, combining the accuracy of manual probing with the efficiency of automated operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical operation with an automated electromechanical system. The actuator substitutes for manual probe positioning, the guide rails and slide mechanism substitute for manual guidance, and the buffer device with posture-adjustable seat substitutes for manual angle adjustment, thereby eliminating labor intensity while maintaining detection accuracy
3Device complexity
If the probe cannot adjust its posture, then the device structure remains simple, but the adaptability to irregular surfaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The probe mounting system is divided into separate functional segments: the fixed base mount, the movable slide along guide rails, the posture-adjustable seat, and the probe. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, achieving surface adaptability through coordinated movement of discrete parts rather than a monolithic complex structure
Solution Approach 2:
The posture-adjustable seat acts as an intermediary between the slide and the probe. It receives the positional input from the slide and converts it into appropriate probe orientation, serving as a mediator that translates linear motion into angular adjustment to achieve surface adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
A tank wall thickness inspecting module includes a base mount, two guide rails parallel extending from the base mount, a slide slidably connected with the two guide rails, an actuator disposed between the base mount and the slide to drive the slide to move along the two guide rails, a posture-adjustable seat having two guide holes through which the two guide rails extend, a buffer device disposed between the slide and the posture-adjustable seat to enable that the posture-adjustable seat changes a distance and an angle relative to the slide, and a probe disposed with the posture-adjustable seat and provided with a detection surface. The detection surface is flush with or protrudes out of a bottom surface of the posture-adjustable seat. As a result, the angle of the probe can be automatically adjusted based on the surface under inspection.