General Electric Company

Ge Betz, Inc.

Elizabeth Lockenberg Dixon

Brian W Lasiuk

Michael Robert Hopple

Robert John Filkins

Thomas James Batzinger

Kenneth Gordon Herd

Walter Vincent Dixon, Iii

Clifford Bueno

Siavash Yazdanfar

Forrest Frank Hopkins

Kevin Bernard Kenny

Gregory Alan Mohr

Robert J Mitchell, Jr

Robert V Falsetti

John R Viertl

Manoharan Venugopal

Debasish Mishra

Sivaramanivas Ramaswamy

Ronald Cecil McFarland

Rajashekar Venkatachalam

August David Matula

Kevin Layne Moermond

Mederic E Auger

Nityanand Gopalika

Krenar Tasimi

Vamishi Krishna Reddy Kommareddy

Walter Vincent Dixon, Legal Representative

A method of autofocusing includes capturing first, second and third images of a sample, at respective first, second and third sample distances and respective first, second and third lateral positions determined with respect to an objective; determining a quantitative characteristic for the first, second and third images; determining a primary sample distance based upon at least the quantitative characteristics for the first, second, and third images; and capturing a primary image of the sample at the primary sample distance and at a primary lateral position that is offset from the first, second and third lateral positions.

Predictive autofocusing

A digital radiography imaging system for acquiring digital images of an object, and a method for transforming digital images into an absolute thickness map characterizing the object under inspection. The system includes a radiation source for directing radiation through a desired region of the object, and a radiation detector having a plurality of sensing elements for detecting radiation passing through the object. Numerical data generated from each sensing element is calibrated, for example by correcting for variations in radiation paths between the source and detector, by correcting for variations in the spatial frequency response (MTF) of the detector, by correcting for variations in the geometric profile of the object under inspection, and by correcting for material contained in and/or around the object. The calibrated data is processed in order to generate and display an absolute thickness map of the object. The calibration procedures are adapted for extracting a thickness map from both isotope sources and X-ray tube sources.

Converting a digital radiograph to an absolute thickness map

A method, system and apparatus for processing a radiographic image of a scanned object is disclosed. A pixel offset correction is performed in integer format on the radiographic image using saturation arithmetic to produce an image in integer format with any negative corrected values clipped to a value of zero. The resulting pixels are converted to floating point format and the converted pixels are multiplied by a gain factor. Optionally the resulting pixels are recursively averaged with previous results. The resulting pixels are converted to integer format and the converted pixel values are clamped to a maximum value using saturation arithmetic. Non-functional pixel correction is performed in integer format and the resulting pixel values are clamped to a maximum value using saturation arithmetic. An optional processing path replaces the recursive average by a linear average. The resulting pixel values are optionally filtered to enhance features of interest. The resulting pixel value is mapped in integer format to a palette index to establish an output pixel intensity having one of many intensity levels. The optional processing is controlled through the hardware interface of a real-time image controller as images are acquired.

Method, system and apparatus for processing radiographic images of scanned objects

A configuration flexible computer-controlled ultrasonic diagnostic test equipment arrangement for examining large turbine rotors incorporates improved ultrasonic signal 'pulser-receiver' circuitry that is used to drive one or more an ultrasonic transducers and to receive and amplify ultrasonic returns from a specimen under test. The improved pulser-receiver circuitry comprises both an ultrasonic pulse generating circuit and an associated ultrasonic return signal linear amplification circuit. The pulse generating circuitry and the ultrasonic return signal amplification circuitry are modular and functionally independent of each other and, consequently, may be used together in the testing system or as stand-alone instrumentation. Overall ultrasonic diagnostic system flexibility is significantly enhanced by providing improved pulser-receiver circuitry with digitally driveable computer control inputs in addition to manual controls to enable selecting initial parameters and transducer position settings. A menu-driven display machine-operator interface is also provided as a user-friendly and efficient means for setting and accessing system configuration information and test data.

Ultrasonic pulser/receiver for ultrasonic test equipment

A method and apparatus for the ultrasonic inspection of acoustically 'noisy' specimens, such as those having intrinsically coarse grain structure (e.g., turbine rotor parts made of superalloy compositions) employs several types of ultrasonic diagnostic measurement techniques, including at least: 'Pitch-Catch' analysis and 'Pulse-Echo Axial Long-Wave' analysis. When a Pitch-Catch technique is utilized, a 'through-transmitted' sound wave is acquired for each specimen tested and used as a calibration standard to normalize ultrasonic inspection test data for that specimen prior to any automated defect/flaw detection and sizing processing. The through transmitted sound wave is also used to equate the amplitude of 'indications' (i.e., significant detected ultrasonic reflections) to that of a standardized theoretical reflector of known size (e.g., an equivalent 'flat bottom hole' or EFBH reflector) so that the test sensitivity or 'size of indications' can be uniquely determined for each specimen on which the test is performed. When a Pulse-Echo technique is utilized, a through-transmitted sound wave is not used (since this technique employs only a single transducer) and inspection data is instead normalized by a 'back wall' reflection signal. Once ultrasonic inspection test data is obtained and digitized, a 'rolling average' of the data is used to estimate the localized noise level within the material under test. For every transducer pulse data point obtained, a unique signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio is computed. Variations in S/N ratio for the material are measured at each axial slice of material volume inspected. A function of the standard deviation of the S/N values is then used to automatically adjust a detection amplitude threshold to optimize the flaw detection process and minimize false alarms.

Calibration and flaw detection method for ultrasonic inspection of

Growing community of inventors

Delanson, NY, United States of America

Elizabeth Lockenberg Dixon