General Electric Company

James Joseph Hoffman

Kevin George Harding

Steven Robert Hayashi

Todd Jay Rockstroh

Guiju Song

Li Tao

Xinjun Wan

Shukuan Xu

Yana Zhang Williams

Charles Walter Muekmore

A measurement system comprising a light source unit, a projection unit and an optics unit is disclosed. The light source unit is configured to generate a plurality of modulated phase shifted light beams. The projection unit is configured to reflect the modulated phase shifted light beams onto an object surface. The optics unit is configured to capture the modulated phase shifted light beams from the object surface. The measurement system further comprises a photodetector and a processor. The photodetector is configured to receive the modulated phase shifted light beams from the optics unit to generate electrical signals. The processor is configured to retrieve position information of the object surface based on the electrical signals from the photodetector. A measurement method is also presented.

Measurement systems and methods

A manufacturing system and manufacturing method for adjusting the performance of manufacturing operations or steps in manufacturing components having three-dimensional external structural characteristics. An embodiment of the system broadly comprises: (a) a plurality of manufacturing operations for processing a component having three-dimensional external structural characteristics; (b) at least one analytical device for analyzing at least one characteristic of the component after the performance of one or more manufacturing operations to generate a component data set; (c) at least one data storage device for storing the generated component data sets and for providing at least a relevant portion of accumulated component data; and (d) a communication mechanism for transmitting at least a relevant portion of accumulated component data to one or more manufacturing operations so that the performance thereof can be adjusted in response to the transmitted portion of accumulated component data. An embodiment of the method broadly comprises the following steps: (a) providing a component having three-dimensional external structural characteristics; (b) providing at least a relevant portion of accumulated component data comprising at least two different component data sets; and (c) performing a manufacturing step on the component to provide a processed component, wherein the at least relevant portion of accumulated component data is used to adjust the manner in which the manufacturing step is performed.

System and method for adjusting performance of manufacturing operations or steps

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

James Joseph Hoffman