General Electric Company

Ge Infrastructure Technology, LLC

Hibot Corporation

Selim Akin

Paulo Cesar Debenest

Michele Guarnieri

Thomas James Batzinger

Shigeo Hirose

Selami Haydar Icli

Christopher Paul Markman

Giacomo Cimarelli

Airton Rosa Da Silva, Jr

Giorgio Valsecchi

Yusuf Eren Ozturk

Piero-Daniele Grasso

Norbert Lucke

Julien Rene Andre Zimmermann

Johannes Clemens Schab

Brian William Graham

Satoshi Kitano

Salvatore Sessa

Ertugrul Dursun

Mustafa Yuvalaklioglu

A traction module for a robot system and a robot system using the traction module having, an outer frame and a rotating frame rotatably mounted within the outer frame. A drive system is operatively coupled to the rotating frame and configured to drive a traction drive component to propel the robot. An actuator is operatively connected to the rotating frame to controllably rotate the rotating frame. During a first portion of a rotating movement of the rotating frame, the drive system moves between a flat mode position relative to the outer frame and a clearance mode position in which the drive system extends outwardly from the outer frame to a greater extent than in the first position. During a second portion of the rotating movement of the rotating frame, the drive system may be positioned in a desired orientation to propel the robot.

Traction module for robot with variable extension positions

An automated system is provided. The system includes: a manipulator coupled to: an opening forming device configured to create an opening having a predefined geometry partially into a multilayer component at a selected location on a surface of the multilayer component, where the multilayer component includes a plurality of material layers including at least a substrate and a bond coat, and where the opening exposes each of the plurality of material layers; and an imaging device configured to create an image of the exposed plurality of material layers in the opening; and a processor configured to calculate at least a thickness of the bond coat of the exposed plurality of material layers from the image and based on the predefined geometry of the opening. Methods of using the system to analyze layer thickness of a multilayer component and repair a multilayer component are also provided.

Non-invasive quantitative multilayer assessment method and resulting multilayer component

Systems and methods to locate the position of cooling holes on an outer surface of a turbine engine component, based on a three-dimensional measurement along an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis, and an extracted two-dimensional measurement along the X-axis and the Y-axis. The two-dimensional data is analyzed to find a common geometric feature of the component and determine a scan area based on the common geometric feature. The component is measured within the scan area to locate a cooling hole located on the outer surface of the component. A surface profile of the cooling hole is extracted along the X-axis and the Y-axis, and an orientation of the cooling hole is extracted along the Z-axis. A three-dimensional coordinate set of the cooling hole is calculated based on the surface profile and the orientation.

Cooling hole positioning systems and methods

A sensor interface module for an inspection robot includes a scissor lift for varied radial positioning of, and a universal sensor mount for mounting, a selected one of a plurality of different sensors. A visual inspection module for the robot includes an inspection unit for simultaneously visually inspecting a first surface facing a first direction and a spaced, second surface facing an opposing, second direction toward the first surface. The inspection unit includes a first visual sensor and a second visual sensor, each visual sensor facing in a direction different than the first and second directions. A first reflector reflects an image of the first surface to the first visual sensor, and a second reflector reflects an image of the second surface to the second visual sensor. A robot system may include the sensor interface module and the inspection unit.

Sensor interface module with scissor lift for plurality of sensors, and visual inspection module with dual view paths for robot

This disclosure provides systems and methods for in situ gap inspection in a machine, such as a generator, an electric motor, or a turbomachine, with an end region. A robotic crawler is configured to navigate an annular gap of the machine. A visual inspection module is connected to the robotic crawler and includes an extension member for extending a camera into the end region to collect visual inspection data.

End region inspection module and method for in situ gap inspection robot system

This disclosure provides systems and methods for an actuated sensor module for in situ gap inspection robots. A mounting interface attaches to the sensor module to the robot system. A least one arm is operatively connected to the mounting interface and has a joint. A sensor head is operatively connected to the arm at the joint and an actuator operatively connected to the arm moves the sensor head around the second joint.

Actuated sensor module and method for in situ gap inspection robots

Systems and methods for in situ gap inspection in a machine, such as a generator, an electric motor, or a turbomachine are described. A robotic crawler has multidirectional traction modules, an expandable body, and sensor modules. A control system communicates with the robotic crawler to provide a control signal to navigate an inspection path within an annular gap of the machine. The inspection path includes axial and radial movements to inspect the annular gap using the sensor modules.

In situ gap inspection robot system and method

This disclosure provides systems and methods for in situ gap inspection in a machine, such as a generator, an electric motor, or a turbomachine. A robotic crawler includes an expandable body, multidirectional traction modules, and sensor modules. The expandable body is movable between a collapsed state and an expanded state. The multidirectional traction modules are removably connected to and positioned by the expandable body and configured to engage opposed surfaces within an annular gap of the machine. The sensor modules are removably connected to and supported by the expandable body and include a plurality of sensor types to inspect the annular gap of the machine.

Crawler robot for in situ gap inspection

This disclosure provides systems and components for an omnidirectional traction module for use in a robot, such as a crawler robot used in in situ gap inspection in a machine, such as a generator, an electric motor, or a turbomachine. The traction module may include an outer frame and a rotating frame rotatably mounted within the outer frame. At least one drive system may be mounted within the rotating frame. The at least one dive system may have a fixed orientation within the rotating frame. An actuator may be operatively connected to the rotating frame to controllably rotate the rotating frame to a desired orientation for robot travel.

Growing community of inventors

Istanbul, Turkey

Selim Akin