Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi-ge Nuclear Energy, Ltd.

Tetsuo Taguchi

Isao Tanaka

Kaoru Sakai

Toshio Asano

Mineo Nomoto

Daiske Katsuta

Daisuke Katsuta

Masahiro Hotta

By using an image signal acquired by picking up a sample to be inspected by a color video camera, penetrant inspection and magnetic-particle inspection which are non-destructive inspections are carried out so that deficiency candidates including a pseudo deficiency are automatically detected and are displayed on a screen. A real deficiency can be detected from the deficiency candidates displayed on the screen. As image data is stored in memory means, information of a deficiency can be repeatedly reproduced on the screen. In the penetrant inspection, the chromaticity at each position on an image is acquired, a deficiency candidate is extracted based on the chrominance, and the deficiency is distinguished from a pseudo deficiency based on the differential value of the chrominance. A polarization filter is used to eliminate regular reflection originated from illumination in the penetrant inspection, and an ultraviolet-rays cutting filter is attached to the camera to prevent noise in the magnetic-particle inspection. Equipped with both a white illuminating lamp and an ultraviolet illuminating lamp, both inspections can be carried out with a single probe.

Non-destructive inspection method and apparatus therefor

An image input can be executed without any influence of physical conditions of an inspection object and environment such as installation area by utilizing a cordless type image pickup apparatus in the excellent portability combining a lighting apparatus to a digital camera. On the occasion of picking up an image of such inspection object, marks of the shape such as the rectangular shape, circular shape and linear line shape and marks of the shape combining the linear lines (plus sign (+), capital letter L or cross (+)) of known size are allocated within the same image and these marks are extracted simultaneously. Thereby, compensation process for the magnifying factor, position and tilt is conducted using the marks allocated in the image with the equal interval. Input data is continuously applied depending on the inspection object to generate a total inspection map by combining such input data. A computer executes a flaw detection process and stores the processing result in the form of a file together with the inspection images. Thereby, an inspection management system for search using information and inspection result of the inspection object as the characteristics element can be established.

Method for non-destructive inspection, apparatus thereof and digital camera system

The present invention relates to a method for inspecting a crack in a metal surface or the like, and, particularly, to an inspection method and apparatus for nondestructive inspection such as liquid penetrant inspection and magnetic particle testing. The present invention provides a flaw inspection method that essentially comprises the steps of illuminating a surface of a sample to be inspected, obtaining an image of the surface, characterizing a potential flaw on the inspected surface by processing the obtained image, displaying an image of the potential flaw, verifying that the potential flaw is a true flaw, and storing an image of the verified flaw in memory.

Nondestructive inspection method and apparatus

Using an image signal acquired by picking up a sample to be inspected by a color video camera, penetrant inspection and magnetic-particle inspection, which are non-destructive inspections, are carried out so that deficiency candidates, including a pseudo deficiency, are automatically detected and displayed on a screen. A real deficiency can be detected from the displayed deficiency candidates. As image data is stored in memory means, information of a deficiency can be repeatedly reproduced on the screen. In the penetrant inspection, the chromaticity at each position on an image is acquired, a deficiency candidate is extracted based on the chrominance, and the deficiency is distinguished from a pseudo deficiency based on the differential value of the chrominance. A polarization filter eliminates regular reflection originating from illumination in the penetrant inspection, and an ultraviolet-rays cutting filter prevents noise in the magnetic-particle inspection. Both inspections can be carried out with a single probe.

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Hitachi, Japan

Tetsuo Taguchi