The Boeing Company

William D Meade

Michael C Hutchinson

James C Kennedy

Michael J Duncan

Mark A Lee

Thomas E Riechers

Thomas A Maeder

Michael D Horky

Steven Kenneth Brady

Jyani S Vaddi

Systems and methods inspect a fastener installed at least partially through a hole in a part, by measuring fastener concentricity, measuring fastener flushness with a surface, and/or detecting foreign object debris near the fastener. Systems include an x-ray imaging system, a first camera device, a second camera device, a first support structure, and at least one processing unit. The first camera device produces a first image of the fastener from a first vantage point, and the second camera device produces a second image of the fastener from a second vantage point, such that a 3D image of the fastener can be created from the first image and the second image. The system inspects the fastener based on the x-ray image and/or the 3D image, to determine concentricity and/or flushness of the fastener. Systems may be automated and mounted on robot arms to be positioned relative to the fasteners being inspected.

Methods and apparatus for measuring fastener concentricity

A measurement system is provided that includes a radiographic source, a detector, and at least one processor. The at least one processor is operably coupled to the detector and configured to: position the radiographic source in a first position relative to the object to image a first portion of the object, with the first position configured to maintain parallax for the first portion within a predetermined amount; obtain first imaging information of the first portion of the object in the first position; adjust the position of the radiographic source relative to the object to a second position, with the second position configured to maintain parallax for the second portion within a predetermined amount; obtain second imaging information of the second portion of the object in the second position; and generate an image of the object using the first imaging information and the second imaging information.

Apparatuses and methods for high-precision measurement

Systems and methods of automatically adjusting brightness of a digital image are provided. A particular method includes accessing data including a first digital image and identifying text and background in the first digital image. The method also includes calculating an average pixel value exclusive of the text and the background for the first digital image. The method further includes adjusting a brightness setting associated with the first digital image based on the calculated average pixel value.

System and method for comparing images with different contrast levels

Methodologies and systems to compare images with different levels of contrast are provided. Contrast is normalized between the images with different contrast levels and brightness is set. When normalizing contrast a derivative of gray level is determined for a first digital image having a first contrast level, and a derivative of gray level is determined for a second digital image having a second contrast level that is greater than the first contrast level. A ratio of the derivative of gray level for the first digital image to the derivative of gray level for the second digital image is determined, and the derivative of gray level for the first digital image is equalized with the derivative of gray level for the second digital image. Brightness of at least one image may be set automatically, such as by calculating an average pixel value excluding background and text, or manually.

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Tacoma, WA, United States of America

William D Meade