Bench and a method for magnetoscopically testing a turbine engine shaft

1. A bench for magnetoscopic testing of a tubular part, the bench comprising:

means for supporting the part and for turning the part;

a tool of elongate shape carrying endoscopic means for ultraviolet illumination of an inside surface of the part and for observing any defects in the part; and

means for supporting and guiding the tool to move in translation so as to be inserted inside the part, wherein

the tool includes a plurality of external references that are regularly distributed over at least a fraction of its length and that define regular steps for advancing the tool in translation along the longitudinal axis of the part, the means for supporting and guiding the tool including indexing means that co-operate with the references of the tool by mutual engagement to control accurately an advance and a position of the tool in the part.

2. A bench according to claim 1 , wherein the tool includes a plurality of annular references extending around the longitudinal axis of the tool.

3. A bench according to claim 2 , wherein the annular references are formed by applying annular marks or by forming annular grooves to an outside surface of the tool.

4. A bench according to claim 1 , wherein the tool is generally cylindrical in shape.

5. A bench according to claim 1 , wherein the tool is tubular and the endoscopic means extends inside the tool.

6. A bench according to claim 1 , wherein the endoscopic means comprises ultraviolet light guide means and image transmission means, which image transmission means extend from a proximal end of the tool to its distal end, and project axially from the distal end.

7. A bench according to claim 6 , wherein the image transmission means includes at least one prism at its distal end.

8. A bench according to claim 1 , wherein each advance step is of a size that is equal to or less than the diameter of an observation field of the endoscopic means.

9. A bench according to claim 1 , wherein each advance step is of a size equal to half the diameter of an observation field of the endoscopic means.

10. A bench according to claim 1 , further comprising means for supporting and guiding the tool at each of ends of the part to insert the tool into the part via one or the other of its ends.

11. A method of magnetoscopically testing a tubular part by a bench according to claim 1 , the method comprising:

a) inserting the tool in the part via one of its ends until it occupies a desired position in the part, the position being defined by indexing means of the bench co-operating by mutual engagement with references of the tool;

b) holding the tool stationary and turning the part about its axis to inspect an annular zone inside the part with help of the endoscopic means of the tool;

c) then moving the tool inside the part through one step in a longitudinal direction until the indexing means co-operates by mutual engagement with an adjacent reference of the tool; and

d) repeating b) and c) until the inside of the part has been inspected over a desired length.

12. A method according to claim 11 , further comprising repeating a), b), c), and d) by inserting the tool into the other end of the part.

13. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising inspecting each part twice, the part being subjected to a longitudinal magnetic field during a first inspection and to a transverse magnetic field during a second inspection.