System and method for inspecting spot weld

1. A system for inspecting a spot weld on a workpiece, the system comprising:

an actuator;

an inspection assembly coupled to the actuator and comprising an ultrasound device and one or more adjustment motors coupled to the ultrasound device, wherein the ultrasound device is configured to generate one or more ultrasound waves and receive one or more echo waves; and

a controller electronically coupled to the inspection assembly and configured to identify a spot weld echo state based at least in part on the one or more echo waves, and determine whether the spot weld echo state corresponds to a member of a set of predetermined echo states;

wherein the actuator is configured to position the inspection assembly at an initial inspection position, and the one or more adjustment motors are configured to manipulate the ultrasound device when the spot weld echo state does not correspond to a member of the set of predetermined echo states such that a first end of the ultrasound device disposed adjacent to the workpiece is held substantially stationary and a second end of the ultrasound device disposed opposite the first end is moved along a curved path.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to generate an accept signal or a reject signal based at least in part on the spot weld echo state when the spot weld echo state corresponds to a member of the set of predetermined echo states.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the workpiece is coupled to a workpiece presenter and the workpiece presenter is coupled to a material handling system.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the actuator is further configured to move the inspection assembly during inspection of the spot weld such that a relative position between the inspection assembly and the spot weld is substantially constant while the workpiece presenter moves along the material handling system.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the inspection assembly further comprises an electronic vision device configured to obtain image data corresponding to the spot weld, and the initial inspection position is determined based at least in part on the image data.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least part of the curved path includes a spiral.

7. A method for inspecting a spot weld on a workpiece, the method comprising the steps of:

moving an inspection assembly comprising an ultrasound device to an initial inspection position proximate the spot weld;

generating one or more ultrasound waves using the ultrasound device;

receiving one or more echo waves using the ultrasound device;

identifying, using a controller, a spot weld echo state based at least in part on the one or more echo waves;

determining whether the spot weld echo state corresponds to a member of a set of predetermined echo states; and

manipulating the ultrasound device when the spot weld echo state does not correspond to a member of the set of predetermined echo states such that a first end of the ultrasound device disposed adjacent to the workpiece is held substantially stationary and a second end of the ultrasound device disposed opposite the first end is moved along a curved path.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of generating an accept signal or a reject signal based at least in part on the spot weld echo state when the spot weld echo state corresponds to a member of the set of predetermined echo states.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the ultrasound device is disposed substantially perpendicular to the spot weld and substantially centered on the spot weld when the inspection assembly is at the initial inspection position.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of determining whether to abort inspection of the spot weld when the spot weld echo state does not correspond to a member of the set of predetermined echo states.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the curved path is substantially defined by a spiral such that an increasing angle is formed between the ultrasound device and an axis passing through the first and second ends prior to the manipulation.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the increasing angle has a maximum value of 10 degrees.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising repeating the generating, receiving, identifying and determining steps while the ultrasound device is manipulated.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein the inspection assembly further comprises an artificial vision device and the method further comprises the steps of:

moving the inspection assembly to a predetermined position;

obtaining image data corresponding to the spot weld using the artificial vision device; and

determining via a controller the initial inspection position based at least in part on the image data.

15. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of generating a report using a controller, wherein the report is based at least in part on the spot weld echo state of one or more spot welds.

16. A system for inspecting a spot weld on a workpiece, the system comprising:

an actuator;

an inspection assembly coupled to the actuator and comprising an ultrasound device and one or more adjustment motors coupled to the ultrasound device; and

one or more controllers electronically coupled to at least one of the actuator and the inspection assembly, the one or more controllers configured to perform the steps of:

moving the ultrasound device via at least one of the actuator and the one or more adjustment motors to an initial inspection position proximate the spot weld;

generating one or more ultrasound waves via the ultrasound device;

receiving one or more echo waves via the ultrasound device;

identifying a spot weld echo state based at least in part on the one or more echo waves;

determining whether the spot weld echo state corresponds to a member of a set of predetermined echo states;

manipulating the ultrasound device via the one or more adjustment motors when the spot weld echo state does not correspond to a member of the set of predetermined echo states such that a first end of the ultrasound device disposed adjacent to the workpiece is held substantially stationary and a second end of the ultrasound device disposed opposite the first end is moved along a curved path, at least part of the curved path including a spiral; and

generating an accept signal or a reject signal based at least in part on the spot weld echo state when the spot weld echo state corresponds to a member of the set of predetermined echo states.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the second end is moved along the curved path when the first end is not positioned in alignment with the spot weld.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising an artificial vision device configured to obtain image data corresponding to the spot weld, wherein the initial inspection position is determined based at least in part on the image data.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the ultrasound device includes a rubber tip for coupling the ultrasound device to the spot weld.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein a member of the one or more controllers is electronically coupled to a network.