Automated ultrasonic inspection of elongated composite members using single-pass robotic system

1. An apparatus comprising:

a frame;

first and second rotatable shafts which are mutually coaxial and rotatable relative to said frame; and

a probe housing assembly clamped to said first and second rotatable shafts, wherein said probe housing assembly comprises:

a first probe platform clamped to said first and second rotatable shafts;

a second probe platform;

first and second linear slides configured to translatably couple said second probe platform to said first probe platform;

a third probe platform; and

third and fourth linear slides configured to translatably couple said third probe platform to said first probe platform.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said frame comprises first through fourth guide shafts, the apparatus further comprising a first bearing block assembly translatably coupled to said first and second guide shafts, and a second bearing block assembly translatably coupled to said third and fourth guide shafts, wherein said first rotatable shaft is rotatably coupled to said first bearing block assembly, and said second rotatable shaft is rotatably coupled to said second bearing block assembly.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a gimbal assembly disposed between said frame and a tool-side connector configured to be attached to a connector of a robot, said gimbal assembly comprising a revolute joint supported by said tool-side connector, a thrust bearing, and fifth and sixth linear slides configured to translatably couple said thrust bearing to said revolute joint.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a first web probe translatably coupled to one of said first through third probe platforms for translation along first and second axes which are mutually perpendicular, said first web probe comprising a first linear ultrasonic transducer array;

a second web probe translatably coupled to said one of said first through third probe platforms for translation along third and fourth axes which are mutually perpendicular, said second web probe comprising a second linear ultrasonic transducer array which is parallel to said first linear ultrasonic transducer array.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 , wherein said first web probe is rotatably coupled to said one of said first through third probe platforms for rotation about a fifth axis which is perpendicular to said first and second axes, and said second web probe is rotatably coupled to said one of said first through third probe platforms for rotation about a sixth axis which is perpendicular to said third and fourth axes, the apparatus further comprising:

an L-shaped member comprising first and second legs that form a right angle;

a fifth linear slide configured to translatably couple said first leg of said L-shaped member to said first web probe to enable translation along a length of said first leg; and

a sixth linear slide configured to translatably couple said second leg of said L-shaped member to said first web probe to enable translation along a length of said second leg,

wherein said first and second linear ultrasonic transducer arrays stay mutually parallel and displace relative to each other during rotation in tandem about said first and second axes respectively.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a first radius probe translatably coupled to one of said first through third probe platforms for translation along first and second axes which are mutually perpendicular, said first radius probe comprising a first curved ultrasonic transducer array; and

a second radius probe translatably coupled to said one of said first through third probe platforms for translation along third and fourth axes which are mutually perpendicular, said second radius probe comprising a second curved ultrasonic transducer array.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a linear ultrasonic transducer array housed in one of said first through third probe platforms; and

a dry acoustic couplant material separated from said linear ultrasonic transducer array by a gap,

wherein said probe housing assembly further comprises:

a dry acoustic couplant housing translatably coupled to said one of said first through third probe platforms for translation along first and second axes which are mutually perpendicular, said dry acoustic couplant housing supporting said dry acoustic couplant material.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a first web probe translatably coupled to one of said first through third probe platforms for translation along first and second axes which are mutually perpendicular, said first web probe comprising a first linear ultrasonic transducer array;

a second web probe translatably coupled to said one of said first through third probe platforms for translation along third and fourth axes which are mutually perpendicular, said second web probe comprising a second linear ultrasonic transducer array which is parallel to said first linear ultrasonic transducer array;

a first radius probe translatably coupled to another of said first through third probe platforms for translation along fifth and sixth axes which are mutually perpendicular, said first radius probe comprising a first curved ultrasonic transducer array; and

a second radius probe translatably coupled to said another of said first through third probe platforms for translation along seventh and eighth axes which are mutually perpendicular, said second radius probe comprising a second curved ultrasonic transducer array.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:

a third linear ultrasonic transducer array housed in a further one of said first through third probe platforms; and

a dry acoustic couplant material separated from said third linear ultrasonic transducer array by a gap,

wherein said probe housing assembly further comprises:

a dry acoustic couplant housing translatably coupled to said further one of said first through third probe platforms for translation along ninth and tenth axes which are mutually perpendicular, said dry acoustic couplant housing supporting said dry acoustic couplant material.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9 , wherein said first, second and third linear ultrasonic transducer arrays and said first and second curved ultrasonic transducer arrays are arranged so that said first and second linear ultrasonic transducer arrays can interrogate a web portion of an elongated composite member having a generally T-shaped profile, while said first and second curved ultrasonic transducer arrays can interrogate respective radiused portions of the elongated composite member, and said third linear ultrasonic transducer array can interrogate a flange portion of the elongated composite member in a single pass.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a probe housing assembly;

a first web probe rotatably coupled to said probe housing assembly for rotation about a first axis, said first web probe comprising a first linear ultrasonic transducer array;

a second web probe rotatably coupled to said probe housing assembly for rotation about a second axis which is parallel to said first axis, said second web probe comprising a second linear ultrasonic transducer array which is parallel to said first linear ultrasonic transducer array;

an L-shaped member comprising first and second legs that form a right angle;

a first linear slide configured to translatably couple said first leg of said L-shaped member to said first web probe to enable translation along a length of said first leg; and

a second linear slide configured to translatably couple said second leg of said L-shaped member to said first web probe to enable translation along a length of said second leg,

wherein said first and second linear ultrasonic transducer arrays stay mutually parallel and displace relative to each other during rotation in tandem about said first and second axes respectively.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein said probe housing assembly comprises:

a left pivot support carriage which is rotatably coupled to said first web probe;

a first slide bracket assembly;

third and fourth linear slides configured to translatably couple said first slide bracket assembly to said left pivot support carriage;

a right pivot support carriage which is rotatably coupled to said second web probe;

a second slide bracket assembly; and

fifth and sixth linear slides configured to translatably couple said second slide bracket assembly to said right pivot support carriage;

wherein said left and right pivot support carriages are slidable along third and fourth axes respectively, said third and fourth axes being perpendicular to said first and second axes.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein said probe housing assembly further comprises:

a web probe platform;

seventh and eighth linear slides configured to translatably couple said first slide bracket assembly to said web probe platform; and

ninth and tenth linear slides configured to translatably couple said second slide bracket assembly to said web probe platform,

wherein said first and second slide bracket assemblies are slidable along fifth and sixth axes respectively, said fifth axis being perpendicular to said first and third axes, and said sixth axis being perpendicular to said second and fourth axes.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13 , further comprising a frame and first and second rotatable shafts which are mutually coaxial and rotatable relative to said frame, wherein said probe housing assembly is clamped to said first and second rotatable shafts.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said frame comprises first through fourth guide shafts, the apparatus further comprising a first bearing block assembly translatably coupled to said first and second guide shafts, and a second bearing block assembly translatably coupled to said third and fourth guide shafts, wherein said first rotatable shaft is rotatably coupled to said first bearing block assembly, and said second rotatable shaft is rotatably coupled to said second bearing block assembly.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said probe housing assembly further comprises a flange probe platform clamped to said first and second rotatable shafts; and eleventh and twelfth linear slides configured to translatably couple said web probe platform to said flange probe platform, the apparatus further comprising a third linear ultrasonic transducer array housed in said flange probe platform.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16 , further comprising a dry acoustic couplant material separated from said third linear ultrasonic transducer array by a gap, wherein said probe housing assembly further comprises:

a dry acoustic couplant housing which supports said dry acoustic couplant material;

a third slide bracket assembly;

thirteenth and fourteenth linear slides configured to translatably couple said third slide bracket assembly to said dry acoustic couplant housing; and

fifteenth and sixteenth linear slides configured to translatably couple said third slide bracket assembly to said flange probe platform.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 16 , wherein said probe housing assembly further comprises a radius probe platform, and thirteenth and fourteenth linear slides configured to translatably couple said radius probe platform to said flange probe platform, the apparatus further comprising first and second radius probes translatably coupled to said radius probe platform, wherein said first radius probe comprises a first curved ultrasonic transducer array, and said second radius probe comprises a second curved ultrasonic transducer array.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 18 , wherein said probe housing assembly further comprises:

a third slide bracket assembly;

thirteenth and fourteenth linear slides configured to translatably couple said third bracket assembly to said first radius probe; and

fifteenth and sixteenth linear slides configured to translatably couple said third slide bracket assembly to said radius probe platform.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19 , wherein said probe housing assembly further comprises:

a fourth slide bracket assembly;

seventeenth and eighteenth linear slides configured to translatably couple said fourth bracket assembly to said second radius probe; and

nineteenth and twentieth linear slides configured to translatably couple said fourth slide bracket assembly to said radius probe platform.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 14 , further comprising a gimbal assembly disposed between said frame and a tool-side connector configured to be attached to a connector of a robot, said gimbal assembly comprising a revolute joint supported by said tool-side connector, a thrust bearing, and eleventh and twelfth linear slides configured to translatably couple said thrust bearing to said revolute joint.