PhD Studentship in Remote Robotic Laser Inspection of Welds and 3D Metal Printed Components

当今无损检测和高价值制造业面临的大多数挑战都源于先进材料和先进工艺的使用增加，这些材料和工艺将性能极限推向了极限。检测技术面临着极端的操作环境（高温/放射性环境），限制进入的地方（例如发动机或人体内部），复杂几何形状的组件，远程部署以及高价值制造（例如增材制造）的过程监控。出于所有这些原因，需要的是远程超声检查：一种非接触、无耦合剂、占地面积小、重量轻、可通过内窥镜输送的技术。激光超声（LU）解决了这些挑战，激光诱导相控阵（LIPA）通过成功解决通常与LU相关的低信噪比（SNR），提供了比传统LU技术更优越的上级超声成像，特别是对于非破坏性机制。这些技术将使用机器人部署在真实的和具有挑战性的过程中-例如焊接和3D金属打印-环境和组件。将要开发的技术将影响英国工业产品的生命周期成本，提高英国制造业的成功，特别是那些依赖于安全关键应用（例如航空航天）的应用。因此，这项研究的结果将确保更安全的运输，减少自然资源的使用，并使整个社会受益。机器人交付的激光超声检测提供了一个巨大的机会，可以在制造过程中检测部件，最终实现自动化在线过程监控。该项目旨在研究结合1）自动化和机器人技术，2）先进相控阵激光超声和3）复杂熔焊和大规模3D金属打印的最新发展的潜力。具体而言，该项目将研究和开发一种使用6自由度（D.O.F.）的激光部署检查系统。第一次使用了真正的3D表面和体积映射操纵器。还将开发全光学采集的超声数据的自动解释，提供有关缺陷位置、尺寸和类型的信息。这种解释将是自适应和实时的，形成数据采集过程的反馈回路。基于光学的技术，可以通过柔性光纤传输，也最适合于限制访问的地方，例如发动机或人体的现场检查。该项目直接适用于增材制造、航天、航空、核能、国防甚至人类健康等工业领域。机器人无损检测是Strathclyde使用基于传感器的方法的国际先驱。LU将集成到现有的机器人中，以满足提高检测速度的要求，并利用机器人系统灵活的轨迹规划，在没有物理限制的情况下实现LIPA合成阵列的潜力。该技术首先应用于曲面结构的检测，然后应用于焊接和增材制造的在线过程监控。总之，该研究计划具有高度的新奇。特别是，高学术和工业的影响，预计从远程机器人激光检测的想法和自动决策过程的发展。博士研究的核心目标将是：-在工业样品上演示LIPA。开发LIPAs合成的自动决策过程。在工业中遇到的各种检测案例中展示该技术的潜力。调查在线部署的检测系统在一个现实的制造环境。

The majority of challenges for NDE and high value manufacturing today stem from the increased use of advanced materials and advanced processes that push the performance limits to extremes. Inspection techniques are faced with extreme operating environments (high temperature/radioactive environments), places of restricted access (e.g. the inside of engines or the human body), components of complex geometries, remote deployment, and in-process monitoring of high-value manufacturing (e.g. additive manufacturing). For all these reasons, what is needed is remote ultrasonic inspection: a technique that is non-contact, couplant free, has small footprint and minimal weight and can be delivered through an endoscope. Laser ultrasonics (LU) address these challenges and Laser Induced Phased Arrays (LIPAs) provide superior ultrasonic imaging than conventional LU techniques by successfully addressing the poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) usually associated with LU, especially for the non destructive regime.The aim of the PhD is to enable automated, remote ultrasonic imaging, based on LIPAs, which will be deployed using robots on real and challenging processes -such as welding and 3D metal printing- environments and components.The techniques to be developed will influence life-cycle costs of UK industrial products, enhancing the success of UK manufacturing, especially those depending on safety critical applications, such as aerospace. As a result, the results from this study will ensure safer transport, reduced usage of natural resources and benefit society as a whole.Robotically delivered Laser Ultrasonic inspection offers a monumental opportunity to inspect components as they are being built, ultimately leading to automated on-line process monitoring. This project seeks to investigate the potential for combining state-of-the-art developments in 1) Automation and Robotics, 2) Advanced Phased Array Laser Ultrasonics and 3) Complex Fusion Welding and large-scale 3D metal printing. Specifically, this project will investigate and develop a system for laser-deployed inspection using a 6 Degree of Freedom (D.O.F.) manipulator for true 3D surface and volume mapping, for the first time. Automated interpretation of all-optically acquired, ultrasonic data, providing information on the location, size and type of defects, will also be developed. This interpretation will be adaptive and real-time, forming a feedback loop to the data acquisition process.Optical-based techniques, which can be delivered through flexible optical fibres, are also best suited for places of restricted access, such as in situ inspection of engines, or the human body. This project is directly applicable to industrial sectors such as additive manufacturing, space, aerospace, nuclear, defence and even human health.Robotic delivery of NDT inspection is an area where Strathclyde are international pioneers, using transducer based methods. LU will be integrated to the existing robots, addressing the requirements for increased inspection speeds and taking advantage of the flexible trajectory planning of the robotic system to realise LIPAs potential on synthesising arrays without physical constraints. The benefits are firstly expected in the inspection of curved structures and then for on-line process monitoring of welding and additive manufacturing.In summary, there is a high degree of novelty in the proposed research plan. In particular, high academic and industrial impact is expected from the idea of remote robotic laser inspection and the development of automated decision making process. The core objectives of the PhD study will be:-Demonstration of LIPAs on industrial samples.-Development of automated decision making process for the synthesis of LIPAs.-Demonstration of the potential of the technique in a variety of inspection cases encountered in industry.-Investigate on-line deployment of the inspection system within a realistic manufacturing environment.