Non-Contact Real-time Nondestructive Evaluation Technology for NDE 4.0

NDE 4.0非接触实时无损评估技术

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-05495
• 负责人: KWON, HYOCKJU
• 金额: $ 2.33万
• 依托单位: University of Waterloo
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=740575
• 关键词: Non; Contact; Real; time; Nondestructive

Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) is crucial for various manufacturing sectors, but its current practices require human operators to be involved in all aspects of data collection, transfer and analysis, causing many issues on safety, speed and accuracy. With the advent of Industry 4.0, NDE technology needs to be upgraded to "NDE 4.0" comprising essential aspects such as automatic and autonomous NDE, interconnectivity for data communication, and real-time data analytics using AI, which cannot be achieved with current technology. In this program, we will advance a new hybrid NDE approach that can address these aspects to realize NDE 4.0. Currently various NDE methods are used, including X-ray, electromagnetic, ultrasound, acoustic emission, thermography and laser ultrasonics; however, all have critical limitations. The greatest limitation is human involvement; all the methods rely on inspectors to conduct the inspection and interpret the data; thus they are slow, cannot be applied to hazardous environment and the results are subjective and vulnerable to human errors. In this program, we will develop a new hybrid AI-based NDE method that can perform non-contact, in-line, remote and automatic inspections, with real-time data interpretation capability using embedded AI. This program consists of three inter-related objectives: 1) to develop a phased-laser ultrasonic technology that can focus and steer the ultrasound waves to the region of interest with a high signal strength. This can achieve a non-contact and couplant-free NDE, enabling remote and automatic NDE suitable for hazardous environments and geometrically complex components. 2) to develop a noble graphene-based ultrasonic receiver to receive the reflected ultrasonic waves. Utilizing the ultra-low mass and high mechanical strength of graphene, we will develop a wideband receiver that is much smaller and more sensitive than existing ultrasonic receivers. 3) to develop a FPGA-based NDE controller that controls the NDE process, interprets the data using AI algorithm, and communicates with the cloud server in real-time. Owing to its fast computation speed and powerful parallelism capability, a FPGA-based controller is able to achieve real-time data analytics using AI. Each objective is cutting-edge and innovative, while the achievement of all objectives as a whole will develop the novel NDE technology, that can be immediately applicable to the in-line, automatic and safe NDE, which would lead technological development for the progression toward and through the Industry 4.0. The proposed research will give Canada a competitive edge in the study of NDE, structural health monitoring and the integration of NDE with real-time AI. This integration will enable a higher level of NDE technology, allowing Canadian industry to gain momentum in emerging NDT service and equipment markets, while ensuring the safety of the products, structures, and infrastructure.

无损评估（NDE）对于各种制造业至关重要，但其目前的做法需要人类操作员参与数据收集，传输和分析的各个方面，导致安全，速度和准确性方面的许多问题。随着工业4.0的到来，NDE技术需要升级到“NDE 4.0”，包括自动和自主NDE，数据通信的互连性以及使用AI的实时数据分析等基本方面，这些都是当前技术无法实现的。在这个项目中，我们将提出一种新的混合NDE方法，可以解决这些问题，实现NDE 4.0。 目前使用的各种NDE方法，包括X射线，电磁，超声，声发射，热成像和激光超声;然而，所有这些方法都有严重的局限性。最大的限制是人为参与;所有方法都依赖于检查员进行检查和解释数据;因此速度慢，不能适用于危险环境，结果主观，容易出现人为错误。在这个项目中，我们将开发一种新的基于人工智能的混合NDE方法，该方法可以执行非接触，在线，远程和自动检测，并使用嵌入式人工智能进行实时数据解释。该计划包括三个相互关联的目标：1）开发一种相位激光超声技术，可以将超声波聚焦并引导到具有高信号强度的感兴趣区域。这可以实现非接触和无耦合剂的无损检测，从而实现适用于危险环境和几何复杂部件的远程自动无损检测。2)开发一种基于石墨烯的超声波接收器来接收反射的超声波。利用石墨烯的超低质量和高机械强度，我们将开发一种比现有超声波接收器更小、更灵敏的宽带接收器。3)开发基于FPGA的无损检测控制器，控制无损检测过程，使用AI算法解释数据，并与云服务器实时通信。由于其快速的计算速度和强大的并行能力，基于FPGA的控制器能够使用AI实现实时数据分析。每一个目标都是尖端和创新的，而所有目标的实现作为一个整体将开发新的无损检测技术，可以立即适用于在线，自动和安全的无损检测，这将导致技术发展的进展，并通过工业4.0。拟议的研究将使加拿大在NDE研究，结构健康监测以及NDE与实时AI的整合方面具有竞争优势。这种整合将使无损检测技术达到更高水平，使加拿大工业在新兴的无损检测服务和设备市场中获得动力，同时确保产品、结构和基础设施的安全。