DEVELOPMENT AND ERROR ANALYSIS OF AN INSPECTING SYSTEM FOR MEASURING THE ROTATIONAL INERTIA OF BULLETS

介绍了一种用于测量弹丸转动惯量的高精度测量仪器，该仪器利用双悬丝扭摆机构、光电计时系统提取摆动周期信息，由MCS-51系列单片机组成的测量系统进行数据处理，并由LED显示器测量结果。文中阐述了仪器的工作原理， 推导了所需的计算公式，分析了产生测量误差的因素，进行了定量精度分析，给出了实验结果与测量精度。

A MACHINE VISION SYSTEM FOR INSPECTING WOOD SURFACE DEFECTS BY USING NEURAL NETWORK

With the development of wood industry, the processing of wood products becomemore significant. This paper discusses the developmen of machine vision system used to inspect andclassny the various types of defects of wood suxface. The surface defeds means the variations ofcolour and textUre. The machine vision system is to dated undesirable 'defecs' that can appear onthe surface of rough wood lwnber. A neural network was used within the Blackboard framework fora labeling verification step of the high-level recognition module of vision system. The system hasbere successfully tested on a number of boards from several different species.

New Robotic Technologies for Inspecting Two Pole Electric Generators while the Rotor Remains in Place

The electric generator is a highly stressed plant component requiring periodic inspection and maintenance to reduce the risk of a costly forced outage. This paper briefly introduces two new robotic technologies for performing fast and reliable inspections of two pole electric generators with minimal mechanical disassembly requirements. The first robotic system is designed to inspect within the generator rotor and stator air gap, while the second robotic system is designed to inspect the generator retaining rings. An overview of the design and construction of each system is provided, along with an explanation of the capabilities and benefits they bring to the power station owner.

The Use of Damage Modes in Periodic Inspecting Autoclave

According to the operation characteristics of autoclave, the possible defects are analyzed by damage modes, the inspection methods are selected contrapuntally, and the causes of the defects affecting the safe operation of the equipment are analyzed. This study effectively improves the quality of inspection work and plays an important role in strengthening the management of equipment use and reducing accidents.

High-efficiency inspecting method for mobile robots based on task planning for heat transfer tubes in a steam generator

Many heat transfer tubes are distributed on the tube plates of a steam generator that requires periodic inspection by robots.Existing inspection robots are usually involved in issues:Robots with manipulators need complicated installation due to their fixed base;tube mobile robots suffer from low running efficiency because of their structural restricts.Since there are thousands of tubes to be checked,task planning is essential to guarantee the precise,orderly,and efficient inspection process.Most in-service robots check the task tubes using row-by-row and column-bycolumn planning.This leads to unnecessary inspections,resulting in a long shutdown and affecting the regular operation of a nuclear power plant.Therefore,this paper introduces the structure and control system of a dexterous robot and proposes a task planning method.This method proceeds into three steps:task allocation,base position search,and sequence planning.To allocate the task regions,this method calculates the tool work matrix and proposes a criterion to evaluate a sub-region.And then all tasks contained in the sub-region are considered globally to search the base positions.Lastly,we apply an improved ant colony algorithm for base sequence planning and determine the inspection orders according to the planned path.We validated the optimized algorithm by conducting task planning experiments using our robot on a tube sheet.The results show that the proposed method can accomplish full task coverage with few repetitive or redundant inspections and it increases the efficiency by 33.31% compared to the traditional planning algorithms.

A Railway Fastener Inspection Method Based on Abnormal Sample Generation

Regular fastener detection is necessary to ensure the safety of railways.However,the number of abnormal fasteners is significantly lower than the number of normal fasteners in real railways.Existing supervised inspectionmethods have insufficient detection ability in cases of imbalanced samples.To solve this problem,we propose an approach based on deep convolutional neural networks(DCNNs),which consists of three stages:fastener localization,abnormal fastener sample generation based on saliency detection,and fastener state inspection.First,a lightweight YOLOv5s is designed to achieve fast and precise localization of fastener regions.Then,the foreground clip region of a fastener image is extracted by the designed fastener saliency detection network(F-SDNet),combined with data augmentation to generate a large number of abnormal fastener samples and balance the number of abnormal and normal samples.Finally,a fastener inspection model called Fastener ResNet-8 is constructed by being trained with the augmented fastener dataset.Results show the effectiveness of our proposed method in solving the problem of sample imbalance in fastener detection.Qualitative and quantitative comparisons show that the proposed F-SDNet outperforms other state-of-the-art methods in clip region extraction,reaching MAE and max F-measure of 0.0215 and 0.9635,respectively.In addition,the FPS of the fastener state inspection model reached 86.2,and the average accuracy reached 98.7%on 614 augmented fastener test sets and 99.9%on 7505 real fastener datasets.

Enhanced air-coupled impact echo technique by phase analysis of signals from multiple sensors

This paper presents an air-coupled impact echo(IE)technique that relies on the phase spectrum of the collected data to find the frequencies corresponding to the reflections from delaminations.The proposed technique takes advantage of the fact that the IE compression wave is not a propagating wave,but it is the 1st order symmetrical(S1)mode Lamb wave at zero group velocity(S1-ZGV).Therefore,it searches the phase spectra of the data collected by multiple sensors to locate the frequency corresponding to the lowest phase difference.As a result,the technique reduces the effect of propagating waves,including the direct acoustic wave and ambient noise.It is named the Constant Phase IE(CPIE).The performance of the CPIE is experimentally compared with the regular amplitude spectrum-based IE technique and two other multisensor IE techniques.The CPIE shows a performance advantage,especially in a noisy environment.

Industry-Oriented Detection Method of PCBA Defects Using Semantic Segmentation Models

Automated optical inspection(AOI)is a significant process in printed circuit board assembly(PCBA)production lines which aims to detect tiny defects in PCBAs.Existing AOI equipment has several deficiencies including low throughput,large computation cost,high latency,and poor flexibility,which limits the efficiency of online PCBA inspection.In this paper,a novel PCBA defect detection method based on a lightweight deep convolution neural network is proposed.In this method,the semantic segmentation model is combined with a rule-based defect recognition algorithm to build up a defect detection frame-work.To improve the performance of the model,extensive real PCBA images are collected from production lines as datasets.Some optimization methods have been applied in the model according to production demand and enable integration in lightweight computing devices.Experiment results show that the production line using our method realizes a throughput more than three times higher than traditional methods.Our method can be integrated into a lightweight inference system and pro-mote the flexibility of AOI.The proposed method builds up a general paradigm and excellent example for model design and optimization oriented towards industrial requirements.

Progression of e-ticketing implementation for state transportation agencies for asphalt materials

E-ticketing,which has been promoted by the Federal Highway Administration(FHWA)“every day counts”(EDC)initiative,utilizes software applications to digitally track and store information regarding highway construction materials paid by state transportation agencies(STAs)by weight in unit bid contract structures.STAs often face implementation barriers such as institutional inertia,or the resistance by stakeholders to adopt changes from the status quo,including new technologies.The purpose of this paper is to determine the progression of STA e-ticketing policy adoption,specifically with a focus on asphalt paving operations,due to the COVID-19 pandemic.To accomplish this research effort,previous FHWA data,National Cooperative Highway Research Program(NCHRP)data,and other literatures are reviewed to determine an implementation baseline.Additional data is collected from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Committee on Con-struction to gain current feedback from STAs and their highway contractor partners after the COVID-19 pandemic.Additionally,a case study featuring the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet(KYTC),the Kentucky Association of Highway Contractors(KAHC),and the Plantmix Asphalt Industry of Kentucky(PAIKY)is performed to provide more in-depth analysis.The major finding includes a statistically significant result indicating increased imple-mentation of e-ticketing for asphalt operations within the last two years,along with noting benefits including employee safety,task loading,and project documentation along with concerns regarding cellular connectivity and procurement responsibilities.These findings indicate the importance of STAs investing in partnership with con-tractors to improve stakeholder buy-in before proceeding towards e-ticketing adoption.

High-speed railway track components inspection framework based on YOLOv8 with high-performance model deployment

Railway inspection poses significant challenges due to the extensive use of various components in vast railway networks,especially in the case of high-speed railways.These networks demand high maintenance but offer only limited inspection windows.In response,this study focuses on developing a high-performance rail inspection system tailored for high-speed railways and railroads with constrained inspection timeframes.This system leverages the latest artificial intelligence advancements,incorporating YOLOv8 for detection.Our research introduces an efficient model inference pipeline based on a producer-consumer model,effectively utilizing parallel processing and concurrent computing to enhance performance.The deployment of this pipeline,implemented using C++,TensorRT,float16 quantization,and oneTBB,represents a significant departure from traditional sequential processing methods.The results are remarkable,showcasing a substantial increase in processing speed:from 38.93 Frames Per Second(FPS)to 281.06 FPS on a desktop system equipped with an Nvidia RTX A6000 GPU and from 19.50 FPS to 200.26 FPS on the Nvidia Jetson AGX Orin edge computing platform.This proposed framework has the potential to meet the real-time inspection requirements of high-speed railways.

A path planning method for robot patrol inspection in chemical industrial parks

Safety patrol inspection in chemical industrial parks is a complex multi-objective task with multiple degrees of freedom.Traditional pointer instruments with advantages like high reliability and strong adaptability to harsh environment,are widely applied in such parks.However,they rely on manual readings which have problems like heavy patrol workload,high labor cost,high false positives/negatives and poor timeliness.To address the above problems,this study proposes a path planning method for robot patrol in chemical industrial parks,where a path optimization model based on improved iterated local search and random variable neighborhood descent(ILS-RVND)algorithm is established by integrating the actual requirements of patrol tasks in chemical industrial parks.Further,the effectiveness of the model and algorithm is verified by taking real park data as an example.The results show that compared with GA and ILS-RVND,the improved algorithm reduces quantification cost by about 24%and saves patrol time by about 36%.Apart from shortening the patrol time of robots,optimizing their patrol path and reducing their maintenance loss,the proposed algorithm also avoids the untimely patrol of robots and enhances the safety factor of equipment.

Calibration of CO and CO2 Monitors Used in Periodic Inspection of Vehicles at Fixed Stations for Environmental Control

Global efforts for environmental cleanliness through the control of gaseous emissions from vehicles are gaining momentum and attracting increasing attention. Calibration plays a crucial role in these efforts by ensuring the quantitative assessment of emissions for informed decisions on environmental treatments. This paper describes a method for the calibration of CO/CO2 monitors used for periodic inspections of vehicles in cites. The calibration was performed in the selected ranges: 900 - 12,000 µmol/mol for CO and 2000 - 20,000 µmol/mol for CO2. The traceability of the measurement results to the SI units was ensured by using certified reference materials from CO/N2 and CO2/N2 primary gas mixtures. The method performance was evaluated by assessing its linearity, accuracy, precision, bias, and uncertainty of the calibration results. The calibration data exhibited a strong linear trend with R² values close to 1, indicating an excellent fit between the measured values and the calibration lines. Precision, expressed as relative standard deviation (%RSD), ranged from 0.48 to 4.56% for CO and from 0.97 to 3.53% for CO2, staying well below the 5% threshold for reporting results at a 95% confidence level. Accuracy measured as percent recovery, was consistently high (≥ 99.1%) for CO and ranged from 84.90% to 101.54% across the calibration range for CO2. In addition, the method exhibited minimal bias for both CO and CO2 calibrations and thus provided a reliable and accurate approach for calibrating CO/CO2 monitors used in vehicle inspections. Thus, it ensures the effectiveness of exhaust emission control for better environment.

Analysis of the Application of Bridge Rapid Inspection and Evaluation Technology

Rapid bridge inspection and evaluation mainly uses information technology to test the quality of bridge infrastructure and structures,integrates the test results with the existing management system,completes the bridge status assessment,establishes information management files to provide bridge disease problem inspection and analysis,and provides support for the application of disposal measures.This paper briefly discusses the necessity of applying rapid inspection and evaluation technology and analyzes the bridge’s rapid inspection and evaluation content,inspection system,and application process.We look forward to the future application prospects of this technology and supporting those in this field.

Shelton Vision pushes the needle on Al-assisted quality control

MANCHESTER,UK-Having successfully demonstrated its WebSpector automated fabric inspection system detecting faults on camouflage fabrics at speeds of up to 100metres a minute during ITMA 2023,BTMA member Shelton Vision has secured an unprecedented number of new orders in many fields of the textile industry.The company has subsequently been recruiting additional staff in order to beef up its operations to meet delivery times and to grow capacity for the ongoing increased demand.

From manual to automated fabric inspection

Uster,Switzerland,28th March 2024–Uster Technologies offers a flexible solution to upgrade fabric inspection from manual to automated.Integration in existing production lines is quick and easy,and the data flow also brings extra benefits.It means fabric producers can significantly improve their yield with fast,accurate quality monitoring.

Analysis of Safety Assessment and Testing of Heavy Traffic Vehicles on Old Bridges Without Data

This article presents a real-life project that aimed to evaluate the safety of traffic vehicles on old bridges without any prior data.The project involved various safety inspections,including conventional,static,and dynamic load inspections and safety assessments.After conducting these tests,it was concluded that the structure of the old bridge is relatively safe,with only a few bumps.The bridge could function normally following appropriate treatment.The analysis provides valuable insights into the assessment of the quality and safety of such bridges to ensure the safe driving of heavy vehicles.

Defect Inspection Technology for Steel Truss Suspension Bridges

Steel truss suspension bridges are prone to developing defects after prolonged use.These defects may include corrosion of the main cable or the steel truss.To ensure the normal and safe functioning of the suspension bridge,it is necessary to inspect for defects promptly,understand the cause of the defect,and locate it through the use of inspection technology.By promptly addressing defects,the suspension bridge’s safety can be ensured.The author has analyzed the common defects and causes of steel truss suspension bridges and proposed specific inspection technologies.This research is intended to aid in the timely discovery of steel truss suspension bridge defects.

Load Testing in Bridge Maintenance

Highway bridges are a crucial component in road transportation networks.These bridges must be maintained according to usage requirements regularly.Test results must be considered before devising a maintenance plan.Load testing is a vital method of assessing the quality and performance of highway bridges.The outcomes of these tests facilitate the formulation of maintenance plans.This article examines the definition of load testing,its significance,and the process of execution,with the goal of providing support for bridge inspection and maintenance.

A novel approach to identifying the ultrasonic echoes for inspecting well cementing quality

In this paper, it is presented that an approach based on Continuous Wavelet Thansform(CWT) and Fourier Transform(FT) for identifying ultrasonic echoes in inspecting oil well cementing quality. First, CWT is used to process echo signals. Then spectra of the processing results in some specilic scale-time segments are calculated as pattern features. The research results show that theoretical calculations basically agree with experimental results. Compared with the aPproach based on the spectra or Discrete Wavlet Transform, our approach has advantages of fine analyzing scales, stable features and high recognizing rate. It is very suitable to identify echo signals whose spectra vary with time.

A mask R-CNN based method for inspecting cable brackets in aircraft

In the aviation industry,cable bracket is one of the most common parts.The traditional assembly state inspection method of cable bracket is to manually compare by viewing 3 D models.The purpose of this paper is to address the problem of inefficiency of traditional inspection method.In order to solve the problem that machine learning algorithm requires large dataset and manually labeling of dataset is a laborious and time-consuming task,a simulation platform is developed to automatically generate synthetic realistic brackets images with pixel-level annotations based on 3 D digital mock-up.In order to obtain accurate shapes of brackets from 2 D image,a brackets recognizer based on Mask R-CNN is trained.In addition,a semi-automatic cable bracket inspection method is proposed.With this method,the inspector can easily obtain the inspection result only by taking a picture with a portable device,such as augmented reality(AR)glasses.The inspection task will be automatically executed via bracket recognition and matching.The experimental result shows that the proposed method for automatically labeling dataset is valid and the proposed cable bracket inspection method can effectively inspect cable bracket in the aircraft.Finally,a prototype system based on client-server framework has been developed for validation purpose.