Patent Application
20110138873
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a robotic peening apparatus. Specifically, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to a robotic peening apparatus for peening fasteners in a turbine machine.
In the construction of turbines (e.g., steam turbines), cover plates are employed for a variety of reasons and are generally secured to the tips of turbine buckets by peening fasteners formed on the buckets or cover plates. To secure the bucket tips and cover plates to one another, solid fasteners on the admission sides of the cover plates are peened into the bucket tip openings. Conventionally, the fasteners are peened into the bucket chamfers using a reciprocating riveting tool. This riveting tool may be hand-held by an operator, or may be mounted on a portion of the turbine.
Solutions for robotic fastener peening in turbine machines are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes: a peening machine having a peening head; a robotic apparatus including: a robotic arm coupled to the peening machine; and a base member coupled to the robotic arm, the base member mounted independently of the machine element; a vision system for locating a fastener on the machine element; and a control system coupled to the vision system, the peening machine and the robotic apparatus, the control system configured to control movement of the robotic apparatus and the peening machine based upon vision system data and spatial information about the fastener and the machine element.
A first aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for peening a fastener on a machine element, the apparatus comprising: a peening machine having a peening head; a robotic apparatus including: a robotic arm coupled to the peening machine; and a base member coupled to the robotic arm, the base member mounted independently of the machine element; a vision system for locating the fastener on the machine element; and a control system coupled to the vision system, the peening machine and the robotic apparatus, the control system configured to control movement of the robotic apparatus and the peening machine based upon vision system data and spatial information about the fastener and the machine element.
A second aspect of the invention provides a machining station comprising: a surface; a portion of a turbine rotor in contact with the surface, the portion of the turbine rotor including a machine element having at least one fastener thereon; and an apparatus for peening the at least one fastener, the apparatus comprising: a peening machine having a peening head; a robotic apparatus including: a robotic arm coupled to the peening machine; and a base member coupled to the robotic arm, the base member in contact with the surface independently of the portion of the turbine rotor; a vision system for locating the at least one fastener on the machine element; and a control system coupled to the vision system, the peening machine and the robotic apparatus, the control system configured to control movement of the robotic apparatus and the peening machine based upon vision system data and spatial information about the at least one fastener and the machine element.
A third aspect of the invention provides a machining station comprising: a supportive surface; a stand in contact with the supportive surface; a portion of a turbine rotor in contact with the stand, the portion of the turbine rotor including a machine element having at least one fastener thereon; and an apparatus for peening the at least one fastener, the apparatus comprising: a peening machine having a peening head; a robotic apparatus including: a robotic arm coupled to the pneumatic peening machine; and a base member coupled to the robotic arm, the base member in contact with the supportive surface independently of the stand; a vision system for locating the at least one fastener on the machine element; and a control system coupled to the vision system, the peening machine and the robotic apparatus, the control system configured to control movement of the robotic apparatus and the peening machine based upon vision system data and spatial information about the at least one fastener and the machine element.
These and other features of this invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that depict various embodiments of the invention, in which:
It is noted that the drawings of the invention are not to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings.
As indicated above, aspects of the invention provide for peening of fasteners using a robotic apparatus. The robotic apparatus may be configured to peen fasteners on a machine element (e.g., a portion of a turbine machine) while being mounted independent of the machine element. In one embodiment, the robotic apparatus may be configured to peen fasteners on a machine element while contacting only the fastener being peened. As used herein, the term “fastener” may include any device capable of joining two members (e.g., machine elements) together through peening as described herein. For example, a fastener may include a tenon, a rivet, a swell, etc.
Turning to the drawings,
Fasteners in a turbine machine (e.g., steam turbine) are often peened into turbine bucket chamfers using a reciprocating riveting tool. In some cases this riveting tool may be hand-held by an operator, and in other cases it may be mounted on a portion of the turbine. The hand-held approach may have significant drawbacks. For example, an operator of a hand-held riveting tool may suffer physical injuries as vibrations from the riveting tool are transferred to the operator's arms, upper torso, etc. Further, when peening multiple fasteners, a human operator may become fatigued. This operator fatigue increases processing time and adversely affects the consistency of peening across multiple fasteners.
The turbine-mounted approach may also have significant drawbacks. For example, when peening multiple fasteners on one or more portions of a turbine, moving a turbine-mounted riveting tool can be cumbersome and time-consuming. Further, turbine-mounted riveting tools may require operator-aided alignment of riveting heads to ensure accurate and complete peening of fasteners.
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Apparatus 22 may also include a computer system 120 coupled to vision system 38, peening machine 24, and robotic apparatus 38. Computer system 120 may be configured to control movement of robotic apparatus 28 and peening machine 24 via a robotic control system 40 (
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Computer system 120 is shown in communication with apparatus 22, which may include peening machine 24 and vision system 38. Further, computer system 120 is shown in communication with a user 136. A user 136 may be, for example, a programmer or operator. Interactions between these components and computer system 120 will be discussed in subsequent portions of this application. Computer system 120 is shown including a processing component 122 (e.g., one or more processors), a storage component 124 (e.g., a storage hierarchy), an input/output (I/O) component 126 (e.g., one or more I/O interfaces and/or devices), and a communications pathway 128. In one embodiment, processing component 122 executes program code, such as robotic control system 40, which is at least partially embodied in storage component 124. While executing program code, processing component 122 can process data, which can result in reading and/or writing the data to/from storage component 124 and/or I/O component 126 for further processing. Pathway 128 provides a communications link between each of the components in computer system 120. I/O component 126 can comprise one or more human I/O devices or storage devices, which enable user 136 to interact with computer system 120 and/or one or more communications devices to enable user 136 to communicate with computer system 120 using any type of communications link. To this extent, robotic control system 40 can manage a set of interfaces (e.g., graphical user interface(s), application program interface, and/or the like) that enable human and/or system interaction with robotic control system 40.
In any event, computer system 120 can comprise one or more general purpose computing articles of manufacture (e.g., computing devices) capable of executing program code installed thereon. As used herein, it is understood that “program code” means any collection of instructions, in any language, code or notation, that cause a computing device having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after any combination of the following: (a) conversion to another language, code or notation; (b) reproduction in a different material form; and/or (c) decompression. To this extent, robotic control system 40 can be embodied as any combination of system software and/or application software. In any event, the technical effect of computer system 120 is to provide processing instructions to apparatus 22 in order to peen fasteners.
Further, robotic control system 40 can be implemented using a set of modules 132. In this case, a module 132 can enable computer system 20 to perform a set of tasks used by robotic control system 40, and can be separately developed and/or implemented apart from other portions of robotic control system 40. Robotic control system 40 may include modules 132 which comprise a specific use machine/hardware and/or software. Regardless, it is understood that two or more modules, and/or systems may share some/all of their respective hardware and/or software. Further, it is understood that some of the functionality discussed herein may not be implemented or additional functionality may be included as part of computer system 120.
When computer system 120 comprises multiple computing devices, each computing device may have only a portion of robotic control system 40 embodied thereon (e.g., one or more modules 132). However, it is understood that computer system 120 and robotic control system 40 are only representative of various possible equivalent computer systems that may perform a process described herein. To this extent, in other embodiments, the functionality provided by computer system 120 and robotic control system 40 can be at least partially implemented by one or more computing devices that include any combination of general and/or specific purpose hardware with or without program code. In each embodiment, the hardware and program code, if included, can be created using standard engineering and programming techniques, respectively.
Regardless, when computer system 120 includes multiple computing devices, the computing devices can communicate over any type of communications link. Further, while performing a process described herein, computer system 120 can communicate with one or more other computer systems using any type of communications link. In either case, the communications link can comprise any combination of various types of wired and/or wireless links; comprise any combination of one or more types of networks; and/or utilize any combination of various types of transmission techniques and protocols.
As discussed herein, robotic control system 40 enables computer system 120 to provide processing instructions to apparatus 22 for peening fasteners. Robotic control system 40 may include logic, which may include the following functions: an obtainer 43, a determinator 53, an actuator 63 and a user interface module 73. In one embodiment, robotic control system 40 may include logic to perform the above-stated functions. Structurally, the logic may take any of a variety of forms such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or any other specific use machine structure capable of carrying out the functions described herein. Logic may take any of a variety of forms, such as software and/or hardware. However, for illustrative purposes, robotic control system 40 and logic included therein will be described herein as a specific use machine. As will be understood from the description, while logic is illustrated as including each of the above-stated functions, not all of the functions are necessary according to the teachings of the invention as recited in the appended claims.
Turning to
Portion of turbine rotor 56 may include one or more machine elements such as a turbine bucket 10, at least one cover plate 14, and at least one fastener 16 thereon (several shown for illustrative purposes). Description of turbine bucket 10, cover plate 14 and fastener 16 are included with reference to
During operation, apparatus 22 may peen one or more fasteners 16 using vision system 38, robotic arm 28 and peening machine 24. In one embodiment, apparatus 22 may use vision system 38 to locate the fastener 16, robotic arm 28 to align peening machine 24 with the fastener 16, and peening head 26 (actuated by peening machine 24) to peen (hammer) fastener 16. In one embodiment, peening machine 24 may be a pneumatic peening machine including peening head 26. In this case, the pneumatic peening machine may allow for apparatus 22 to peen fastener 16 while only contacting fastener 16. That is, in one embodiment, apparatus 22 may peen fastener 16 while its base member 42 is in contact with supportive surface 52 independent of stand 54 (and portion of rotor 56). This may allow apparatus 22 to peen fastener 16 without having to affix itself to stand 54 and/or portion of rotor 56. This freedom of movement may reduce the time required to peen multiple fasteners 16. As shown and described herein, machining station 50 may further include computer system 120, coupled to one or more of vision system 38, peening machine 24 and apparatus 22. In one embodiment, robotic control system 40 is coupled to each of these components (via, e.g., computer system 120), and is configured to control movement of the apparatus 22 (including peening machine 24) based upon vision system data and spatial information about fastener 16 and machine element (e.g., cover plate 14 and/or bucket 10).
Turning back to
Obtainer 43 may further obtain vision system data 138 from vision system 38. In one embodiment, vision system data 138 may indicate a location of a reference point on apparatus 22 with respect to a point on portion of turbine 56, stand 54, supportive surface 52, etc. In this case, vision system data 138 about the location of apparatus 22 (and specifically, peening machine 24 and peening head 26) may be obtained using any conventional optical means. For example, vision system 138 may locate the position of a fastener relative to any conventional coordinate system, e.g., global and/or tool frame coordinate systems. In any case, obtainer 43 may obtain vision system data 138 from vision system 38, and may convert vision system data 138 into any format necessary to allow determinator 53 to compare vision system data 138 with spatial information 140 to determine a desired movement of apparatus 22.
As indicated above, after obtaining vision system data 138 and spatial information 140, determinator 53 may compare the data to determine a desired movement of apparatus 22. For example, where determinator 53 determines that peening head 26 is aligned with a desired peening location on a fastener 16 in two of three dimensions, determinator 53 may determine that peening machine 24 should be moved in only the third dimension to align with the desired peening location. In another example, determinator 53 may determine that peening head 26 is aligned in a desired peening location in all three dimensions and that fastener 16 was not previously peened (e.g., based upon vision system data 138 and/or spatial information 140 indicating that peening head 26 has not been at this location previously). In this case, determinator 53 may determine that peening of fastener 16 is necessary. Where determinator 53 determines that peening of fastener 16 is necessary, actuator 63 may provide instructions to peening machine 24 to actuate peening head 26.
Actuator 63 may, for example, provide instructions to peening machine 24 to actuate peening head 26 according to a pre-determined pattern. This pre-determined pattern may be based upon whether the fastener 16 has been previously peened. For example, a new (never peened) fastener 16 may require more peening (e.g., more strikes per point) than a fastener that has already been peened. In this case, actuator 53 may provide instructions for peening a “new” fastener. In another embodiment, fastener 16 may have been previously peened (e.g., portion of turbine 56 is being refurbished). In this case, actuator 53 may provide instructions to peening machine 24 for a “refurbished” fastener. In any case, actuator 53 may provide instructions to peening machine 24 for peening one or more fasteners 16 on portion of turbine 56. It is further understood that actuator 63 may provide instructions to apparatus 22 (e.g., robotic arm 28) for moving peening machine 24 (and specifically, peening head 26) into a desired position for peening. That is, actuator 53 may provide instructions for moving one or more elements of apparatus 22 to a desired position to facilitate peening of one or more fasteners 16.
Turning to
While shown and described herein as an apparatus 22 including robotic control system 40, it is understood that aspects of the invention further provide various alternative embodiments. For example, in one embodiment, the invention provides a computer program embodied in at least one computer-readable medium, which when executed, enables a computer system to provide processing instructions to apparatus 22 in order to peen fasteners. To this extent, the computer-readable medium includes program code, such as robotic control system 40 (
In another embodiment, the invention provides a method of providing a copy of program code, such as robotic control system 40 (
In still another embodiment, the invention provides a method of generating a system for providing processing instructions to apparatus 22 in order to peen fasteners. In this case, a computer system, such as computer system 120 (
It is understood that aspects of the invention can be implemented as part of a business method that performs a process described herein on a subscription, advertising, and/or fee basis. That is, a service provider could offer to provide processing instructions for mapping slag zones in a boiler as described herein. In this case, the service provider can manage (e.g., create, maintain, support, etc.) a computer system, such as computer system 120 (
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
