Device for non-destructive testing of structures, particularly ship hulls, using number of non-destructive testing detectors and mobile robot to carry them

摘要

A robot and detectors have at their disposal means of adhering to the walls of the structure, means of sliding or rolling on them without being mechanically guided by a device fixed to the walls, means of positioning precisely in space during movement, means of taking measurements on the structure and means of communication allowing the measurements to be transmitted. The detectors are mounted on a flexible support which can deform during its placement to mould to the shape and stay in contact with the structure. The adherence force of the detectors and the robot to the structure is obtained by magnetizing parts of the detectors and the robot, or by using pneumatic suction. The means of positioning precisely use at least one optical emitter fixed to the robot, or when the robot is used underwater an acoustic positioning system is used. The detectors are mounted on skates sliding on the structure. A cavity is made in the skates in which water is injected between the detector and the structure. Construction of the non destructive control measures from the signals from the detectors is done in real time on board the robot by a dedicated calculation circuit. A remote computer records and/or displays the relevant measurements made on the structure as the robot travels simultaneous with the robot's position where the measurements have been made.