Michael Leonard Dziech

US Patent:

6608478, Aug 19, 2003

Filed:

Dec 7, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/011190

Inventors:

Michael Leonard Dziech - Cincinnati OH
Joseph Anthony Traxler - Hamilton OH
Michael Wayne Fields - Loveland OH

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01N 2790

US Classification:

324262, 324219, 324238, 738665

Abstract:

A rotor disk is inspected using an inspection apparatus including an inspection fixture which has a base, and at least one guide extending from the base. Each guide is slidably engagable to one of the rotor slots of the rotor disk and has a guide side shaped to slidably conform to the rotor slot side, and a guide bottom having a guide bottom surface which, in combination with a slot bottom surface, defines an elongated inspection cavity extending parallel to the axis of revolution of the rotor disk. The inspection fixture is mated to the rotor disk such that each guide slides into one of the rotor slots. A sensor apparatus includes a sensor, such as an eddy current sensor, sized to slide into the inspection cavity with a close facing relation thereto, and a sensor drive that moves the sensor parallel to a direction of elongation of the inspection cavity. Inspection is performed by inserting the sensor into the inspection cavity, and sensing the rotor slot bottom using the sensor.

US Patent:

6894492, May 17, 2005

Filed:

Dec 7, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/011191

Inventors:

Michael Leonard Dziech - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01R033/12
G01N027/82

US Classification:

324238, 324240, 324262, 3350104

Abstract:

A sensor measurement of an article having an article surface shape is performed using a hand-held senor probe having a probe housing, a sensor support rotatably mounted in the probe housing and having an orienting structure defined thereon. The orienting structure is preferably an orienting face with substantially the article surface shape. A sensor, such as a eddy current sensor, is affixed to the sensor support and is operable through the orienting face of the sensor support. The orienting face of the sensor support is pressed against the article surface to orient the sensor support and thence the sensor relative to the article surface, and the sensor measurement is performed. The sensor is preferably a ball having the orienting face thereon, and mounted to the probe housing in a ball-and-socket relationship.

US Patent:

6972561, Dec 6, 2005

Filed:

Feb 28, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/376517

Inventors:

Michael Wayne Fields - Loveland OH, US
Michael Leonard Dziech - Cincinnati OH, US
Jon Russel Dierdorf - Okeana OH, US
Anthony William Mellors - West Chester OH, US
James Michael Johnson - Kennewick WA, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01N027/72

US Classification:

324219, 324228, 324261

Abstract:

An eddy current inspection apparatus includes a holder for a specimen, a holder for an eddy current probe, and an eddy current instrument operatively joined thereto. The probe holder includes carriages for translating the probe along first and second axes. The probe holder is selectively moved to align the probe with an internal channel of the specimen for sliding movement therealong to conduct eddy current inspection thereof.

US Patent:

7190162, Mar 13, 2007

Filed:

Jul 23, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/898080

Inventors:

Brenda Catherine Tenley - Liberty Township OH, US
Michael Leonard Dziech - Cincinnati OH, US
Joseph Anthony Traxler - Fairfield Township OH, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01N 27/87
G01N 27/90
G01R 33/00

US Classification:

324238, 324262

Abstract:

A method for inspecting a gas turbine engine rotor disk, wherein the rotor disk includes a plurality of dovetail slots, includes providing a probe assembly including an eddy current probe and a probe fixture, wherein the eddy current probe includes a body portion and a tip portion including an eddy current probe coil. The method also includes inserting the eddy current probe into the probe fixture, coupling the probe fixture to the rotor disk such that at least a portion of the probe fixture is coupled to at least one of the dovetail slots, and such that the eddy current probe is positioned adjacent the rotor disk, generating an eddy current in the rotor disk using the eddy current probe coil, and inspecting the rotor disk using the probe assembly.

US Patent:

7313961, Jan 1, 2008

Filed:

Apr 26, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/114316

Inventors:

Brenda Catherine Tenley - Liberty Township OH, US
Michael Leonard Dziech - Cincinnati OH, US
Joseph Anthony Traxler - Fairfield Township OH, US
James Michael Donovan - Ripley OH, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01N 29/265
G01N 29/26
G01N 29/24

US Classification:

73634, 73640

Abstract:

A method for inspecting a gas turbine engine component includes positioning an ultrasonic probe assembly proximate to a surface of the component, wherein the ultrasonic probe assembly includes a body portion and an inspection bar, coupling the inspection bar to the body portion such that the inspection bar is substantially vertical with respect to the body portion, moving the ultrasonic probe assembly along a substantially horizontal axis while generating ultrasonic data of the component, coupling the inspection bar to the body portion such that the inspection bar is substantially horizontal with respect to the body portion, moving the ultrasonic probe assembly along a substantially vertical axis while generating ultrasonic data of the component, and utilizing the generated data to reconstruct an image of the component.

US Patent:

8395378, Mar 12, 2013

Filed:

Apr 29, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/769742

Inventors:

Wayne Lee Lawrence - Sardinia OH, US
Michael Dziech - Cincinnati OH, US
Joseph A. Traxler - Hamilton OH, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01N 27/82

US Classification:

324238, 324239, 324240

Abstract:

A method and system for inspecting components, such as a rotating component of a turbomachines having one or more slots along a perimeter thereof. The method entails mounting to a robotic apparatus a probe assembly that includes a holder assembly to which a probe tip is mounted, an eddy current coil within the probe tip and adjacent a first face thereof, a touch probe contact located at a second face of the probe tip, an element for enabling relative movement between the probe tip and holder assembly, and an element for biasing the probe tip relative to the holder assembly in a direction parallel to the movement. The probe tip is then placed in a slot and caused to travel along the surface of the slot to electromagnetically inspect the slot for cracks in its surface while the first face of the probe tip is maintained in contact with a slot surface.

US Patent:

57810079, Jul 14, 1998

Filed:

Oct 23, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/735940

Inventors:

Mark Partika - Middletown OH
Michael L. Dziech - Cincinnati OH
Jon R. Dierdorf - Okeana OH
Scott A. Whitlow - Salem OR
Fred L. Perrin - Kennewick WA
Richard W. Smith - Richland WA

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

G01N 2790
G01H 1102

US Classification:

324220

Abstract:

A portable three axis scanner is usable to inspect a gas turbine engine spool in situ upon removing a fan module from the engine. The scanner includes a drive assembly mountable to a forward end of the spool, and a support assembly mountable to an aft end of the spool. A support beam extends between the drive and support assemblies, and a carriage assembly is mounted thereon. The carriage assembly includes a probe support for mounting a removable scanner probe for inspecting the inside of the spool by ultrasonic or eddy current inspection. The drive assembly includes means for axially translating the carriage assembly, means for rotating the carriage assembly, and means for radially translating the probe support and probe thereon so that the probe has three-axis movement including axial, circumferential, and radial, respectively, for being selectively positioned inside the spool between the forward and aft ends thereof for inspecting the spool.