Abstract: A borescope is received within a housing. The borescope includes a flexible end portion carrying the video head and a housing includes a flexible end portion comprised of ball-socket segments and a tip for following the movement of the flexible end portion of the borescope. Cooling air is provided in an annular passage between the borescope and housing for flow about the borescope to maintain the video head temperature below its temperature limitation. Two cables maintain the ball-socket segments and tip in contact with a transition piece and with one another to enable the flexible borescope end portion to follow the movement of the directionally controlled video head.

Abstract: An air gap inspection device. The air gap inspection device may include a mast and an inspection head attached to the mast. The mast may be in the form of a collapsible tube.

Abstract: Methods and systems for an in-situ inspection system includes at least one source of an inspection fluid, a source of an atomizing fluid, a control panel configured to control a flow of at least one of the inspection fluid and the atomizing fluid, and a mixing box configured to mix the inspection fluid with the atomizing fluid.

Abstract: A miniature air gap inspection crawler. The miniature air gap inspection crawler may include a base, a linear drive mechanism and a circumferential drive mechanism such that either the linear drive mechanism or the circumferential drive mechanism may be employed, and an inspection module connected to the base.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for machinery testing and inspection using a manipulator are provided. The apparatus includes a tubular shaft, an operator end coupled to the tubular shaft and including a first spool rotatably coupled to the operator end, an effector including an attachment end that includes a second spool rotatably coupled to the attachment end, and a control cable channeled through the shaft from the first spool to the second spool. The control cable is wound at least partially around the first spool and is wound at least partially around the second spool such that rotation of the first spool rotates the second spool using the control cable.

Abstract: A probe is pulled along a cooling slot of a turbine wheel to detect defects along the slot surfaces. The cooling slot extends radially inwardly of the bases of both the dovetails and dovetail slots. A housing assembly is releasably coupled to the rim of the turbine wheel and a motor draws the probe along the cooling slot at constant speed. A guide and brushes on the probe serve to bias the probe radially outwardly against the surfaces to be inspected as the probe is drawn along the cooling slot.

Abstract: A borescope is received within a housing. The borescope includes a flexible end portion carrying the video head and a housing includes a flexible end portion comprised of ball-socket segments and a tip for following the movement of the flexible end portion of the borescope. Cooling air is provided in an annular passage between the borescope and housing for flow about the borescope to maintain the video head temperature below its temperature limitation. Two cables maintain the ball-socket segments and tip in contact with a transition piece and with one another to enable the flexible borescope end portion to follow the movement of the directionally controlled video head.

Abstract: The cleaning system includes a plurality of generally dovetail-shaped slot blocks having a slot along a radial inner side, an abrasive media or belt and a backing tube. Upon insertion of the blocks into the dovetail slots of a rotor wheel and aligning the block slots with the cooling slot, the abrasive media and backing tube are inserted in the cooling slot tunnel. The abrasive media may extend through end feeder blocks. With the backing tube applying pressure radially outwardly against the abrasive media, back and forth motion applied manually from outboard of the rim of the rotor cleans the surfaces of the cooling slot without disassembly of the rotor.

Abstract: An inspection system, in an exemplary embodiment, includes at least two base members spaced apart from each other, a support arm mounted to each base member, a linear track extending between and supported by the support arms, and a transport member coupled to the linear track. The transport member is movable along the linear track. The system further includes a transducer support arm pivotably coupled to the transport member, and a transducer assembly coupled to the transducer support arm.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a metallic post contoured in a single dimension for defects. The apparatus has a clamp having at least one jaw with a surface conforming to the contour to the metallic post. The conforming jaw or jaws also have a plurality of eddy current coils and the probe has at least one sensor configured to sense at least one of position or motion.

Abstract: In an information processing system having an equipment controller for enabling the digitization of complex work processes conducted during testing and/or operation of machinery and equipment, a local wireless communications network is implemented using at least one fixed point wireless communications access station and one or more voice-responsive wireless mobile computing/communications devices that are capable of accurate vocal command recognition in noisy industrial environments. The computing/communications device determines spectral characteristics of ambient non-speech background noises and provides active noise cancellation through the use of a directional microphone and an adaptive noise tracking and subtraction process. The device is carried by a user and is responsive to one or more vocal utterances of the user for communicating data to the information processing system and/or generating operational control commands to provide to the equipment controller for controlling the machinery or equipment.