Boeing Gearbox Inspection Tool

Overview

Boeing inspects the inner piping of newly manufactured gearboxes for any harmful defects or chipping prior to installation into airline engines. Any defects could become a weak point in the engine or come loose and jam up moving parts. Currently, the industry uses unaided borescope systems to navigate these narrow passages. The project team analyzed potential guidance and movement systems to improve the maneuverability of the borescope camera tip through several turns.

Objectives

The team’s objective was to design, build, and test a system for visually inspecting a system of rigid pipes with access points at either end of the pipes, simulating the complicated lubrication passages that exist on aircraft gearboxes. The team designed several prototypes, ranked them, and collected the qualitative results of their performances in our test system to guide Boeing to concepts that could be adapted to use in quality assurance and safety checks.

Approach

– The team researched current tech in the market for large piping inspections

– A test rig was built with one inch diameter piping with multiple direction flows and bends to simulate gearbox piping

– Concepts were generated on how to overcome the limitations of unaided borescope movement

– Concepts were ranked against each other and the reference

– Team was split into three groups to create 3 prototypes simultaneously based on the concepts that passed

– Each group spent time 3D-printing supports and assembling the prototypes

– Prototypes were tested and ranked based on performance and meeting of customer needs

Outcomes

The team settled on a borescope with a wired USB-C connection and a 5 MP camera. To help navigate the passage a guide system was developed using small casters attached to a 3D printed base and spring loaded to keep contact with the wall. This device was able to produce a higher quality image than the reference design as well as easily connect to most phones and computers and record the feed. The guide system helped keep the camera centered to offer the best image of the passage while allowing the device to navigate the passage easier. Although the group did not meet every one of Boeing’s goals with the project the team will deliver to Boeing a study on several different designs and takeaways from these designs. With Boeing’s resources they will hopefully be able to take the teams concepts and combine them with a top of the line borescope to produce the results they desire.