A Statistical Framework for Improved Automatic Flaw Detection in Nondestructive Evaluation Images
Date
Authors
Major Professor
Advisor
Committee Member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Authors
Research Projects
Organizational Units
The Department of Aerospace Engineering seeks to instruct the design, analysis, testing, and operation of vehicles which operate in air, water, or space, including studies of aerodynamics, structure mechanics, propulsion, and the like.
History
The Department of Aerospace Engineering was organized as the Department of Aeronautical Engineering in 1942. Its name was changed to the Department of Aerospace Engineering in 1961. In 1990, the department absorbed the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics and became the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics. In 2003 the name was changed back to the Department of Aerospace Engineering.
Dates of Existence
1942-present
Historical Names
- Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics (1990-2003)
Related Units
- College of Engineering (parent college)
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics (merged with, 1990)
Journal Issue
Is Version Of
Versions
Series
Department
Abstract
Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques are widely used to detect flaws in critical components of systems like aircraft engines, nuclear power plants and oil pipelines in order to prevent catastrophic events. Many modern NDE systems generate image data. In some applications an experienced inspector performs the tedious task of visually examining every image to provide accurate conclusions about the existence of flaws. This approach is labor-intensive and can cause misses due to operator ennui. Automated evaluation methods seek to eliminate human-factors variability and improve throughput. Simple methods based on peak amplitude in an image are sometimes employed and a trained-operator-controlled refinement that uses a dynamic threshold based on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) has also been implemented. We develop an automated and optimized detection procedure that mimics these operations. The primary goal of our methodology is to reduce the number of images requiring expert visual evaluation by filtering out images that are overwhelmingly definitive on the existence or absence of a flaw. We use an appropriate model for the observed values of the SNR-detection criterion to estimate the probability of detection. Our methodology outperforms current methods in terms of its ability to detect flaws.
Comments
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis as Tian, Ye, Ranjan Maitra, William Q. Meeker, and Stephen D. Holland. "A Statistical Framework for Improved Automatic Flaw Detection in Nondestructive Evaluation Images." Technometrics 59, no. 2 (2017): 247-261. DOI: 10.1080/00401706.2016.1153000.