Detecting System Modeling and Hand-Eye Calibration for a Robot to Detect the Ablation of Hydro-turbine Blades

Abstract

In order to detect the ablation on the hydro-turbine blade in the turbine room, a scheme of the ablation detecting by a robot under the operator’s assistance was proposed. And the relevant system was designed. The system included two on-vehicle sensors and the computer and control center were located on the floor. The on-vehicle sensors included the laser range finder and the industry camera which were both fixed at a robot’s end-link. The blade was observed through the camera. When an ablation was found, its dimensions could be measured by the system. A mathematic model of the robot and the laser range finder was constructed. Besides, to calibrate the homogeneous transformation matrix between the coordinates of robot’s end-link and those of laser range finder, a calibration method by measuring a fixed point with different poses was proposed. Experimental results showed that the detecting scheme was appropriate for the turbine blade ablation detection, the model of the ablation detecting system was correct, and the proposed calibration method was effective