LoneStar NDE Innovations (LSNDE, Waco, Texas, U.S.) blends software and hardware to redefine the future of inspection technology for advanced material systems like composites and bonded structures. In its commitment to simplify complexity — providing CAD-free inspection path planning that enables seamless operations — LSNDE highlights Orion, a collaborative robotic (cobot) inspection system.

Orion is designed to complement human expertise, ensuring that every endeavor is productive and intuitive. The LSDNE cobot is rapidly deployable (<10 min set up), fast (up to 40 in/sec) and provides intuitive results (3D C-scans for rapid decision-making).

A 3D depth camera, novel path planning software and novel sensor end effectors for ultrasonics and bond testing make the inspection setup, process of inspecting and disposition streamlined. Data is archived in open data HDF5 format that can be analyzed using the LSNDE analysis tools or with custom algorithms that the user may already have.

Orion is designed for full life cycle support of a component. It is well suited to R&D stages when engineers and inspectors want to learn about their manufacturing process to drive improvements. The inspection tool can then be scaled to support production, and the system form factor can be modified to provide in-service capabilities.

According to LSNDE, solutions like Orion overcome labor-intensive manual inspection, excessive time delays and issues with not having access to engineering drawings or CAD for the components being inspected. Rather, Orion provides scalable and rapidly deployable inspection capability without engineering drawings or CADs; Orion can simply be positioned near the structure to begin the inspection process.