The Research on Path Planning Method for Detecting Automotive Steering Knuckles Based on Phased Array Ultrasound Point Cloud

To address the challenges of automatic detection caused by the variation of surface normal vectors in automotive steering knuckles, an automatic detection method based on ultrasonic phased array technology is herein proposed. First, a point cloud model of the workpiece was constructed using ultrason...

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Main Authors: Yihao Mao, Jun Tu, Huizhen Wang, Yangfan Zhou, Qiao Wu, Xu Zhang, Xiaochun Song
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Sensors
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/9/2907
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author Yihao Mao
Jun Tu
Huizhen Wang
Yangfan Zhou
Qiao Wu
Xu Zhang
Xiaochun Song
author_facet Yihao Mao
Jun Tu
Huizhen Wang
Yangfan Zhou
Qiao Wu
Xu Zhang
Xiaochun Song
author_sort Yihao Mao
collection DOAJ
description To address the challenges of automatic detection caused by the variation of surface normal vectors in automotive steering knuckles, an automatic detection method based on ultrasonic phased array technology is herein proposed. First, a point cloud model of the workpiece was constructed using ultrasonic distance measurement, and Gaussian-weighted principal component analysis was used to estimate the normal vectors of the point cloud. By utilizing the normal vectors, water layer thickness during detection, and the incident angle of the sound beam, the probe pose information corresponding to the detection point was precisely calculated, ensuring the stability of the sound beam incident angle during the detection process. At the same time, in the trajectory planning process, piecewise cubic Hermite interpolation was used to optimize the detection trajectory, ensuring continuity during probe movement. Finally, an automatic detection system was set up to test a steering knuckle specimen with surface circumferential cracks. The results show that the point cloud data of the steering knuckle specimen, obtained using phased array ultrasound, had a relative measurement error controlled within 1.4%, and the error between the calculated probe angle and the theoretical angle did not exceed 0.5°. The probe trajectory derived from these data effectively improved the B-scan image quality during the automatic detection of the steering knuckle and increased the defect signal amplitude by 5.6 dB, demonstrating the effectiveness of this method in the automatic detection of automotive steering knuckles.
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spelling doaj-art-a315ca77cbff4aa29fc2f3dad033f3032025-08-20T02:31:08ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-05-01259290710.3390/s25092907The Research on Path Planning Method for Detecting Automotive Steering Knuckles Based on Phased Array Ultrasound Point CloudYihao Mao0Jun Tu1Huizhen Wang2Yangfan Zhou3Qiao Wu4Xu Zhang5Xiaochun Song6School of Mechanical Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, ChinaTo address the challenges of automatic detection caused by the variation of surface normal vectors in automotive steering knuckles, an automatic detection method based on ultrasonic phased array technology is herein proposed. First, a point cloud model of the workpiece was constructed using ultrasonic distance measurement, and Gaussian-weighted principal component analysis was used to estimate the normal vectors of the point cloud. By utilizing the normal vectors, water layer thickness during detection, and the incident angle of the sound beam, the probe pose information corresponding to the detection point was precisely calculated, ensuring the stability of the sound beam incident angle during the detection process. At the same time, in the trajectory planning process, piecewise cubic Hermite interpolation was used to optimize the detection trajectory, ensuring continuity during probe movement. Finally, an automatic detection system was set up to test a steering knuckle specimen with surface circumferential cracks. The results show that the point cloud data of the steering knuckle specimen, obtained using phased array ultrasound, had a relative measurement error controlled within 1.4%, and the error between the calculated probe angle and the theoretical angle did not exceed 0.5°. The probe trajectory derived from these data effectively improved the B-scan image quality during the automatic detection of the steering knuckle and increased the defect signal amplitude by 5.6 dB, demonstrating the effectiveness of this method in the automatic detection of automotive steering knuckles.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/9/2907nondestructive testingultrasonic phased arrayautomotive steering knuckleultrasonic point cloudpath planning
spellingShingle Yihao Mao
Jun Tu
Huizhen Wang
Yangfan Zhou
Qiao Wu
Xu Zhang
Xiaochun Song
The Research on Path Planning Method for Detecting Automotive Steering Knuckles Based on Phased Array Ultrasound Point Cloud
Sensors
nondestructive testing
ultrasonic phased array
automotive steering knuckle
ultrasonic point cloud
path planning
title The Research on Path Planning Method for Detecting Automotive Steering Knuckles Based on Phased Array Ultrasound Point Cloud
title_full The Research on Path Planning Method for Detecting Automotive Steering Knuckles Based on Phased Array Ultrasound Point Cloud
title_fullStr The Research on Path Planning Method for Detecting Automotive Steering Knuckles Based on Phased Array Ultrasound Point Cloud
title_full_unstemmed The Research on Path Planning Method for Detecting Automotive Steering Knuckles Based on Phased Array Ultrasound Point Cloud
title_short The Research on Path Planning Method for Detecting Automotive Steering Knuckles Based on Phased Array Ultrasound Point Cloud
title_sort research on path planning method for detecting automotive steering knuckles based on phased array ultrasound point cloud
topic nondestructive testing
ultrasonic phased array
automotive steering knuckle
ultrasonic point cloud
path planning
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/9/2907
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