The Boeing Company
System and method for performing an automated inspection operation

Abstract:

An inspection apparatus for performing an automated inspection operation across a surface of a workpiece is disclosed. The inspection apparatus may include a positioning apparatus, a platen fabricated from a magnetic material and having a platen surface, with the platen being mounted on the positioning apparatus and the positioning apparatus being operational to move the platen relative to the surface of the workpiece, and an inspection module disposed on the platen surface and having an inspection end effector. The inspection module may generate a magnetic field that biases the inspection module toward the platen, and may be operable to generate a magnetic flux to control movement of the inspection module over the platen surface to perform the automated inspection operation across the surface of the workpiece.