Rolls-Royce plc

A computer-implemented method for configuring a robot is provided. The method comprises: receiving a 3D virtual representation of at least a portion of a physical object, receiving target toolpath information indicating a region of interest in the 3D virtual representation, identifying a plurality of reference points in the region of interest, the reference points corresponding to locations on a surface of the physical object, for each reference point, calculating a vector extending from the surface of the 3D virtual representation at the reference point, and determining a waypoint which is at a stand-off distance from the surface of the 3D virtual representation along the vector; and connecting each of the waypoints to determine a toolpath for controlling a moving arm of the robot to operate on the physical object.

A computer-implemented method of configuring a robot is provided. The method comprises: receiving a first scan of a physical object from a first scanner, wherein the first scan includes a first 3D virtual representation of at least a portion of the physical object in a first coordinate system corresponding to a coordinate system of the robot; receiving a second scan of the physical object from a second scanner, wherein the second scan includes a second 3D virtual representation of at least a portion of the physical object in a second coordinate system; comparing the first and second 3D virtual representations to determine a coordinate transformation between the first and second coordinate systems; and using the transformation to align the first and second 3D virtual representations.

A thermochromic paint (100) for a component (50). The thermochromic paint comprises: 20 to 40 wt.% of two of more metal oxides selected from aluminium oxide, cobalt oxide, iron oxide, nickel oxide, titanium oxide, and zirconium oxide; 10 to 40 wt.% of an acrylic resin, 5 to 30 wt.% a silicone resin; and 15 to 40 wt.% of a propanol-based solvent.

A fuel system (100) for a gas turbine engine (10) includes a fuel pump (106, 114), and a fuel supply line (104) configured to supply fuel to the fuel pump (106, 114). The fuel system (100) also includes a fuel filter (108) disposed downstream of the fuel pump (106, 114). The fuel filter (108) includes a filter housing (118) and a filter media (120). The fuel filter (108) is configured to receive a flow of fuel from the fuel pump (106, 114) and to deliver filtered fuel towards a combustion chamber (16) of the gas turbine engine (10) via a fuel filter outlet (130). The fuel system (100) further includes a fuel recirculation line (110) that fluidly connects the fuel filter (108) with the fuel pump (106, 114). The fuel recirculation line (110) is configured to recirculate a portion of the fuel received by the fuel filter (108) towards the fuel pump (106, 114) based on a pressure difference between a fuel pressure in the filter housing (118) and the fuel supply line (104).

A system (100) for correcting a measured position of a continuum robot (102) whilst inspecting or repairing a component (104) includes at least one first sensor (106) coupled to the continuum robot (102). The at least one first sensor (106) is configured to generate information related to an orientation of the at least one first sensor (106) relative to a reference point (124) on the continuum robot (102). The system (100) further includes at least one second sensor (108) associated with the continuum robot (102). The at least one second sensor (108) is configured to generate information related to a change in a length of the continuum robot (102). The system (100) further includes a controller (110) that determines a parasitic twist (τ_total) in the continuum robot (102) and corrects the measured position of the continuum robot (102) based on the determined parasitic twist (τ_total) in the continuum robot (102).

This disclosure relates to bidirectional current limiting circuits for use in aircraft electric power distribution systems. Example embodiments include a bidirectional current limiting circuit (500a-c) comprising first and second JFETs (501, 502) connected between first and second terminals (503, 504), wherein: the first terminal (503) is connected to a drain of the first JFET (501) and to a gate of the second JFET (502) via a first biasing element (505, 701); he second terminal (504) is connected to a drain of the second JFET (502) and to a gate of the first JFET (501) via a second biasing element (506, 702); and a source of the first JFET (501) is connected to a source of the second JFET (502).

The disclosure relates to bidirectional current limiting circuits for use in aircraft electric power distribution system and methods for operating such bidirectional current limiters. A bidirectional current limiting circuit (400) comprises first and second parallel current paths (401, 402) connected between first and second terminals (403, 404), the first current path (401) comprising a first current limiting device (405) connected in series with a measurement inductor (406), the second current path (402) comprising a damping resistor (407) in series with a second current limiting device (408), wherein the first current limiting device is a first JFET (405), the circuit (400) further comprising a controller (409) connected to a gate of the first JFET (405), the controller (409) connected to receive a voltage measurement across the measurement inductor (406) and provide a first gate voltage to the first JFET (405) to restrict current through the first path (401) if the voltage measurement exceeds a voltage threshold.

A method (200) for determining grain structure in a component (102) includes disposing the component (102) on a support platform (110). The method (200) includes generating an imaging beam (106). The method (200) includes rotating and/or revolving an imaging beam source (104) and an imaging beam receiver (108) relative to the support platform (110). The method (200) includes acquiring, during the rotation and/or revolution a plurality of projections (116) each taken at the imaging beam receiver (108). The method (200) includes performing reconstruction, by a processor (114), of first projections (116-1) and second projections (116-2) from the plurality of projections (116) to obtain a first three-dimensional image (120) and at least one second three-dimensional image (122). The first projections (116-1) are acquired in at least one first angular range (AR1) and the second projections (116-2) are acquired in at least one second angular range (AR2).

This disclosure relates to cooling modules for power electronics converters. Example embodiments include a cooling module (100) for a power electronics converter, comprising: first face (101) having a cooling liquid inlet (102); an opposing second face (103) having a cooling liquid outlet (104); a plurality of side walls (105a-d) extending between the first and second faces (101, 103), each side wall (105a-d) being configured for cooling a semiconductor switching device (106<1-6>) of the power electronics converter; and a helical cooling channel (107) extending through the cooling module between the cooling liquid inlet (102) and the cooling liquid outlet (104).

An aircraft gas turbine engine (103) comprises a fuel system comprising a first fuel line (108) configured to provide a first liquid hydrocarbon fuel to a combustor (203) of the gas turbine engine (103), and a second fuel line (109) configured to provide a second fuel, different to the first fuel, to the combustor (203) of the gas turbine engine (103). The gas turbine engine also comprises a hydraulic system configured to be driven by the first fuel during operation of the gas turbine combustor (203) when the gas turbine combustor utilises either or both of the first and second fuel.