Claims:WE CLAIM
1. A method for determining a balance shelf life of an industrial component, the method comprising:
analyzing, by a Shelf Life Measurement System, a plurality of images of the industrial component to detect a plurality of defects in the industrial component;
determining, by the Shelf Life Measurement System, an overall impact of the plurality of defects on the shelf life of the industrial component based on at least one of a type of each of the plurality of defects, an extent of each of the plurality of defects with respect to the industrial component, an attribute of the industrial component, an attribute of a working component, and an operational usage of the industrial component; and
dynamically determining, by the Shelf Life Measurement System, the balance shelf life of the industrial component based on an initial expected life of the industrial component and the overall impact of the plurality of defects on the shelf life of the industrial component.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising acquiring the plurality of images of at least one of an external surface of the industrial component and an internal structure of the industrial component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing comprises inspecting or processing the plurality of images to determine at least one of the type and the extent of each of the plurality of defects, wherein the type comprises at least one of an external defect and an internal defect.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the overall impact comprises determining a weighted impact of each of the plurality of defects on the shelf life of the industrial component.

5. The method of claim 1,
wherein at least some of the plurality of defects comprises external defects; and
wherein determining the overall impact comprises determining a weighted impact of the external defects based on an extent of external defects with respect to the industrial component, a size of the industrial component, and the operational usage of the industrial component.

6. The method of claim 1,
wherein at least some of the plurality of defects comprises internal defects; and
wherein determining the overall impact comprises determining a weighted impact of the internal defects based on at least one of an extent of internal defects with respect to the industrial component, the attribute of the industrial component, the attribute of the working component, and the operational usage of the industrial component.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the weighted impact of the internal defects comprises:
mapping a set of the plurality of images of an internal structure of the industrial component with a three-dimensional model of the industrial component;
determining a shortest distance between an external surface of the industrial component and an internal defect closest to the external surface based on the mapping; and
determining the weighted impact of the internal defect closest to the external surface based on the shortest distance, a material of the industrial component, a size of the industrial component, a hardness of the industrial component, a material of the working component, and a hardness of the working component.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the weighted impact of the internal defects further comprises:
determining a number of internal defects between the centerline of the industrial component and the internal defect closest to the external surface;
determining an area encompassing the number of internal defects; and
determining the weighted impact of the internal defects based on the number, the area, a material of the industrial component, a size of the industrial component, a hardness of the industrial component, a material of the working component, and a hardness of the working component.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial expected life is determined based on a virgin life of the industrial component and a number of operational uses of the industrial component.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking the industrial component during a production lifecycle using a RFID tag.

11. A Shelf Life Measurement System for determining a balance shelf life of an industrial component, the system comprising:
at least one processor; and
a computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
analyzing a plurality of images of the industrial component to detect a plurality of defects in the industrial component;
determining an overall impact of the plurality of defects on the shelf life of the industrial component based on at least one of a type of each of the plurality of defects, an extent of each of the plurality of defects with respect to the industrial component, an attribute of the industrial component, an attribute of a working component, and an operational usage of the industrial component; and
dynamically determining the balance shelf life of the industrial component based on an initial expected life of the industrial component and the overall impact of the plurality of defects on the shelf life of the industrial component.

12. The Shelf Life Measurement System of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise acquiring the plurality of images of at least one of an external surface of the industrial component and an internal structure of the industrial component.

13. The Shelf Life Measurement System of claim 11, wherein analyzing comprises inspecting or processing the plurality of images to determine at least one of the type and the extent of each of the plurality of defects, wherein the type comprises at least one of an external defect and an internal defect.

14. The Shelf Life Measurement System of claim 11, wherein determining the overall impact comprises determining a weighted impact of each of the plurality of defects on the shelf life of the industrial component.

15. The Shelf Life Measurement System of claim 11,
wherein at least some of the plurality of defects comprises external defects; and
wherein determining the overall impact comprises determining a weighted impact of the external defects based on an extent of external defects with respect to the industrial component, a size of the industrial component, and the operational usage of the industrial component.

16. The Shelf Life Measurement System of claim 11,
wherein at least some of the plurality of defects comprises internal defects; and
wherein determining the overall impact comprises determining a weighted impact of the internal defects based on at least one of an extent of internal defects with respect to the industrial component, the attribute of the industrial component, the attribute of the working component, and the operational usage of the industrial component.

17. The Shelf Life Measurement System of claim 16, wherein determining the weighted impact of the internal defects comprises:
mapping a set of the plurality of images of an internal structure of the industrial component with a three-dimensional model of the industrial component;
determining a shortest distance between an external surface of the industrial component and an internal defect closest to the external surface based on the mapping; and
determining the weighted impact of the internal defects based on the shortest distance, a material of the industrial component, a size of the industrial component, a hardness of the industrial component, a material of the working component, and a hardness of the working component.

18. The Shelf Life Measurement System of claim 17, wherein determining the weighted impact of the internal defects further comprises:
determining a number of internal defects between the centerline of the industrial component and the internal defect closest to the external surface;
determining an area encompassing the number of internal defects; and
determining the weighted impact of the internal defects based on the number, the area, a material of the industrial component, a size of the industrial component, a hardness of the industrial component, a material of the working component, and a hardness of the working component.

19. The Shelf Life Measurement System of claim 11, wherein the initial expected life is determined based on a virgin life of the industrial component and a number of operational uses of the industrial component.

Dated this 29th day of July, 2016

R Ramya Rao
Of K&S Partners
Agent for the Applicant
, Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
This disclosure relates generally to inspection of an industrial component, and more particularly to system and method for dynamically determining balance shelf life of the industrial component.