US 12,072,303 B2
Process for non-destructive quality control inspection of self-piercing rivet (SPR) joints
Randy S. Beals, Grand Ledge, MI (US)
Assigned to MAGNA INTERNATIONAL INC., Aurora (CA)
Appl. No. 17/637,250
Filed by Randy S. Beals, Grand Ledge, MI (US); and MAGNA INTERNATIONAL INC., Aurora (CA)
PCT Filed Aug. 26, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/047857
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 22, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/041449, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 4, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/892,668, filed on Aug. 28, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0341857 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 23/046 (2018.01); B21J 15/02 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 23/046 (2013.01) [B21J 15/025 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of inspecting an assembly including at least a first component and a second component joined by a rivet, the method comprising:
scanning a portion of the assembly which includes the rivet joining the first component to the second component with computerized tomography (CT),
generating a plurality of x-ray images of the portion of the assembly which includes the rivet, and combining the x-ray images together to form a combined image, and
identifying a minimum thickness of the assembly based on the combined image, the minimum thickness being a distance between a bottom end of the rivet and a lowermost exterior surface of the second component.