Recent advances in aerospace composite NDE

Gary E. Georgeson

doi:10.1117/12.470715

18 June 2002 Recent advances in aerospace composite NDE

Gary E. Georgeson

Proceedings Volume 4704, Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring of Aerospace Materials and Civil Infrastructures; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.470715
Event: NDE For Health Monitoring and Diagnostics, 2002, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

As the aerospace industry continues to advance the design and use of composite structure, the NDE community faces the difficulties of trying to keep up. The challenges lie in manufacturing evaluation of the newest aerospace structures and materials and the in-service inspection and monitoring of damaged or aging composites. This paper provides examples of several promising NDI applications in the world of aerospace composites. Airborne (or non-contact) Ultrasonic Testing (UT) has been available for decades, but recently has generated new interest due to significant improvements in transducer design and low noise electronics. Boeing is developing inspection techniques for composite joints and core blankets using this technology. In-service inspection techniques for thick, multi-layer structures are also being advanced. One effective technique integrates the S-9 Sondicator, a traditional bond testing device, with Boeing's Mobile Automated Scanner (MAUS) platform. Composite patches have seen limited use on-aircraft, due, in part, to the difficulty of determining the quality of a bonded joint. A unique approach using Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (ESPI) is showing promise as a bonded patch-inspection method. Other NDI techniques currently being developed for aerospace application are also briefly discussed.

Citation Download Citation

Gary E. Georgeson "Recent advances in aerospace composite NDE", Proc. SPIE 4704, Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring of Aerospace Materials and Civil Infrastructures, (18 June 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.470715

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