The Boeing Company

Edward L Puckett

Gary E Georgeson

Barry Allen Fetzer

James C Kennedy

Hong Hue Tat

William Joseph Tapia

Fred D Young

Martin L Freet

Andrej Martin Savol

William M Lankelis

A signal is sent into a structure at an angle substantially parallel to a ramp of the structure using a transducer array positioned at a first surface of the structure. An ultrasound response signal is formed at a second surface of the structure. The ultrasound response signal is received at the transducer array.

Ultrasonic inspection of a structure with a ramp

Disclosed non-destructive inspection methods comprise non-contact determination of the location of a non-destructive inspection probe and identification of the location on a test structure where test data is acquired by the probe. Determination may include capturing the positions of the probe and the test structure with one or more electronic cameras. Identification may include associating the acquired test data with the location of the probe relative to the test structure. Further, methods may comprise visualization of the test data relative to the identified location. Disclosed non-destructive inspection systems comprise a probe, one or more electronic cameras, a computer, and a display, together configured to determine the location of the probe, to acquire test data with the probe, to identify a location on a test structure associated with the test data, and to visualize the test data in relation to the test structure.

Methods and systems for non-destructive inspection

A porosity reference standard for ultrasonic inspection of composite materials includes a right prism manufactured from a solid isotropic material and a porosity created within the right prism. The porosity reference standard may be a glass block that encloses a plurality of simulated voids created through laser etching. The porosity reference standard may be manufactured by using a sub surface laser engraving process. By creating a porosity within the glass block, the level of the porosity can be exactly determined and is spatially constant over a desired area within the glass block. The laser-etched porosity reference standard is suitable for, but not limited to, ultrasonic porosity inspection of composite laminate parts, such as wings, empennage and fuselage skins, sub-skin structures, frames stringer, and shear ties, used in the aircraft airframe industry, both commercial and defense.

Porosity reference standard for ultrasonic inspection of composite materials

An ultrasonic inspection probe for locating and sizing flaws in the radius region (20) and adjacent areas of a laminated structure (10), such as a composite 'T' stiffener (30). The probe includes a plurality of shoes (48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58) that are arranged for coordinated movement relative to the part under inspection. Each shoe includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers that are arranged in predetermined adjacent relationships to one another and operated in timed sequence in one or more through-transmission, pulse echo or loss-of-back modes to effect an ultrasonic scan in one direction through the part while the transducers are moved together in another direction along the part. Inspection of the radius region is effected using combinations of angular pulse echo inspection (PEF, PEA, LL45P, RL45P), 'radius-to-radius' through-transmission inspection at an angle through the radius region (RTT, RTR, L37.5T, L37.5R, U37.5T, U37.5R), and 'flange-to-radius' through-transmission inspection normally into the upper flange (RU45T) and angularly out through the radius RU45R, LU45R).

Growing community of inventors

Renton, WA, United States of America

Edward L Puckett