The Boeing Company

Lsp Technologies, Inc.

Kevin Richard Housen

William John Sweet

Richard Henry Bossi

Jason Scott Damazo

Steven M Toller

Craig Thompson Walters

Eddie Kwon

David W Sokol

Arthur C Day

Philipp Andreas Boettcher

William J Sweet

John Ralph Hull

Mark Alan Negley

Michael Strasik

Marc Joel Piehl

Alan Frank Stewart

Lee Charles Firth

William John Koch, Iv

Douglas Allen Frisch

Bret A Voss

Michael Howard-Edward Ware

William B Shepherd

Michael D Gonzales

Nikhil Kanuru Rao

Michael E Voss

Gas-flammability sensing systems and methods may be used to determine the flammability of gas mixtures in measurement volumes such as a fuel tank (e.g., an aircraft fuel tank). Gas-flammability sensing systems include a test cell structured to receive a gas sample, a heater in thermal communication with the test cell, and a gas meter configured to measure a physical property of the gas sample within the test cell related to the combustion state of the gas sample. The heater is configured to heat the gas sample to an elevated temperature less than the autoignition temperature of the gas sample. Methods of determining the flammability of a gas sample include collecting the gas sample, heating the gas sample to the elevated temperature, measuring the physical property of the gas sample after heating, and determining the flammability of a gas sample based upon the measured physical property.

Gas-flammability sensing systems and methods

A method and apparatus for measuring a dynamic tensile stress and/or tensile strain response of a material such as an elastic material and/or a ductile material. The apparatus may include a striker bar, a stretcher bar, and a drive assembly configured to propel the striker bar toward the stretcher bar. The apparatus may further include a stationary specimen mount and a movable specimen mount that receive a test sample. The striker bar and the stretcher bar of the apparatus may provide a continuous stress on the test sample and an accurate tensile stress/strain measurement.

Device for measuring the dynamic stress/strain response of ductile materials

An apparatus and a method for simulating a mechanical stress applied to a sealant from a lightning strike upon an aircraft is provided. The apparatus comprises a specimen, a test fixture, and a capacitor. The specimen comprises an electrically non-conductive sealant for an aircraft fuel tank having a cylindrical shape, and an electrically conductive wire centered axially within the sealant. The test fixture secures the specimen during testing. The capacitor is electrically coupled to the test fixture, and simulates a lightning strike upon the aircraft by vaporizing the wire with a current to generate a mechanical shock to the sealant.

Sealant testing for aircraft fuel tanks

Methods and systems for duct protection of a vehicle are provided. The methods and systems provided include an apparatus for containing a flow of fluid discharged from a fracture in a duct. The apparatus includes a ballistic containment layer and an insulation sheath coupled to the ballistic containment layer. The insulation sheath includes a first air containment layer, an insulation layer, and a second air containment layer.

Systems and methods for duct protection of a vehicle

A bond inspection system may include a material that reacts to applied activation energy by creating a compression wave, the material positioned adjacent a surface of a structure having a bond to be inspected and shaped in a predetermined pattern, such that reaction of the material causes compression waves to travel through the surface and structure; a source of activation energy capable of directing the activation energy at the material; and a controller programmed to actuate the source of activation energy to direct the activation energy at discrete portions of the predetermined pattern of material in a predetermined sequence selected to create a plurality of the compression waves so that the compression waves reflect from an opposite side of the structure as a plurality of tension waves that combine at substantially the same time at a bondline of the structure to be inspected.

Bond inspection system and method

A system and methods are provided for evaluating a bond between structures. The system includes an assembly of at least two bonded structures. The assembly has a front surface, a back surface, a thickness, and a bond disposed between the front surface and the back surface. At least one delay component is attached to the front surface of the assembly having a body having a front face, a back face, and a thickness. The system further includes a laser source capable of depositing laser energy onto a front face of the delay component, where a first portion of the laser energy is absorbed by the front face of the delay component to generate a first compression wave that propagates through the body of the delay component. A second portion of the laser energy is absorbed by the back face of the component to generate a second compression wave that reflects off of the back surface of the assembly to produce a tensile wave that stresses the bond.

Method for controlling tensile stress during evaluation of a bond between structures

A method and apparatus for testing a test object. A stress wave is generated in a fluid within a cavity in a structure. The stress wave is directed through the fluid within the cavity into the test object.

Hydroshock inspection system

A method and apparatus for testing a bond interface is provided. An initial wave is transmitted into a first end of a first material. The first material is connected to a second material by an adhesive at a bond interface. The first material is dissimilar to the second material. The initial wave splits into a first wave and a second wave at the bond interface. Parameters are changed so a first wave travels through the first material to the first end of the first material and back to the bond interface in a first amount of time and the second wave travels through the second material to a second end of the second material and back to the bond interface in a second amount of time. The first amount of time is substantially equal to the second amount of time. A tension is obtained in the adhesive at the bond interface.

Bond interface testing

Exemplary embodiments are disclosed for the use of Lamb waves in laser bond inspection.

Lamb waves for laser bond inspection

An impact test system for collecting hail storm data comprises a vehicle, a video recorder, a container, a plurality of dynamic force sensors, an atmospheric instrument system, a mounting fixture, and a data processing system. The plurality of dynamic force sensors is capable of detecting force generated by an impact of an object. The plurality of markers is capable of being used to determine an orientation of an incoming object. The mounting fixture is capable of holding a test specimen. The data processing system is capable of collecting data from the plurality of dynamic force sensors, the atmospheric instrument system, and the video recorder.

Sensor apparatus and method for detecting impacts

Test bed for in-situ studies

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are provided for generation of focused stress waves that selectively apply tensile stress to local regions of a bonded article.

Laser bond inspection using annular laser beam

A system and method for non-destructively testing the strength of bonded joints, particularly a bonded joint between two composite components, is provided. The method generally includes activating a source of rapid surface pressure application against a bonded assembly containing the bonded joint to create a shock load. The resulting shock load first generates compression and then tension within the bonded joint, along with surface motions proximate the bonded assembly, and a surface motion detector measures the surface motions to determine the minimum strength of the bonded joint. Accordingly, the surface motions are correlated to the strength of the bonded joint. Further, the magnitude of the impact may be adjusted to vary the amount of tension within the bonded joint to correspond with various load conditions.

Growing community of inventors

Tacoma, WA, United States of America

Kevin Richard Housen