The Boeing Company

Navpreet S Grewal

Barry Allen Fetzer

James C Kennedy

Hien T Bui

Steven Ray Walton

Michael J Duncan

Michael C Hutchinson

William R Schell

Kate Brown Boudreau

Peter Kuk-kyung Hwang

Gary E Georgeson

John Dempsey Morris

Jill Paisley Bingham

Sabyasachi Basu

Michael Joseph Duncan

Peter Kuk-Kyung Hwang

Micheal C Hutchinson

Methods for measuring out-of-plane wrinkles in composite laminates are described. An example method includes scanning a first side of a composite laminate with an ultrasonic transducer. The method further includes locating an out-of-plane wrinkle of the composite laminate on a B-scan ultrasound image generated in response to the scanning of the first side of the composite laminate. The method further includes associating a first marker with the B-scan ultrasound image, the first marker determined based on a location of a crest of the out-of-plane wrinkle on the B-scan ultrasound image. The method further includes associating a second marker with the B-scan ultrasound image, the second marker determined based on a location of a trough focal point of the out-of-plane wrinkle on the B-scan ultrasound image. The method further includes determining an amplitude of the out-of-plane wrinkle based on a distance between the first marker and the second marker.

Methods for measuring out-of-plane wrinkles in composite laminates

System and method for enabling ultrasonic inspection of a variable and irregular shape. The system comprises one or more ultrasonic pulser/receivers, one or more ultrasonic transducer arrays, a shoe or jig to hold and position the array(s), data acquisition software to drive the array(s), and data analysis software to select a respective best return signal for each pixel to be displayed. This system starts with information about the general orientation of the array relative to the part and a general predicted part shape. More specific orientation of the transmitted ultrasound beams relative to the part surface is done electronically by phasing the elements in the array(s) to cover the expected (i.e., predicted) surface as well as the full range of part surface variability.

Method for ultrasonic inspection of irregular and variable shapes

An apparatus for inspecting a tubular workpiece may include a probe assembly and a rotation mechanism. The probe assembly may include a transducer array positionable adjacent to an inner surface of the tubular workpiece. The probe assembly may generate transmitted sound waves and may receive reflected sound waves. The rotation mechanism may rotate the probe assembly relative to the tubular workpiece in a manner such that the transducer array passes over the inner surface in a circumferential direction during transmission of the transmitted sound waves.

Apparatus for inspecting a tube

A system and a method for enabling ultrasonic inspection of multiple or varying radii of a composite part without making mechanical adjustments to compensate for changes in the radius dimension. The system may comprise one or more ultrasonic pulser/receivers, one or more ultrasonic transducer arrays, a probe body or shoe to hold and position the array(s), ultrasonic data acquisition application software to drive the array(s), and ultrasonic data acquisition application software to select the best signal response for each column of pixels to be displayed. The inspection methodology enables the examination of smooth curved fillets which change shape along the length of the part.

Apparatus and method for inspecting a tube

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Navpreet S Grewal