The Boeing Company

Richard C Krotzer

Barry Allen Fetzer

Hien T Bui

Fred D Young

Clyde T Uyehara

Mark A Lee

James J Troy

Scott Wesley Lea

James C Kennedy

Daniel James Wright

William Paul Motzer

William Joseph Tapia

Michael J Duncan

Steven Ray Walton

Jeffry J Garvey

Martin L Freet

Michael C Hutchinson

Franklin D Harsch

Mark L Little

Ronald E VonWahlde

Ronald E Novak

Hans Tittel

Steve Frediani

Darryl K Loving, Sr

Michael Joseph Duncan

Ronald E Vonwahlde

A system and method that allow inspection of hollow structures made of composite material, such as an integrally stiffened wing box of an aircraft. A wing box comprises top and bottom skins connected by a plurality of spaced spars. The system employs a plurality of scanners for inspecting different portions of each spar. The system uses dynamically controlled magnetic coupling to connect an external drive tractor to computer-controlled scanners that carry respective sensors, e.g., linear ultrasonic transducer arrays. A system operator can control the various components by means of a graphical user interface comprising multiple interaction regions that represent the individual scanner motion paths and are associated with respective motion script files.

Automated inspection of soft-tooled hollow structure

Apparatus, systems, and methods for inspecting a structure are provided which permit inspection of uniquely shaped structures such as fuselage frames and shear ties. Probes may be constructed from rapid prototyping. Inspection may be performed manually and may use a portable function support system for delivering fluid couplant, controlling transmit and receive functions of the inspection sensors, and delivering immediate visual analysis for an operator. Integrated ultrasonic inspection apparatus, systems, and methods facilitate fast and efficient custom inspection devices and inspecting otherwise difficult-to-inspect structures.

Integrated ultrasonic inspection probes, systems, and methods for inspection of composite assemblies

A device that automatically engages a contact, having a tip portion and a barrel portion, to a stripped end of an insulated wire. The apparatus includes a crimping gun having at least a pair of opposing jaws, and a push rod having a distal end that engages the tip portion of the contact and moves the contact to a pre-determined position between the jaws of the crimping gun. The device also includes a detector that sends out a signal upon sensing that the stripped end of the insulated wire has made contact with a rear most portion inside of the barrel portion of the contact, and a CPU in communication with the crimping gun and the detector. The CPU directs the crimping gun to crimp the contact to the stripped end of the insulated wire upon receipt of the signal from the detector.

Automated method and apparatus for crimping a contact

Growing community of inventors

Enumclaw, WA, United States of America

Richard C Krotzer