The Boeing Company

Theboeing Company

Russell Lee Keller

Everett A Westerman

Eugene Dan-Jumbo

Gary E Georgeson

Kenneth Harlan Griess

John F Spalding, Jr

Kelly M Greene

John Z Lin

Cong Nghiep Duong

Carlyn R Brewer

Hong Hue Tat

Michael Walter Evens

Megan Nicole Watson

Mary Helen Vargas

Kathy Lynn Ferguson

James D Chanes

Keith L McIver

Nicolette P Yovanof

Nicholas H Room

Eugene A Dan-Jumbo

Joseph Lawrence Hafenrichter

Myles Leonard Baker

Joel Patrick Baldwin

Arne Kenneth Lewis

Aristidis Sidiropoulos

Wesley S Owen

Joesph Lawrence Hafenrichter

Kevin Michael Roughen

Scott Michael Young

Keith L Mciver

Non-destructive testing apparatuses, systems, and methods for assessing strain in structural components are disclosed. Structural components include induced predetermined regions having materials of varying density, including induced geometric patterns of differing densities within the structural component that can be a composite material structural component. The method includes projecting waves of energy, that can be beams of electromagnetic (EM) energy and/or waves of ultrasonic (UT) energy, into or through the structural component to evaluate the predetermined induced pattern region of varying density and determining existing strain within a structural component based on the detected energy response.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for non-destructively inspecting, detecting, and measuring structural component internal deformation and strain by correlating density variations of induced material density patterns

Systems and methods for assessing strain in structural components are disclosed. Structural components may have geometric patterns of diffraction cavities within the structural component, with the diffraction cavities in the geometric pattern each having a cavity width and being spaced from each other by a cavity spacing distance. The method may include projecting beams of electromagnetic (EM) energy through the structural component to the geometric pattern of diffraction cavities to create diffracted beams of EM energy that are reflected from or transmitted through the geometric pattern of diffraction cavities and have diffracted wavelengths indicating changes in the cavity spacing distances due to strain caused when the structural component is exposed to environmental conditions, detecting the diffracted wavelength of the diffracted beams, and correlating the diffracted wavelengths of the diffracted beams to the strain in the structural components.

Sub-surface patterning for diffraction-based strain measurement and damage detection in structures

Systems and methods for assessing strain in structural components are disclosed. Structural components may have geometric patterns of grooves within the structural component, with the grooves in the geometric pattern each having a groove width. The method may include projecting beams of electromagnetic (EM) energy through the structural component to the geometric pattern of grooves to create diffracted beams of EM energy that are reflected from or transmitted through the geometric pattern of grooves and have diffracted wavelengths indicating changes in the groove widths due to strain caused when the structural component is exposed to environmental conditions, detecting the diffracted wavelength of the diffracted beams, and correlating the diffracted wavelengths of the diffracted beams to the strain in the structural components.

A method for analyzing a structure includes processing nondestructive inspection (NDI) data for a multi-layer structure to define areas of inconsistency at an internal layer or an interface between adjacent layers. The method includes mapping the areas of inconsistency to finite elements of a finite element model of a nominal of the structure. These finite elements are thereby identified as affected finite elements and include finite elements for the affected internal layer or interface. The method includes producing a reconstructed finite element model of the affected structure from the nominal finite element model, and a modified property or state value assigned to respective element datasets of the affected finite elements. The method includes performing a finite element method (FEM) failure analysis of the reconstructed finite element model under a load, which indicates an extent of residual integrity of the affected structure.

Analysis of a structure modeled with inconsistencies mapped thereon

Systems and methods for assessing strain in structural components are disclosed. Structural component may have geometric patterns of grooves, with the grooves in the geometric pattern each having a groove width. The method may include illuminating the geometric pattern of grooves with a first light at a first wavelength that corresponds to the groove width to create diffraction when the first light hits the geometric pattern of grooves and corresponding changes in the wavelength of the light reflected from the geometric pattern of grooves indicating changes in the groove widths due to strain caused when the structural component is exposed to environmental conditions, detecting the wavelength of the light reflected from the geometric pattern of grooves, and correlating the detected wavelength of the light reflected from the geometric pattern of grooves to the strain in the structural components.

Strain sensitive surfaces for aircraft structural analysis and health monitoring

An example computer-implemented method of assessing damage to a structure includes receiving information of damage to the structure, and identifying a damage type for the damage. Following, the damage type and the information is compared with a first reference having allowable damage limits of the structure for that damage type, a second reference having damage repair information and associated damage repair processes, and a database having historical repair information for the damage type. Based on the damage type and the information indicating that the damage is outside the allowable damage limits described in the first reference and also does not have any associated damage repair process described in the second reference and the database does not include historical repair information for the damage type, expanded repair information is provided for a repair solution based on a material type and loading of the structure.

Methods and systems for assessing damage to a structure and determining repair information

An installation assembly and an associated method for forming a bonded join are provided to permit the adhesive attachment of a first workpiece, such as a patch, to a portion of a second workpiece. The installation assembly and the associated method provide for at least partial debulking of the adhesive prior to curing of the adhesive such that the resulting bondline may have improved mechanical properties as a result of having fewer voids and/or porosity. The installation assembly may include an installation stand and a carrier plate supported by the installation stand and including an attachment surface configured to carry the first workpiece. The installation stand also includes an adjustment mechanism for positioning a carrier plate to a first predefined position to define a gap between the first and second workpieces and also to a second predefined position such that a predetermined bondline thickness is defined between the first and second workpieces.

Installation assembly and associated method for forming a bonded joint

A structural repair includes a tell-tale optical witness that allows the health of the repair to be visually monitored. The optical witness includes a stress sensitive fluorescent dye that shows changes in local strain/stress patterns when the repair is subjected to electromagnetic energy of a particular wavelength. The dyes fluoresce more or less strongly as a function of the local stress/strain.

Structural repair having optical witness and method of monitoring repair performance

A patch for a structure has a rework area with an inconsistency formed therein. The patch comprises a patch body having at least two regions including a fail-safe region and a safe-life region encompassing the fail-safe region. The safe-life region has a mode I interlaminar fracture toughness that is less than the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of the fail-safe region.

Oblong configuration for bonded patch

A rework system for a vehicle having an inconsistency on a component of the vehicle. A rework assessor is configured to examine a rework parameter array to ascertain whether a rework procedure is to be performed. The rework parameter array defines at least volumetric dimensions of the component, a type of the inconsistency, and location coordinates of the inconsistency with respect to the component or the vehicle. A rework interrogator is in communication with the rework assessor. The rework interrogator is configured to, when a rework is to be performed, identify a candidate for addressing the inconsistency. The candidate selected from the group that includes: a candidate part, a candidate rework procedure, and both the candidate part and the candidate rework procedure.

Rapid rework analysis system

A peel-resistant mechanism includes a body and a plurality of arms extending from the body such that a recess is defined between each pair of adjacent arms. At least one of the arms is positionable to facilitate restricting an edge disbond from spreading across the body of the patch.

Peel-resistant mechanism for use in bonding components

A composite laminate patch for reworking an inconsistent area in a structure has inner and outer control regions possessing differing interlaminar fracture toughnesses for controlling the advance of a disbond in the patch. One or more separation zones in the patch between the control regions aids in diffusing the fracture energy of the disbond as the disbond advances from the inner region to the outer region.

Bonded patch having multiple zones of fracture toughness

A repair patch for reworking an inconsistent area of a composite structure includes a patch body adapted to cover the inconsistent area and having a first patch region, a second patch region outside the first patch region and a first separation zone between the first patch region and the second patch region, with the first patch region, the first separation zone and the second patch region having increasing interlaminar fracture toughness from a center to an edge of the patch body; and a layer of adhesive for bonding the patch body to the composite structure.

Discretely tailored multi-zone bondline for fail-safe structural repair

A composite rework patch and method. The composite rework patch comprises a trapezoidal shape, a first region, and a second region. The trapezoidal has a first base and a second base, the first base parallel to the second base. The first region comprises a first composite material portion and a first adhesive portion. The second region comprises a second composite material portion and a second adhesive portion.

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Maple Valley, WA, United States of America

Russell Lee Keller