The Boeing Company

Sadie Lee Fieni

Gary E Georgeson

James C Kennedy

William Paul Motzer

Raviendra Sidath Suriyaarachchi

Hong Hue Tat

Yuan-Jye Wu

James R Kendall

Jill Paisley Bingham

Paul D Shaw

John Z Lin

David A Lilienthal

John William Adams

Mark Daniel Winters

John M Pryor

Russell A Strope

Eddie Thelonious Boyd

Seeran Prajapati

Clayton M Little

Kathryn T Moore

Jessica Offutt

Non-destructive test systems and associated methods. A non-destructive test system includes an infrared thermography assembly and an ultrasonic test assembly for testing a test piece. The infrared thermography assembly may include one or more thermography sensor modules and a thermography test controller. The ultrasonic test assembly may include one or more ultrasonic sensor subassemblies with respective excitation modules and respective detector modules and an ultrasonic test controller. Each excitation module may be configured to produce a respective ultrasonic beam within the test piece, and each detector module may be configured to detect a respective reflected vibration of the test piece. In some examples, a method of performing a non-destructive test on a test piece includes testing an infrared test region of the test piece with an infrared thermography assembly and testing an ultrasonic test region of the test piece with an ultrasonic test assembly.

Non-destructive test systems with infrared thermography assemblies and ultrasonic test assemblies, and associated methods

Methods that provide wrinkle characterization and performance prediction for wrinkled composite structures using automated structural analysis. In accordance with some embodiments, the method combines the use of B-scan ultrasound data, automated optical measurement of wrinkles and geometry of cross-sections, and finite element analysis of wrinkled composite structure to provide the ability to assess the actual significance of a detected wrinkle relative to the intended performance of the structure. The disclosed method uses an ultrasonic inspection system that has been calibrated by correlating ultrasonic B-scan data acquired from reference standards with measurements of optical cross sections (e.g., micrographs) of those reference standards.

Wrinkle characterization and performance prediction for composite structures

A method is provided that includes monitoring a process of manufacturing a composite structure that includes introducing a matrix material to a reinforcement material, applying the reinforcement material into a mold cavity or onto a mold surface with a first machine tool, subjecting the matrix material to a melding event with a second machine tool, and inspecting the composite structure. Data including at least one of first measurement data, error data or second measurement data is determined, and an analysis of the data is performed to summarize the data and thereby produce feedback data including a summary of the data. At least one of the process, the first machine tool or the second machine tool is adjusted based on feedback including the summary, and for manufacture of a next composite structure.

Data-driven decisions for improved composite manufacturing

A plurality of segments of radius filler is positioned onto a radius filler forming tool. The plurality of segments of radius filler is applied to a stringer in a single placement step.

Method and apparatus for forming radius filler kits

Growing community of inventors

Charleston, SC, United States of America

Sadie Lee Fieni