The Boeing Company

Tyler M Holmes

Gary E Georgeson

Jeffrey Reyner Kollgaard

Jeffrey G Thompson

Steven Kenneth Brady

Hong Hue Tat

Amanda Hansen

Sayata Ghose

Brice Aaron Johnson

Morteza Safai

Scott Wesley Lea

John A Mittleider

Nathan Rylan Smith

Joseph D Schaefer

Troy Winfree

Donald Duane Palmer, Jr

Jyani S Vaddi

Scott Hutchinson Gardner

Brandon Poe

Kristin L Shaffer

James W Edwards

Scott H Gardner

Gary Ernest Georgeson

Jyani Vaddi

A method of generating synthetic data for composite manufacturing inspection comprising creating a three-dimensional model of a composite layup; generating an inconsistency in the three-dimensional model of the composite layup; setting a camera position and a camera orientation in the three-dimensional model space; generating a captured image of the three-dimensional model and the inconsistency from the camera position and the camera orientation; and creating a secondary image from the captured image, the secondary image having colorations of a preselected inspection type.

Creating synthetic data for composite inspection

There is provided a method that includes directing one or more infrared cameras at a compaction roller of a composite laying head of a composite layup machine. The one or more infrared cameras are mounted aft of the compaction roller. The method includes applying heat to a substrate by a heater. The heater is mounted forward of the compaction roller. The method further includes using the one or more infrared cameras, to obtain one or more infrared images of the compaction roller, during laying down of one or more composite tows of a composite layup onto the substrate by the compaction roller. The method further includes identifying, based on the one or more infrared images, one or more temperature profiles of the compaction roller, and analyzing identified temperature profiles, to determine one or more of, a layup quality of the composite layup, and a heat history of the composite layup.

Method and system for in-process monitoring of a compaction roller of a composite layup machine

A method of forming parts uses a forming tool having a forming surface, and an ultrasonic transducer array on the forming surface.

Methods of forming parts using forming tools and flexible ultrasonic transducer arrays

Systems and methods are provided for thermal inspection of tape layup. One embodiment is a method for performing inspection of a tape layup. The method comprises laying up tape onto a surface of a laminate, applying heat to tack the tape to the surface, and generating thermographic images of the tape as applied to the surface.

Thermographic inspection for tape layup machines

Thermographic inspection of lanes of tape laid-up by tape layup machines, based on acquired thermographic images

An infrared camera is directed aft of a compaction roller of a composite laying head. Heat is applied to a substrate by a heater mounted forward of the compaction roller. Infrared images are captured of composite tows laid down on a substrate by the compaction roller. Whether the composite tows have sufficient contact is determined using the infrared images.

Method and apparatus for controlling contact of composite tows

Apparatus and methods for real-time fusion of data acquired using ultrasonic and eddy current area sensors during nondestructive examination. The ultrasonic data is acquired using an array of ultrasonic transducer elements configured to enable the production and display of a C-scan of a small area. The ultrasonic transducer array may be one- or two-dimensional. The eddy current sensor can be a single pair of induction coils, a multiplicity of coil pairs, or a coil configuration in which the numbers of drive coils and sense coils are not equal. The eddy current sensor is able to provide data about the test material, such as material thickness or conductivity, to complement the ultrasonic data or enable auto-setup of the ultrasonic inspection device.

Real-time fusion of ultrasound and eddy current data during non-destructive examination

An example system for inspecting railcar axles includes a flash source, an infrared camera, and a trigger sensor. The flash source is configured to apply a thermal pulse toward a surface of a railcar axle of a railcar wheelset, while the railcar wheelset is on a track. The infrared camera is configured to capture infrared data indicative of a thermal response of the surface of the railcar axle to the thermal pulse. The trigger sensor is configured to trigger the flash source to apply the thermal pulse based on a position of the railcar wheelset on the track. The example system can also include a processor configured to determine whether the captured infrared data is indicative of a crack on the surface of the railcar axle, and a vision camera configured to capture an image of the surface of the railcar axle.

In-motion high-speed non-destructive evaluation for railcar axles

An infrared (IR) thermography system for inspecting porosity of a test part of a given thickness is provided. The IR thermography system may include a thermal detector configured to detect IR signals emitted from the test part, and a controller in electrical communication with at least the thermal detector. The controller may be configured to at least determine thermal test data associated with the test part based on the IR signals, generate thermal model data based on the thickness of the test part, and determine porosity of the test part based on a comparison between the thermal test data and the thermal model data.

Infrared thermographic porosity quantification in composite structures

An apparatus comprises a forming tool having a forming surface, and an ultrasonic transducer array on the forming surface.

Forming tools and flexible ultrasonic transducer arrays

A method for auto-calibrating a non-destructive testing instrument. In accordance with some embodiments, the method comprises: (a) determining a first set of coordinates in a test object coordinate system of the test object, the first coordinates representing a target position on a surface of the test object; (b) storing a calibration file in a memory of the non-destructive testing instrument, the calibration file containing calibration data which is a function of structural data representing a three-dimensional structure of the test object in an area containing the target position; (c) calibrating the non-destructive testing instrument using the calibration data in the calibration file; and (d) interrogating the target position using the calibrated non-destructive testing instrument.

Automated calibration of non-destructive testing equipment

An integrated and networked system of remote operations is provided that extends remote expert NDT methodology to a variety of manufacturing and in-service processes. The functional elements of the system comprise remote NDT applications, advanced remote NDT, remote administration, remote NDT commercial operations, and remote data analytics, which are all tied together by a remote communications hub. The communications hub has communication links with computer systems of those functional elements.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Tyler M Holmes