Assisted Data Analysis for Portable Nondestructive Inspection

Manual ultrasonic inspection (UT) or eddy current inspection (ET) of complex aircraft structures often requires inspector interpretation of complex signals on a screen while at the same time performing manual manipulation of the inspection probe. This proposal provides a path to automated, real time assistance to inspectors while they perform these complex tasks. For this effort TRI Austin has teamed with Computational Tools to develop and demonstrate real time automated assistance for the inspector both with the manual performance and interpretation of results. For the Phase I effort, we will concentrate on angle beam UT for fatigue cracks in multi-layer metallic structures. We propose to design a real-time software, an Nondestructive Inspection (NDI) Assistant, and specific technique instructions to enable use of this technology without requiring any encoder. TRI Austin will perform angle beam shear wave UT inspections of simple coupons with holes and fatigue cracks and/or notches. Simulation will be performed to determine optimal probe positioning, and timing of signals in the A scan indicative of a crack. Algorithms will be implemented to read the active A scans and overlay information on the live A scan, based on the geometry and model results, to assist the inspector in interpretation.