NDE Technique for Thin Mat Material Inspection

CRG proposes a non-destructive evaluation (NDE) solution for identifying and tracking foreign object debris (FOD) consisting of small carbon fibers within dielectric thin mat materials during its production process. If FOD is not detected during thin mat production, and that material is used to construct aerospace components, performance specifications may not be met. This leads to costly repair and/or replacement. CRG’s solution is to utilize a microwave source radiating the thin mat during production. If carbon fibers are present, they will heat preferentially due to their conductivity over the non-conductive dielectric thin mat. Once heated, this FOD will be identifiable with infrared thermal imaging. When identified, FOD can be marked and tracked, and portions of that thin mat material will be discarded, ensuring only pristine thin mat is used in aerospace component production.