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New imaging technique could detect acoustically ‘invisible’ cracks

The development of a new imaging technique  by researchers from the University of Bristol’s Ultrasonics and Non-destructive Testing (NDT) research group promises to be able to detect damage previously invisible to acoustic imaging systems which could lead to aircraft off the future being thinner and lighter.  Acoustic nonlinearity is sensitive to many physical properties including material microstructure and mechanical damage. The lack of effective imaging has, however, held back the use of this important method.  Engineers are currently able to produce images of the interior of components using ultrasound, but can only detect large problems such as cracks.  Imaging of acoustic nonlinearity is achieved by exploiting differences in the propagation of fields produced by the parallel and sequential transmission of elements in ultrasonic arrays. Commenting on the project, study lead, Dr Jack Potter, research assistant in the Department of Mechanical Engineering s
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Airbus R&D groups take delivery of laser ultrasound system

LUCIE, a noncontact, non-destructive, laser-ultrasound machine, will be tested on a composite fuselage section at Technocampus in France to determine its production feasibility. On Oct. 20, Technocampus (Pays de la Loir region, France), the R&D teams of Airbus Nantes, EADS Innovation Works (IW) and Ecole des Mines, took delivery of LUCIE, a noncontact, non-destructive, laser-ultrasound machine that will be used to detect sub-surface flaws in composite aerostructures.
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AcousticEye Dolphin G3 Enables Advanced Tube Inspection for Heat Exchangers

Enhanced NDT Tube Inspection System is Fast, Easy, and Reliable AcousticEye, the leader in non-invasive tube inspection solutions for the heat exchanger market, has unveiled the Dolphin™ G3 tube inspection system. The G3 is based on the same breakthrough Acoustic Pulse Reflectometry (APR) technology used in the original Dolphin, which has been successfully utilized by customers worldwide since it was first introduced last year. The Dolphin G3 is ideally suited for testing heat exchanger systems across industries such as oil and gas, chemical, and power-generation markets. 
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Examples, Eddy Current Testing

Eddy Current Crack Testing by Criterion NDT  EloScan Robotic Eddy Current Test System by Rohmann GmbH  
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Non destructive testing in the aerospace industry

"The aerospace industry is leading the way in the application of non-destructive testing techniques" The simplest way to find out about a component’s structural or material properties is to quite literally push it to breaking point. But while destructive testing can be an effective and economical solution for high-volume, low-cost components, it’s clearly undesirable for larger, more expensive systems. If you want to test the limits of a multi-million-pound jet engine, destroying it is a pretty drastic way to advance your knowledge.   NDT is an essential tool in the aerospace industry  Fortunately, there is an alternative. And a range of so-called non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques - which can be used to probe structures and materials either before they enter use or as part of a maintenance programme - are now widely used across a range of engineering sectors.
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Quality Test & Inspection: Data Leads to Good Leak Test Decisions

"Through the adoption of new leak testing approaches that provide comprehensive data about the entire leak test cycle, manufacturers can get more out of their leak test" Leak testing is used in many industries, from engine assembly to medical device manufacturing. Source: Sciemetric Instruments  Leak testing is an important and widely deployed nondestructive test methodology used by many manufacturers to assess the quality of fabricated parts. The fact is that nothing is 100% sealed; everything leaks, whether it is supposed to or not. The challenge for manufacturers is to determine whether the leakage is acceptable from product quality and regulatory compliance perspectives. The majority of leak testing systems that are available today focus primarily on determining a single value that characterizes whether the leak rate is acceptable under internal standards and regulatory directives. While this traditional method may detect 80% of the typical defects, the other 20% wil
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GKN A350 spar program update

"Automated fiber placement to replace established tape laying/drape forming process for the composite rear spars on the new midsize commercial passenger jet" Headquartered in Redditch, Worcestershire, U.K., GKN Plc’s Aerospace Division continues its strong growth, based to a large extent on its expertise in the production of composite structures. Even the 50 percent of the business that is not focused on composites is based primarily on materials technologies, such as complex titanium aero-engine components and cockpit canopies with vacuum-deposited surfaces to enhance stealth performance. This should not come as a surprise, because GKN’s first use of materials technology to gain market share was in the 1860s, when it dominated the railroad supply business by being the first company in the U.K. to make steel by the cost-effective Bessemer process. The company produced more than 56 million lb (25,400 metric tonnes) of steel per year by 1871. Fig. 1: The inner rear spar demo
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