Non-destructive inspection system and associated method
First Claim
1. A system for identifying defects in a structure comprising:
- a flexible sheet of material positioned adjacent to the structure;
a plurality of non-destructive sensors secured to the flexible sheet;
a mechanism operable to externally apply a plurality of impacts onto the flexible sheet and/or onto the structure proximate to the flexible sheet at a plurality of locations to generate stress waves within and along a surface of the structure, wherein the mechanism is operable to externally apply each impact onto the flexible sheet at a different predetermined location and with a predetermined magnitude; and
a data acquisition system capable of communicating with the sensors such that the data acquisition system generates feedback indicative of at least a portion of the structure based on accumulated data from the stress waves acquired by the sensors and further based on the predetermined location and the predetermined magnitude at which each of the plurality of impacts is applied.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An assembly, system, and method for identifying defects in a structure are provided. The assembly includes a structure of a metallic or composite material, and a flexible sheet of material positioned adjacent to the structure. The assembly also includes a plurality of non-destructive sensors secured to the flexible sheet, and a mechanism operable to impact the flexible sheet or proximate to the flexible sheet to generate stress waves within and along a surface of the structure. The system further provides a data acquisition system capable of communicating with the sensors such that the data acquisition system generates feedback indicative of at least a portion of the structure based on data from the stress waves acquired by the sensors.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A system for identifying defects in a structure comprising:
-
a flexible sheet of material positioned adjacent to the structure; a plurality of non-destructive sensors secured to the flexible sheet; a mechanism operable to externally apply a plurality of impacts onto the flexible sheet and/or onto the structure proximate to the flexible sheet at a plurality of locations to generate stress waves within and along a surface of the structure, wherein the mechanism is operable to externally apply each impact onto the flexible sheet at a different predetermined location and with a predetermined magnitude; and a data acquisition system capable of communicating with the sensors such that the data acquisition system generates feedback indicative of at least a portion of the structure based on accumulated data from the stress waves acquired by the sensors and further based on the predetermined location and the predetermined magnitude at which each of the plurality of impacts is applied. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An assembly for identifying defects comprising:
-
a structure comprising one of a metallic and composite material; a flexible sheet of material positioned adjacent to the structure; a plurality of non-destructive sensors secured to the flexible sheet; and a mechanism operable to externally apply a plurality of impacts onto the flexible sheet and/or onto the structure proximate to the flexible sheet to generate stress waves within and along a surface of the structure, wherein the mechanism is operable to apply each of the plurality of impacts at a different predetermined location and with a predetermined magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for identifying defects in a structure utilizing a plurality of non-destructive sensors secured to a flexible sheet of material, the method comprising:
-
positioning the flexible sheet of material adjacent to the structure; applying a plurality of external impacts onto the flexible sheet and/or onto the structure proximate to the flexible sheet, wherein each of the plurality of impacts is applied at a different predetermined location and with a predetermined magnitude to generate stress waves within and along a surface of the structure; and detecting the stress waves with the sensors and deriving data from the stress waves that is indicative of at least a portion of the structure and that is based on accumulated data derived from the stress waves and the predetermined location and the predetermined magnitude at which each of the plurality of impacts is applied. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A system for identifying defects in an aircraft structure comprising:
-
an aircraft comprising substantially composite material; an impact-echo assembly for externally applying a plurality of impacts onto the aircraft, wherein each of the plurality of impacts is applied with a predetermined magnitude and at a different predetermined location to generate stress waves within and along a surface of the aircraft; and a data acquisition system capable of communicating with the impact-echo assembly such that the data acquisition system generates feedback indicative of at least a portion of the aircraft based on accumulated data from the impact-echo assembly and further based on the predetermined location and magnitude at which each force of the plurality of impacts is applied. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
-
Specification