Apparatus and method for non-destructive testing

• US 8,156,811 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunrise International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: LSP Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Toller, Steven M., Walters, Craig T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah, Samir M
• Application Number:
  US11/227,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20080257048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,406 Days
• Field of Search: 735/88, 737/89, 738/01, 738/15, 738/27
• US Class Current: 73/588
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0231 Composite or layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/267 Welds
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2694 Wings or other aircraft parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/043 in the interior, e.g. by shear waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2412 using the magnetostrictive properties of the material to be examined, e.g. electromagnetic acoustic transducers [EMAT]; investigating the presence of flaws using eddy currents G01N27/90, magnetostrictive transducers B06B1/08, measuring magnetostrictive properties G01R33/18
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4454 Signal recognition, e.g. specific values or portions, signal events, signatures

Abstract

A diagnostic means to enable real-time inspection of bonded structures. The disclosed apparatus detects bond failure stress waves on-axis from the front side (beam application side). Pi-box and pi-rail EMAT gauges can be used with the disclosed apparatus. An inductively coupled EMAT may also be employed. An improved means to remotely deliver an interrogating laser beam to a surface is provided. The process head may utilize a water column or a water film. The water film process head may include the use of either a single water film or two spaced apart water films. The disclosed apparatus can be used with bonded composite structures, bonded structures using various materials, and to determine the dynamic strength of unbonded solid materials. The apparatus may also be used in other applications that require remote flexible delivery of a localized stress wave to a material and/or diagnosis of the resultant stress waves.

Claims

1. A system for non-destructive testing of a bond in a bonded article, the system comprising:

a laser configured to direct laser pulses onto a first surface of the bonded article and thereby induce the generation of a compressive stress waves in the bonded article that travel through the bond, the laser being further configured to direct the laser pulses in a probe-break-probe inspection sequence comprising a first laser pulse having a first fluence, a second laser pulse having a second fluence which is greater than the first fluence but less than a fluence required to break the bond, and a third laser pulse having a fluence which is approximately the same as the first fluence;

a gauge, at least a portion of the gauge being adjacent to a second surface of the bonded article;

a sensing coil adjacent to the gauge; and

a magnet capable of applying a magnetic field to the second surface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensing coil is inductively coupled to the gauge.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensing coil is electrically connected to the gauge.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the gauge comprises at least one of:

a rectangular loop, aluminum tape, and a plurality of closed loops.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensing coil is configured to detect a stress wave signature indicative of at least a partial failure of the bond.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a processor to determine a strength of the bond, using the stress wave signature.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is mobile.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each fluence is between about 15 J/cm² and about 40 J/cm².

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first surface and the second surface are the same.

10. A system for non-destructive testing of a bond between a coating and a coated surface on a coated article, the system comprising:

a laser configured to induce the generation of a compressive stress wave in the coated article, the laser further configured to direct laser pulses in a probe-break-probe inspection sequence at one or more locations on the coated article;

a gauge, at least a portion of the gauge being adjacent to a surface of the coated article;

a sensing coil adjacent to the gauge; and

a magnet capable of applying a magnetic field to the surface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensing coil is at least one of inductively coupled to the gauge, and electrically connected to the gauge.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the gauge comprises at least one of:

a rectangular loop, aluminum tape, and a plurality of closed loops.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensing coil is configured to detect a stress wave signature indicative of at least a partial failure of the bond.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the probe-break-probe inspection sequence comprises a first laser pulse having a first fluence, a second laser pulse having a second fluence which is greater than the first fluence but less than a fluence required to break the bond, and a third laser pulse having a fluence which is approximately the same as the first fluence.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the coated surface and the surface are the same.