Remote nondestructive inspection systems and methods
First Claim
1. A system for remote inspection, comprising:
- a hand-held portable nondestructive inspection (NDI) system including an NDI device configured to examine solid laminate or honeycombed sandwich structure for an aircraft and provide NDI data related to a damage condition of the structure, wherein the NDI device is selected from a group consisting of a pulse-echo NDI device, a resonance NDI device, a tap-testing NDI device, an ultrasonic imaging NDI device, and a thermographic imaging NDI device, the NDI system being configured to communicate the NDI data to a remote location; and
a remote computer disposed at the remote location, the remote computer being configured to receive the NDI data and provide the received NDI data for a review, the remote computer being configured to communicate an analytical result based on the review to the NDI system, the analytical result including a repair disposition decision corresponding to the damage condition, the repair disposition decision including a fly or no-fly decision for the aircraft, wherein the system includes at least one of an audio communication link and a video communication link to the remote computer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing nondestructive inspection (NDI) services. For example in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a system for remote inspection includes a nondestructive inspection (NDI) system configured to examine a structure and provide NDI data related to a damage condition of the structure, the NDI system being configured to communicate the NDI data to a remote location; and a remote computer disposed at the remote location, the remote computer being configured to receive the NDI data and provide the received NDI data for a review, the remote computer being configured to communicate an analytical result based on the review to the NDI system, the analytical result including a repair disposition decision corresponding to the damage condition.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A system for remote inspection, comprising:
-
a hand-held portable nondestructive inspection (NDI) system including an NDI device configured to examine solid laminate or honeycombed sandwich structure for an aircraft and provide NDI data related to a damage condition of the structure, wherein the NDI device is selected from a group consisting of a pulse-echo NDI device, a resonance NDI device, a tap-testing NDI device, an ultrasonic imaging NDI device, and a thermographic imaging NDI device, the NDI system being configured to communicate the NDI data to a remote location; and a remote computer disposed at the remote location, the remote computer being configured to receive the NDI data and provide the received NDI data for a review, the remote computer being configured to communicate an analytical result based on the review to the NDI system, the analytical result including a repair disposition decision corresponding to the damage condition, the repair disposition decision including a fly or no-fly decision for the aircraft, wherein the system includes at least one of an audio communication link and a video communication link to the remote computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for remote nondestructive inspection, comprising:
-
deploying a hand-held portable nondestructive inspection (NDI) system to examine solid laminate or honeycombed sandwich structure for an aircraft disposed at a first location, the NDI system including an NDI device selected from a group consisting of a pulse-echo NDI device, a resonance NDI device, a tap-testing NDI device, an ultrasonic imaging NDI device, and a thermographic imaging NDI device; operating the NDI device by hand to acquire NDI data related to a damage condition of the structure, the NDI system being associated with a transmitter; through the transmitter, transmitting the NDI data to a remote location distant from the first location; requesting NDI remote location support from the first location via at least one of a voice channel and a video channel; formulating a repair disposition decision based on an analysis of the NDt data at the remote location; receiving at the first location the repair disposition decision; and performing an action at the first location consistent with the repair disposition decision. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
Specification