ULTRASONIC INSPECTION

ABARIS PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A PORTABLE EXPERT SYSTEM THAT WILL AID THE FIELD OR ORGANIZATIONAL TECHNICIAN IN THE INTERPRETATION OF ULTRASONIC NON-DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTION FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE SCOPE, MAGNITUDE, AND IMPACT OF INTERNAL DAMAGE TO COMPOSITE LAMINATE STRUCTURE. ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS FACING THE AIR FORCE IS THE IMPACT OF NEW ADVANCED COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL MATERIALS ENTERING OPERATIONAL SERVICE. THE GRAPHITE AND KEVLAR FIBERS EPOXY AND BISMALEIMIDE RESINS, ETC; OFFER SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT REDUCTIONS AND OPERATIONAL ADVANTAGES, BUT REQUIRE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT INSPECTION TECHNIQUES TO ASSESS THE POTENTIAL OF DAMAGE. VISIBLE DAMAGE IS NOT A GOOD INDICATOR OF THE MAGNITUDE OF INTERNAL DAMAGE. THE ULTRASONIC INSPECTION EQUIPMENT REQUIRES EXPERTISE THAT MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE TO ORGANIZATIONAL OR BATTLE DAMAGE REPAIR TEAMS. THE PROPOSED SYSTEM WOULD CONSIST OF A PORTABLE COMPUTER BASED EXPERT SYSTEM, LOW COST, LIGHTWEIGHT PORTABLE ULTRASONIC SCANNING EQUIPMENT AND APPROPRIATE METHODS OF DIGITIZING THE TRANSDUCER POSITION AND ACOUSTICAL OUTPUT. THE PROPOSED SYSTEM WOULD INTERPRET THE OUTPUT AND PROVIDE A GRAPHIC PRESENTATION OF THE LOCATION.