New concepts for inspecting aircraft structures
The European aircraft fleet continues to increase and age, requiring reliable and faster inspection techniques in order to keep up with growing maintenance requirements. The larger body size of the latest aircraft means that a greater area must be checked within a given timeframe. New materials and processes have been created and continue to be developed, which cannot be easily inspected using conventional means. Therefore, new approaches were investigated by the INCA consortium. The application of non-destructive techniques such as shearography, thermography and digital X-rays were used to determine the qualities of different materials. Laser-ultrasonics was an established non-contact technology for measuring the thickness of materials and detecting flaws. The technology was improved and adopted to the needs of the aircraft industry with particular focus on the shape of components, surface conditions and flexibility. All the technologies adopted by the INCA project can help improve the inspection process for aircraft structures. Furthermore, their use can facilitate the introduction of new, cost-effective materials, components and designs, and enable the European aircraft industry to remain competitive.
