Cost reduction by advanced non-destructive inspection of aeronautical structures

Objective

Objectives and content
Non-destructive inspection requirements can have a large impact on aircraft and operation cost. This calls for efficient NDT methods, that do not require long down times for in-service inspections, and are fast and reliable for production inspection. No single method can fulfil all requirements. In addition, an approach using knowledge based diagnosis systems will offer increased inspection reliability.
It is therefore proposed to further develop and apply the NDT techniques that are most promising for the aeronautical industry focussing on 3 distinctive problem areas:
- Reliable inspection methods for ageing aircraft
- Fast non-contact NDT methods for production inspection
-Rapid full field methods for in service inspection of advanced materials
Cost reduction in production and in-service inspection sets the industrial project objectives:
- Improved reliability of crack and corrosion detection by an eddy current expert system.
- Improved production inspection and faster corrosion mapping by advanced thermography.
- Improvement of inspection speed for complex shaped parts. - Simultaneous detection of cracks and disbonds
- Faster production inspection by applying a novel multi-camera shearography system.
- Reduced inspection times by developing and applying a real-time X-ray expert system.
- Specification of a knowledge based NDT diagnosis system
This project proposal can partly be considered as exploitation of the results of the successfully running project BE-5879: "NDT-NDE for maintenance of structural parts". New subjects are laser ultrasonics, thermography and Lamb wave application of air-coupled ultrasound for reducing inspection cost and the introduction of expert systems to improve sensitivity, objectivity and reliability.
The project research is targeted towards solving today's ageing aircraft inspection problems, reducing production cost by improving inspection procedures and considering the in-service inspection problems expected to arise in the near future. For each task, the research is structured to firstly define industrial problem cases, secondly investigate several potential technical solutions and finally evaluate the developed methods on real aircraft parts. A separate task dealing with data fusion and diagnosis aims at integrating several techniques and using expert systems for analysis and diagnosis.
The partnership consists of all major European aircraft manufacturers, all acting as developers and end-users. The industrial partnership has also ensured the cooperation of European knowledge centers in the NDT field, performing specific research tasks. Some small, highly specialized companies, active in development of NDT equipment, complete the partnership.

Fields of science

• engineering and technology › mechanical engineering › vehicle engineering › aerospace engineering › aircraft
• natural sciences › computer and information sciences › artificial intelligence › expert systems
• engineering and technology › mechanical engineering › vehicle engineering › aerospace engineering › aeronautical engineering
• natural sciences › physical sciences › optics › laser physics
• natural sciences › physical sciences › acoustics › ultrasound

Programme(s)

• FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1994-1998

Topic(s)

• 0301 - Aeronautics

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

Dassault Aviation SA

Address

78141 Véiizy-villacoublay
France

Participants (14)

Agusta Un' Azienda Finmeccanica SpA

Italy

Address

Via Giovanni Agusta 520
21017 Cascina Costa Di Samarate Varese

Alenia Aerospazio - Un'Azienda Finmeccanica SpA

Italy

Address

Viale Dell'aeronautica
80038 Pomigliano D'arco

British Aerospace Defence Ltd

United Kingdom

Address

PR4 1AX Preston

Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und Materialprüfung

Germany

Address

87,unter Den Eichen 87
12205 Berlin

CEDIP SA

France

Address

19,boulevard Georges Bidault 19
77183 Croisy-beaubourg

CSM MATERIALTEKNIK AB

Sweden

Address

Gelbgjutaregatan
581 13 Linkoeping

Centro Italiano Ricerche AerospazialiScpA

Italy

Address

Via Maiorise
81043 Napoli - Capua

Construcciones Aeronauticas SA

Spain

Address

S/n,avda. John Lennon
28906 Getafe - Madrid

EUROPEAN AERONAUTICS DEFENSE AND SPACE COMPANY EADS GIE

France

Address

Boulevard De Montmorency 37
75781 Paris

Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH

Germany

Address

81663 München

Groupe d'Interêt Economique NDT Expert

France

Address

23,boulevard Victor Hugo 23
31770 Béti Colomiers

Technische Universiteit Delft

Netherlands

Address

2600 GA Delft

UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE

United Kingdom

Address

George Street 204
G1 1QE Glasgow

Uppsala University

Sweden

Address

31,
751 21 Uppsala