In-process monitoring, automated decision-making, and process control for composite manufacturing using part-referenced ply-by-ply infrared thermography and other non-contact non-destructive inspection

A system, comprising:

• a work surface for arranging and compacting uncured composite layers;
• a heat source arranged relative to the surface and operable to provide thermal energy to a surface of a first ply of material on the work surface;
• a thermographic digital camera arranged relative to the surface and operable to capture at least one digital thermographic image of the surface of the first ply of material;
• a computer processor in communication with the thermographic digital camera and the heat source;
• and
• a computer memory containing a program that, when executed on the computer processor, performs an operation for processing data, comprising:
• applying thermal energy to a surface of the first ply of material;
• capturing at least one digital thermographic image of the surface of the first ply of material after applying the thermal energy;
• analyzing at least one heat characteristic of regions of the first ply of material in the at least one digital thermographic image to identify defect regions in which the at least one heat characteristic is different than baseline data;
• based on the analyzing, making a determination as to whether the defect region includes a rejectable flaw or a sub-rejectable flaw, wherein:
• upon identifying a defect region including a rejectable flaw:
• outputting an alert;
• halting processing to allow the defect region to be corrected;
• resuming processing;
• and
• laying a second ply of material on the first ply of material after resuming processing;
• and
• upon identifying a defect region including a sub-resectable flaw:
• laying a second ply of material on the first ply of material while the sub-rejectable flaw remains in the first ply of material.

A method, comprising:

• laying a first ply of material;
• applying thermal energy to a surface of the first ply of material;
• capturing at least one digital thermographic image of the surface of the first ply of material after applying the thermal energy;
• using a computer processor, analyzing at least one heat characteristic of regions of the first ply of material in the at least one digital thermographic image to identify defect regions in which the at least one heat characteristic is different than baseline data;
• based on the analyzing, making a determination as to whether the defect region includes a rejectable flaw or a sub-rejectable flaw, wherein:
• upon identifying a defect region including a rejectable flaw:
• outputting an alert;
• correcting the defect region;
• and
• laying a second ply of material on the first ply of material after correcting the defect region;
• and
• upon identifying a defect region including a sub-rejectable flaw:
• laying a second ply of material on the first ply of material while the sub-rejectable flaw remains in the first ply of material.