System and method for the inspection of adhesive
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorGary E. Georgeson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for inspecting adhesive in a composite structure, such as for soft or improperly cured regions, includes a transducer and a processing element. The transducer can transmit a signal, such as an ultrasonic signal, into the adhesive such that at least a portion of the ultrasonic signal can propagate through the adhesive, reflect off of an interface between the adhesive and another material, and propagate back through the adhesive. Upon exiting the adhesive, then, the transducer can receive a reflected portion of the ultrasonic signal. Thereafter, the processing element can identify a defect, such as soft or improperly cured regions, in the adhesive upon a relationship of an amplitude of the reflected portion of the reflected ultrasonic signal to a predefined threshold.
Claims23
A system for inspecting adhesive bonding together a plurality of elements in a composite structure that includes sections spaced apart to thereby define a gap, wherein the composite structure further includes at least partially cured adhesive disposed within the gap to thereby connect the sections, said system comprising:
- a transducer capable of transmitting a signal into the adhesive such that at least a portion of the signal can propagate through the adhesive, reflect back through the adhesive and be received by said transducer;
- and
- a processing element capable of identifying at least one region of incompletely cured adhesive in the composite structure based upon an amplitude of the reflected portion of the signal received by said transducer.
A method for inspecting a joint in a composite structure comprising:
- providing a composite structure that includes sections spaced apart to thereby define a gap, wherein the composite structure further includes at least partially cured adhesive disposed within the gap to thereby connect the sections;
- transmitting a signal into the adhesive such that at least a portion of the signal can propagate through the adhesive and reflect back through the adhesive;
- receiving a reflected portion of the signal;
- and
- identifying at least one region of incompletely cured adhesive in the composite structure based upon an amplitude of the reflected portion of the signal.
A method for inspecting a joint in a composite structure comprising:
- providing a composite structure that includes sections spaced apart to thereby define a gap, wherein the composite structure further includes at least partially cured adhesive disposed within the gap to thereby bond the sections;
- transmitting a signal into the adhesive such that at least a portion of the signal can propagate through the adhesive and reflects back through the adhesive;
- receiving a reflected portion of the signal;
- and
- separately identifying at least one of a region of incompletely cured adhesive and a void within the adhesive, wherein at least one of the region and the void are identified based upon the reflected portion of the signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.