Rapid inspection of lightning strike protection systems prior to installing fastener
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsGary E. Georgeson, James H. Lee, Scott W. Lea, Morteza Safai
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Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed for drilling counter sink fastener holes in composite materials with conductive foil lightning strike protection systems. Initially a non-destructive depth detector is scanned over a prospective fastener hole location. Then the depth of a conductive foil below a surface is detected. When the detected depth is less than a predetermined depth, a signal that indicates that a countersink fastener hole may be drilled is output. When the detected depth is greater than a predetermined depth, a signal that indicates that a countersink fastener hole may not be drilled is output.
Claims20
A method of drilling a fastener hole:
- a) scanning with a non-destructive depth detector over a prospective fastener hole location;
- b) detecting a depth of a conductive foil below a surface;
- c) when the detected depth is less than a predetermined depth, outputting a signal that indicates that a countersink fastener hole may be drilled;
- and
- d) when the detected depth is greater than a predetermined depth, outputting a signal that indicates that a countersink fastener hole may not be drilled.
A system for drilling countersink fastener holes in composites containing conductive foils, the system comprising:
- a sensor;
- signaling device;
- and
- a processor, the processor the receives output of the sensor, based on the received sensor output determines the depth of the conductive foil, outputs a first signal to the signaling device when the depth of the conductive foil is less than a first predetermined depth, and outputs a second signal to the signaling device when the depth of the conductive foil is greater than a second predetermined depth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.