Method and system for non-destructive testing of composites

A method (90) for making a non-destructive testing system (10), the method comprising:

• connecting (92) an emitter (12) that transmits sound signals (13) to a test area (14) of a composite (16), receives sound signals (15) from the test area in response to the transmitted sound signals, and generates electric signals in response to the received signals, to a computer control (18), such that the computer control receives electric signals from the emitter;
• connecting (94) the computer control to a display (22);
• and
• programming (96, 98, 100) the computer control to
• cause the emitter to transmit a plurality of the sound signals to the test area at a plurality of different frequencies over a range of frequencies,
• display on the display a graph of the received sound signals showing a received signal amplitude for the plurality of different frequencies of the range of frequencies, and
• apply a different, preset gain setting to at least one of the plurality of frequencies for a selected display image on the display such that the display image shows a plot of received signal amplitude for the plurality of frequencies that is at least partially flattened, so that the amplitude of the signal from material without defects is the same at all frequencies, and changes in the amplitude of the signal are visually perceptible on the display for all of the plurality of signals.

A method of nondestructive testing of a composite (204), the method comprising:

• transmitting (206) sound signals from a emitter to a test area of the composite;
• receiving (206) sound signals by the emitter from the test area in response to the transmitted sound signals;
• generating (208) electric signals by the emitter in response to the received signals;
• receiving (208) the electric signals from the emitter by a computer control, wherein the computer control is programmed (210) to cause the emitter to transmit a plurality of the sound signals to the test area at a plurality of different frequencies over a range of frequencies;
• displaying (212) on a display a graph of the received sound signals showing a received signal amplitude for the plurality of different frequencies of the range of frequencies;
• and
• applying (212) by the computer control a different, preset gain setting to at least one of the plurality of frequencies for a selected display image on the display, such that the display image shows a plot of received signal amplitude for the plurality of frequencies that is at least partially flattened, so that the amplitude of the signal from material without defects is the same at all frequencies, and changes in the amplitude of the signal are visually perceptible on the display for all of the plurality of signals.