Bond testing system, method, and apparatus
AssigneeLuna Innovations Incorporated
InventorsJoseph S. Heyman, John E. Lynch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bond strength tester and method for determining certain bond strength parameters of a bonded component, including a phaselocker, a transducer, a loading device that is capable of applying stress-loads to the bond, a controller for controlling the loading device, a data recording device to acquire data, and a computer device to analyze data calculating certain bond strength parameters.
Claims32
A non-destructive bond strength tester for determining certain bond strength parameters of a bonded component without destroying the bonded component, comprising:
- an ultrasonic phaselocker for generating a measurement signal used to determine bond properties;
- an ultrasonic transducer for converting the measurement signal into an acoustic wave applied to a material including a bond;
- a loading device that is capable of applying stress-loads to the bond;
- a controller for controlling the loading device;
- a data recorder to acquire measurement data including the measurement signal from the phaselocker, load data from the controller, and a recording time;
- and
- data processing circuitry to analyze the measurement data and calculate certain bond strength parameters associated with elastic properties of the bond.
A method for non-destructive testing the strength of a bond of a bonded component, comprising:
- coupling a phaselocker, via a transducer, to a bonded component to create an ensemble system;
- acquiring at least some load data and ultrasonic frequency data for the ensemble system during an initial state;
- applying a load to the bonded component during a load period by placing the bond under tension or compression, thereby applying stress to the bond;
- acquiring at least some load data and ultrasonic frequency data from the ensemble system during the load period;
- maintaining the load on the bonded component during a load-hold period;
- acquiring at least some load data and ultrasonic frequency data from the ensemble system during the load-hold period;
- removing the load on the bonded component during an unload period;
- acquiring at least some load data and ultrasonic frequency data from system during the unload period;
- acquiring at least some load data and ultrasonic frequency data for the ensemble system after the load on the bonded component has been removed during a relaxation period;
- determining a non-linearity parameter from at least some of the acquired data;
- and
- assessing the strength of the bond based on the determined non-linearity parameter.
A method for non-destructively determining at least some bond strength parameters for a bond of a bonded component, comprising:
- coupling a phaselocker, via a transducer, to a bonded component to create an ensemble system;
- acquiring at least some load data and ultrasonic frequency data for the ensemble system during an initial state;
- applying a load to the bonded component during a load period by placing the bond under tension or compression, thereby applying stress to the bond;
- acquiring at least some load data and ultrasonic frequency data from the ensemble system during the load period;
- maintaining the load on the bonded component during a load-hold period;
- acquiring a least some load data and ultrasonic frequency data from the ensemble system during the load-hold period;
- removing the load on the bonded component during an unload period;
- acquiring at least some load data and ultrasonic frequency data from the ensemble system during the unload period;
- acquiring at least some load data and ultrasonic frequency data for the ensemble system after the load on the bonded component has been removed during a relaxation period;
- and
- determining a linearity parameter from at least some of the acquired data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.