Back to results
US 8,527,218 B2Granted
Strength measurement for bond lines
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsGary Ernest Georgeson, Richard Henry Bossi, Jeffrey Reyner Kollgaard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The different advantageous embodiments provide a method and apparatus for inspecting a structure. In one advantageous embodiment, an electromagnetic force is generated on a portion of a bond line for a plurality of parts in the structure. The structure contains a conductive material. A determination is made as to whether an inconsistency is present in the portion of the bond line after generating the electromagnetic force on the portion of the bond line.
Claims20
A method for inspecting a structure, the method comprising:
- generating an electromagnetic force in a conductive material in the structure to apply a load on a portion of a number of bond lines between a plurality of parts in the structure, the electromagnetic force has a magnitude sufficient to cause an occurrence of an inconsistency if a strength of the number of bond lines is less than a desired level;
- thereafter sending an ultrasonic signal into the portion;
- detecting a response to the ultrasonic signal;
- determining, using the response, whether the inconsistency is present in the portion.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- a force generation system configured to generate an electromagnetic force in a conductive material in a structure to apply a load on a portion of a number of bond lines between a plurality of parts in the structure, the force generation system configured to generate the electromagnetic force having a magnitude sufficient to cause an occurrence of an inconsistency if a strength of the number of bond lines is less than a desired level;
- an ultrasonic transducer system configured to send an ultrasonic signal into the portion and detect a response to the ultrasonic signal;
- and
- a computer system configured to use the response to determine whether the inconsistency is present in the portion.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.