Ultrasonic phased array of composites and other aircraft materials

• Main Author: Eng, Gun Kiat
• Other Authors: Anand Krishna Asundi
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Aeronautical engineering::Materials of construction
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/16656
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The aerospace industry is one of the fastest growing industries in Singapore where the increased growth of air travel for the past few years has driven the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sector to decrease turn-round-time while ensuring the reliability and safety of the aircrafts. Traditional non-destructive testing (NDT) methods are generally used in the aerospace industry for detection of defects such as cracks and corrosion but ultrasonic phased array systems are emerging to be one of the modern NDT techniques that can enable rapid scanning of components with more accurate results. With proper implementation, this NDT technique will potentially help MRO companies and airlines save millions of dollars by decreasing the turn-round-time of aircrafts. The report presents results obtained from conducting of non-destructive experiments using ultrasonic phased array and conventional ultrasonic methods on composites and other aircraft materials. The size, shape and position of defects were determined using each method, as well as finding the smallest defect that the ultrasonic phased array machine is able to detect. Also, the advantages and disadvantages of the ultrasonic phased array method over the conventional ultrasonic non-destructive testing method, as well as the modern lamb wave testing method will be discussed. In this report, a variety of materials which includes composites and aluminium will be tested using the above mentioned ultrasonic methods. Efficiency is a very important factor in the MRO industry and this study on the ultrasonic phased array method will examine its pros and cons, as well as the feasibility of using and implementing the modern phased array NDT technology.