Real-time full-field ultrasonic inspection of composites using acoustography

Jaswinder S. Sandhu; Honghui Wang; Milind M. Sonpatki; Witold J. Popek

doi:10.1117/12.484112

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1 August 2003 Real-time full-field ultrasonic inspection of composites using acoustography

Jaswinder S. Sandhu; Honghui Wang; Milind M. Sonpatki; Witold J. Popek

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Proceedings Volume 5046, Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring of Aerospace Materials and Composites II; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.484112
Event: NDE for Health Monitoring and Diagnostics, 2003, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Many small composite parts undergo manual pulse-echo scan because 1) the set-up time for and automated scan is unjustifiably long and 2) the automated scan does not provide the flexibility to cope with frequent angle changes in a complex geometry part. Manual scans can be time consuming, laborious, and are prone to errors due to operator fatigue and subjectivity. What is required is a full-field ultrasonic inspection system analogous to real time radiography that allows the operator to perform ultrasonic inspection by manipulating the part under a systems field of view. In this paper, we will present an acoustography-based ultrasonic inspection system developed under a SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) award that is bringing this vision to into reality. Acoustography is the ultrasonic analog of radiography and photography. A unique, wide area 2D detector, called acousto-optic (AO) sensor, is used to directly convert ultrasound into visual images; much like a fluorescent screen is able to convert x-rays into visual images. It offers the potential for providing the NDT engineer with a large field of view (e.g. 6”x 6” or larger) and a capability to inspect complex shaped parts in real time.

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Jaswinder S. Sandhu, Honghui Wang, Milind M. Sonpatki, and Witold J. Popek "Real-time full-field ultrasonic inspection of composites using acoustography", Proc. SPIE 5046, Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring of Aerospace Materials and Composites II, (1 August 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.484112

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