Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080229834 | Method And Apparatus For Inspecting A Workpiece With Angularly Offset Ultrasonic Signals - A method and apparatus are provided to identify unacceptable levels of porosity, microcracking or defects attributable to thermal damage. Ultrasonic signals are introduced into the workpiece, such as by means of an ultrasonic transmitter. The ultrasonic signals propagate along a predefined axis of propagation oriented at an offset angle relative to a predefined reference direction oriented normal to the workpiece. Backscattered signals are received, such as by an ultrasonic receiver, from the workpiece. A measure representative of the cumulative energy of the backscattered signals received over a predefined time interval is then determined, such as integration performed by a processing element. An anomalous response may then be detected based upon the measure representative of the cumulative energy of the backscattered signals. This anomalous response may be representative of at least a predefined amount of porosity, microcracking or thermal damage. | 09-25-2008 |
20090304152 | Method And Apparatus For Tagging And Identifying A Target - A method and apparatus for identifying and tagging a target, such an individual or an item, are described that provide an improved mechanism for identifying the target without alerting the target. In this regard, a method and apparatus can irradiate the target so as to create a radioisotope signature for the target. By thereafter monitoring the radioisotope signature, the target can be identified and tracked in a covert manner. | 12-10-2009 |
20090316853 | BRILLIANT X-RAYS FOR CASTING INSPECTION RADIOGRAPHY AND COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY - A brilliant x-ray inspection device comprises a brilliant x-ray source and a detector. The brilliant x-ray source generates mono-energetic, narrow beam x-rays at an identified energy. A portion of an object is positioned within a path of the mono-energetic, narrow beam x-rays. The detector generates brilliant x-ray data describing the object in three dimensions based on results of the x-ray scan of the object. The brilliant x-ray inspection device then generates a set of brilliant x-ray images of the portion of the object. The features of the object are identified based on the set of brilliant x-ray images. | 12-24-2009 |
20100024559 | Hybrid Inspection System And Method Employing Both Air-Coupled And Liquid-Coupled Transducers - A hybrid inspection system and method are provided which utilize both an air-coupled transducer and a liquid-coupled transducer in order to enjoy the advantages offered by both types of transducers. The hybrid inspection system may include a first probe that includes the air-coupled transducer, such as a capacitive machined ultrasonic transducer, which is configured to emit ultrasonic signals and to air couple the ultrasonic signals into a workpiece. The hybrid inspection system may also include a second probe that includes the liquid-coupled transducer, such as a piezoelectric transducer, configured to receive the ultrasonic signals emitted by the air-coupled transducer of the first probe via a liquid coupling between the transducer and the workpiece. | 02-04-2010 |
20100104072 | Multi-Energy Radiography Using Monoenergetic Pulsed Source - A method and apparatus for multi-energy object inspection using a brilliant x-ray source. A first mono-energetic x-ray image of an object at a first selected energy is generated. A second mono-energetic x-ray image of the object at a second selected energy is generated. The first selected energy is different than the second selected energy. Additional mono-energetic x-ray images may be generated at energies different than previous energies up to n selected energies. The mono-energetic x-ray images are mathematically combined and processed to form a result. The result of processing the mono-energetic x-ray images is presented. The result comprises processed mono-energetic x-ray image data describing materials in the object with greater sensitivity, identifying the layers, and identifying the material composition than in the first image or the second image. | 04-29-2010 |
20100127692 | MEMS BASED KELVIN PROBE FOR MATERIAL STATE CHARACTERIZATION - A device and method for monitoring the material health of a structure, providing a miniaturized MEMS Kelvin probe within a housing, wherein the Kelvin probe comprises a conductive plate formed of a stable metal and positioned substantially parallel to the structure; a piezoelectric vibrator for vibrating the conductive plate; and an electrical circuit connected to the conductive plate and the structure, wherein the conductive plate and the structure form a capacitor. The device is contained in one small, lightweight package that can be placed at one or more locations of interest. The sensor can be left in-place for continuous monitoring or for active testing at desired intervals, or be brought to the aircraft at desired intervals. | 05-27-2010 |
20110026675 | Tangent Radiography Using Brilliant X-Ray Source - A method and apparatus for measuring a structure. An x-ray system and the structure are positioned relative to each other. The x-ray system comprises a gas source configured to provide a gas, a laser system configured to emit a laser beam, a steering system, and a detector. The steering system is configured to direct a first portion of the laser beam into the gas such that an electron beam is generated by the laser beam interacting with the gas and is configured to direct a second portion of the laser beam into the electron beam such that a collimated x-ray beam is formed. The detector is configured to detect the collimated x-ray beam. The collimated x-ray beam is emitted with the structure positioned relative to the x-ray system. | 02-03-2011 |
20130034705 | Molybdenum Composite Hybrid Laminates and Methods - In an embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a molybdenum composite hybrid laminate. The laminate has a plurality of composite material layers. The laminate further has a plurality of surface treated molybdenum foil layers interweaved between the composite material layers. The laminate further has a plurality of adhesive layers disposed between and bonding adjacent layers of the composite material layers and the molybdenum foil layers. | 02-07-2013 |
20130111998 | Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer System - A method and apparatus for an electromagnetic acoustic transducer. An apparatus comprises a conductive material and a current inducer. The conductive material is configured to generate a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field has magnetic flux lines that are substantially fixed and the conductive material has a temperature that is equal to or less than a critical temperature at which the conductive material has substantially zero electrical resistance. The current inducer is configured to cause an electric current to flow in a test object that interacts with the magnetic field, wherein the electric current has a frequency that generates an acoustic wave in the test object. | 05-09-2013 |
20130188858 | ULTRASONIC MODELING FOR INSPECTION OF COMPOSITE IRREGULARITIES - A first simulated inspection is conducted to provide a first waveform data set associated with the at least one irregularity parameter. The first simulated inspection is conducted using a first evaluation setting. A first image is produced based on the first waveform set, and it is determined whether a quality of the first image satisfies a predetermined threshold. | 07-25-2013 |
20130192373 | Tension Wave Generation System - A method and apparatus for generating a tension wave. A beam of coherent light is directed to an absorber surface of a transducer structure. A compression wave is generated within the transducer structure. The compression wave is reflected on a reflecting surface of the transducer structure to form the tension wave. The tension wave is directed through a test object in a desired direction using a configuration of the reflecting surface relative to the test object. | 08-01-2013 |
20130333472 | Ultrasound Inspection System of Limited Access Composite Structures - A method for and apparatus for inspecting a location on a test object with a number of obstructions to reaching the location. An elongate optical fiber carrier holding a number of optical fibers is moved to the location on the test object with the number of obstructions to reaching the location. A pattern of light is transmitted from the number of optical fibers onto a surface of the test object at the location. The pattern of the light is configured to cause sound waves in the test object when the pattern of the light encounters the surface of the test object. A response is detected to the sound waves using the number of optical fibers. | 12-19-2013 |
20140116146 | System and Method for Testing a Composite Structure Using a Laser Ultrasound Testing System - A method and apparatus for testing a composite structure. A pulsed laser beam having a number of properties is generated. Each of the number of properties is within a selected range. The pulsed laser beam generated by the generation laser system is directed towards a composite structure comprised of a number of composite materials. A number of ultrasonic waves are formed in the composite structure when the pulsed laser beam contacts the composite structure without causing any undesired inconsistencies in the composite structure outside of selected tolerances. | 05-01-2014 |
20140122000 | Apparatus And A Method For Measuring In-Plane Elastic Constants For A Laminate - An apparatus is provided that includes a wave generator, plurality of transducers and processing device. The wave generator may be configured to simultaneously generate a plurality of acoustic waves that propagate through a laminate along a plurality of in-plane directions. The transducers may be spaced apart from one another and positionable at one or more known distances from the wave generator along respective in-plane directions. The transducers may be configured to detect acoustic waves propagating through the laminate along the respective in-plane directions. The processing device may be coupled to the transducers and configured to simultaneously calculate a plurality of elastic constants of the laminate as a function of velocities of the acoustic waves detected by the transducers. And the processing device may be configured to calculate the velocities as a function of the known distance(s) and arrival times of the acoustic waves at the transducers. | 05-01-2014 |
20140202239 | BOND EVALUATION USING PIEZOCHROMIC FLUORESCENCE - A composite bonded structure with integral stress sensing and bond evaluation system incorporates a bonded structure having a first component, a second component and a layer of adhesive bonding the first and second components. The layer of adhesive includes multiple embedded fluorescing particles which emit a first spectral intensity in an unstressed condition and a second spectral intensity in a stressed condition. A bond evaluation apparatus is then employed for measuring spectral intensity. | 07-24-2014 |
20150059479 | TRANSDUCER WITH DRY ADHESIVE COUPLANT - A transducer for stimulating an article under test with ultrasonic vibration may include a transducer body having a transmitting face and configured to generate ultrasonic vibration through the transmitting face, and an couplant mounted on the transmitting face, the couplant having a multiplicity of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes extending therefrom in a direction substantially normal to the transmitting face. | 03-05-2015 |