Systems, methods, and devices are provided for the creation of predictable and accurate defects in a fiber tow of an Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) process, with such artificial defects being useful to support calibration of an in situ inspection system used in the AFP process. Various embodiments include methods for creating such artificial defects that support calibration of an in situ inspection system of an AFP system or process. Various embodiments may also include a defect stencils for an AFP system or process.

A method and apparatus for inspecting a structure. Electromagnetic radiation is sent to a surface on a structure from an electromagnetic radiation emission system. A response is filtered to the electromagnetic radiation using a filter located inside of a borescope inspection housing. The filter is configured to pass a number of wavelengths in a response to the electromagnetic radiation directed at the surface on the structure. Data is generated from the number of wavelengths from the number of wavelengths passed through the filter using a sensor array. A two-dimensional image of the surface on the structure is generated with a group of graphical indicators indicating a group of inconsistencies not visible to a naked eye. The two-dimensional image is generated using data from a sensor array.

Systems and methods associated with nondestructive inspection of composite material components using fluorescent penetrants for detecting undesirable defects in such components are described. Ceramic matrix composite components include high porous surfaces making defect detection challenging, including contributing to excessive bleed back during the process. The systems and methods include a solvent washing of the component prior to inspection.

A system for the detection of foreign object debris material on a surface of a composite part being manufactured. A platform is configured to move over the surface. A thermal excitation source is fixed to the platform and configured to direct infrared radiation across the surface. An infrared camera is also fixed to the platform and configured to scan the surface as the platform moves over the surface to detect and output a signal proportional to infrared radiation emitted by the surface and/or by any foreign object debris material on the surface in response to the infrared radiation from the excitation source. A controller is coupled to the excitation source and to the infrared camera and is configured to compare the signal from the infrared camera with a first predetermined threshold signal to detect if any foreign object debris material is located on the surface.

A method for detecting defects in a composite structure, such as in an aircraft structure, that includes sending an optical signal down an optical fiber embedded in the composite structure and analyzing the optical signal at a detector. If it is determined that the optical signal is turning on and off or an increase in the bit error rate is occurring at the detector, the composite structure may be delaminating or the composite structure may be somehow damaged. If it is determined that the composite structure is damaged, the optical signal can be sent down a different optical fiber that may not be at a location where the composite structure is damaged, and a continuous beam of light can be sent down the optical fiber that is at the damaged part of the composite structure to determine whether the damage is increasing.

An example system for inspecting a surface includes a laser, an optical system, a gated camera, and a control system. The laser is configured to emit pulses of light, with respective wavelengths of the pulses of light varying over time. The optical system includes at least one optical element, and is configured to direct light emitted by the laser to points along a scan line one point at a time. The gated camera is configured to record a fluorescent response of the surface from light having each wavelength of a plurality of wavelengths at each point along the scan line. The control system is configured to control the gated camera such that an aperture of the gated camera is open during fluorescence of the surface but closed during exposure of the surface to light emitted by the laser.

A method and an apparatus for automatically collecting and processing nondestructive test (NDT) data to determine the presence, type, location, size, and strength of defects in composite, honeycomb, and grid structures like those found in aircraft, wind blades, boats, cars, building structures. The preferred embodiment is comprised of an uncooled IR mounted on a frame, a conductive heating mat, an IR Ruler with fiducials in a recognizable pattern, a computer, a processor, and output displays. The data collection, processing, and display output can be controlled or reviewed remotely via the internet. The processing, location, and output displays can be applied to any NDT system that collects and processes a two dimensional amplitude image (e.g., x-ray systems).

A method for assessing damage to a composite material covered with a polyurethane-type paint is provided. Two separate criteria are measured on a spectrogram obtained by infrared spectrometry, thereby characterizing thermal ageing of the paint, each separate criteria being a measurement on a curve of a spectrum of the spectrogram of a height of a particular peak, thereby giving two independent assessments of the thermal ageing. Then, the two separate criteria are combined together in order to obtain a result of a level of the damage.

Methods that provide wrinkle characterization and performance prediction for wrinkled composite structures using automated structural analysis. In accordance with some embodiments, the method combines the use of B-scan ultrasound data, automated optical measurement of wrinkles and geometry of cross-sections, and finite element analysis of wrinkled composite structure to provide the ability to assess the actual significance of a detected wrinkle relative to the intended performance of the structure. The disclosed method uses an ultrasonic inspection system that has been calibrated by correlating ultrasonic B-scan data acquired from reference standards with measurements of optical cross sections (e.g., micrographs) of those reference standards.

A system for providing active real-time characterization of an article under test is disclosed. An infrared light source, a first visible light source and a second visible light source each outputs and directs a beam of coherent light at a particular area on the article under test. A visible light camera and a visible light second harmonic generation camera, an infrared camera and an infrared second harmonic generation camera, a sum frequency camera and a third order camera are each configured to receive a respective predetermined return beam of light from the particular area on the article under test. A processor receives signals from the cameras and calculates in real time respective spectroscopic signals and compares each calculated signal with each other calculated signal and with a predetermined baseline signal to ensure that the article under test conforms to an expected value.