A self-contained, remotely operated, mobile measurement system for stand-off inspection of large target objects located at sites distant from an operations center of a distributed inspection system. In accordance with one embodiment, the system comprises a mobile platform with on-board instrumentation capable of making dimensional measurements in the local coordinate system of the target object. The system comprises multiple hardware and software components networked to a control interface that enables the operator at the operations center to teleoperate the equipment, including driving the mobile platform to a region of interest, calibrating the on-board local positioning system, acquiring measurement and image data, and communicating with on-site personnel if needed.

A method for structural component crack testing comprising: a) identifying a structural component hole and inserting a probe thereinto; b) for different emission directions, automatically performing the following: b1) controlling a probe ultrasound beam emission; b2) measuring a probe signal; b3) if the measured signal amplitude is above a predetermined threshold: determining a distance between the probe and a structural component discontinuity point; recording a data set comprising at least the distance between the probe and the discontinuity point, together with a data element corresponding to the probe emission angular direction, c) automatically searching for data sets corresponding to characteristic discontinuity points, and consequently establishing a correspondence between the probe emission angular directions and an angular reference frame linked to the component; d) based on the recorded data sets, automatically determining the discontinuity point positions; e) determining a dimensional characteristic of a crack based on the discontinuity point positions.

Systems and methods for inspecting a hole in a laminated structure. An exemplary system includes a transducer assembly configured to direct sound waves substantially parallel to a surface of the hole. The system further includes a controller that collects A-scan data for multiple rotational positions of the transducer assembly as the transducer assembly is rotated within the hole. The controller processes the A-scan data for the multiple rotational positions of the transducer assembly to generate B-scan data, and displays the B-scan data.

A method and apparatus for evaluating an object having a wrinkle are provided. An array of receiving elements is configured such that only two receiving apertures are configured to receive at a given point in time. Energy is sent into the object using an array of transmitting elements. Reflected energy is received at the only two receiving apertures of the array of receiving elements in response to a portion of the energy being reflected off a plurality of layers in the object. A number of dimensions of a wrinkle in the object is determined based on the reflected energy received at the only two receiving apertures of the array of receiving elements.

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 includes an inspection robot having an input sensor comprising a laser profiler and a plurality of wheels structured to engage a curved portion of an inspection surface, wherein the laser profiler is configured to provide laser profiler data of the inspection surface; a controller, comprising: a profiler data circuit structured to interpret the laser profiler data; determine a feature of interest is present at a location of the inspection surface in response to the laser profiler data; and wherein the feature of interest comprises a shape description of the inspection surface at the location of the feature of interest.

A fluidless roller probe device for performing structural integrity testing. A drum sensor has a shaft, a barrel-shaped inner portion mounted on the shaft, a sensor array having transmit elements and receive elements positioned on an outer surface of the inner portion, and an outer portion positioned over the sensor array. A shaft encoder is coupled to the shaft of the drum sensor. A support structure is coupled to the shaft of the drum sensor. Processing circuitry coupled to the transmit elements and receive elements is configured to activate, based on a signal from the shaft encoder, only that transmit element closest to the surface of the part under test and to calculate an output signal based on signals received from the receive elements. The transmit and receive elements are either ultrasonic transducers or eddy current coils. The transmit and receive elements are arranged in a lattice-like configuration.

A transducer assembly is provided. The transducer assembly includes a magnetic portion, a body, a tensile pulse transmitter, and a pulse and current control unit. The magnetic portion is configured to provide a magnetic field. The body is disposed within an opening of the magnetic portion, and has a conductive portion configured to pass electric current near a body surface oriented toward the test surface. The tensile pulse transmitter is disposed within a cavity of the body and configured to transmit a tensile pulse into the test object. The pulse and current control unit is configured to control the tensile pulse transmitted by the tensile pulse transmitter, and to provide a current that passes through the conductive portion of the body and the test object, whereby a force urging the transducer assembly and the test object toward each other is generated responsive to the magnetic field and the current.

A through-transmission ultrasonic (TTU) inspection system for ultrasonic inspection of a part, such as an aircraft component. The TTU inspection system may include a first end effector and/or a second end effector. The first end effector may be positioned on a first surface of the part and the second end effector may be positioned on a second surface of the part, opposite the first surface. The first and/or second end effector may also include an acoustic coupling medium encircled by a plurality of pins independently movable toward and away from a housing of the first and/or second end effector, such that the pins may follow local part contours along the first surface at all times, while retaining the acoustic coupling medium between the first surface and a transducer in the housing of the first and/or second end effector.

A method of detecting inconsistencies in a structure is presented. A pulsed laser beam is directed towards the structure. A plurality of types of ultrasonic signals is formed in the structure when radiation of the pulsed laser beam is absorbed by the structure. The plurality of types of ultrasonic signals is detected to form data.