Method and apparatus for detecting defects in a composite is provided. After a ply of material for a workpiece is positioned, thermal energy is applied to a top surface of the ply of material, and a digital thermographic camera captures images of the top surface. A computer processor determines heat characteristics of the top surface to identify regions of the top surface with different heat characteristics. Such different areas are identified as regions that include a defect. The defect regions can be repaired prior to disposing additional plies of material over previously-applied plies.

A method and a device for evaluating the distribution and orientation of ferromagnetic, electrically conductive fibres in a composite material are disclosed. The principle consists in repeatable evaluation of the density of ferromagnetic, electrically conductive fibres at the measured location, and such evaluation is performed within a guaranteed scatter range of the measured data and at a guaranteed accuracy rate. A device to perform the method comprises a C, U or E-shaped ferromagnetic core (1) with distributed or uniform winding of the electric coil (2), where the ferromagnetic core (1) exhibits dimensions A, B, and C, for which we have C≧3B and B≈A, where A denotes the width of an arm (1.2), B represents the depth of an arm (1.2), and C is the length of the base (1.1). The ferromagnetic core (1) is equipped with at least two electric coils (2) and, to ensure strong electromagnetic coupling on the ferromagnetic core (1), the winding of the electric coil (2) is configured on both arms of the ferromagnetic core (1). The leads of the electric coil (2) winding are, at the winding terminals (3), connected to an external electric circuit (17) including an electric voltage generator (16) with adjustable frequency f and a measuring device (18).

A coupon suitable for peeling tests, derived from a vane and comprising: (i) a portion of blade that comprises a frontside surface, a backside surface and a leading edge and/or trailing edge and (ii) a vane reinforcement that covers and is glued to at least a part of the frontside surface, a part of the backside surface and which extends beyond the leading and/or trailing edge. The reinforcement is split over the entire length of the leading edge and/or trailing edge such that the reinforcement is separated into two plates separate from one another and facing each other on either side of the slit beyond the leading and/or trailing edge. Furthermore, at least one of the plates furthermore comprises, beyond the leading and/or trailing edge, fastening means providing a hold to this same plate.

Systems are provided for measuring absorbed humidity in a composite material, including an item of composite material which includes a plurality of plies of material consolidated through the action of pressure and heat, wherein each ply of material is formed from a resin matrix reinforced with a fiber material, an insert embedded in the composite material, which is positioned in an interface zone between a first and a second ply of material, and in which at least one cavity is formed, in fluid communication with first and second ply of material, and an ambient humidity sensor positioned inside the cavity, capable of providing a signal indicating the humidity content in the atmosphere present inside the cavity. Corresponding methods are also provided.

Systems and methods for determining a damage value of one or more composite components and/or a vehicle using digital image correlation are disclosed. Digital image correlation is used to evaluate a displacement of one or more nanoparticles that are deposited on and/or embedded within the composite component. Digital image correlation is performed by identifying a first reference entry indicating a reference position of the one or more nanoparticles and correlating the first reference entry with sensor data of the composite component indicating a position of the one or more nanoparticles. The damage value of the composite component is determined based on the digital image correlation between the sensor data and the first reference entry.

A measurement system is presented configured for integration with a processing equipment for applying optical measurements to a structure. The measurement system comprises: a support assembly for holding a structure under measurements in a measurement plane, configured and operable for rotation in a plane parallel to the measurement plane and for movement along a first lateral axis in said measurement plane; an optical system defining illumination and collection light channels of normal and oblique optical schemes and comprising an optical head comprising at least three lens units located in the illumination and collection channels; a holder assembly comprising: a support unit for carrying the optical head, and a guiding unit for guiding a sliding movement of the support unit along a path extending along a second lateral axis perpendicular to said first lateral axis; and an optical window arrangement comprising at least three optical windows made in a faceplate located between the optical head at a certain distance from the measurement plane. The optical windows are aligned with the illumination and collection channels for, respectively, propagation of illuminating light from the optical head and propagation of light returned from an illuminated region to the optical head, in accordance with the normal and oblique optical schemes.

Disclosed herein is a system that comprises a deposition head configured to deposit multiple tows in a stacked configuration one layer at a time. Each tow of the multiple tows is a currently-applied tow when the tow is a most-recently deposited tow of the multiple tows and a tow of the multiple tows is a covered tow when the tow is directly covered by the currently-applied tow. The system also comprises a probe head, configured to move along and be spatially offset from the currently-applied tow after deposition of the currently-applied tow. The probe head is further configured to transmit an incident microwave beam into the currently-applied tow as the probe head moves along the currently-applied tow. The incident microwave beam has a frequency low enough to pass entirely through the currently-applied tow and high enough to pass entirely through no more than the currently-applied tow and the covered tow.

A test apparatus used for simulating debonding between a carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and concrete in a CFRP-strengthened structure consists of a primary structural block, a secondary structural block, an adjustable hanger, a receiving slot, an attachment mechanism, a pull-off disk, a connecting plate having a plurality of rods. The adjustable hanger and the secondary structural block are slidably positioned into the receiving slot that traverses into a structural body of the primary structural block. The adjustable hanger is mainly used during double-shearing tests and mixed-mode tests, wherein both shearing and peeling is analyzed in mixed-mode tests. The secondary structural block is used in double-shear tests, mixed-mode tests, single-shear tests, tension pull-off tests, and beam-bend tests. The attachment mechanism, which holds the primary structural block, the secondary structural block, and the adjustable hanger together, is also used during single-shear tests and beam-bend tests.

A system includes at least one sensing device located within a structure being built as part of a construction project. The sensing device obtains measurements relating to a first characteristic of concrete of the structure and transmits the data wirelessly. The system also includes a memory, and a processor adapted to receive the data from the sensing devices, determine a second characteristic of the concrete based on the data, and generate a schedule of activities based on the second characteristic. The schedule may be a project schedule specifying tasks associated with the construction project. The processor is also adapted to cause at least one activity to be performed based on the schedule of activities.

A tracking device that is mountable to a robot, the tracking device has a plurality of faces that contain marking indicia thereon that is used by an imaging apparatus to track the position of a robot. The robot is not required to be at a fixed location, and may have mobility features, such as drives that move the robot along a path of travel, surface, or in space. The tracking devices do not consume or require power to operate. A plurality of tracking devices may be installed on a robot and an imaging apparatus is used to image the field of view in which the robot operates. Discrete locations of the robot in real time or any point in time are ascertained through the positioning of the tracking device. Tracking devices may be installed on robots used for assembly or defect monitoring.