A method for automatically reconstituting the architecture, along a reinforcing axis, of the reinforcement of a composite material, includes acquiring images of the reinforcement of the composite material, each image being acquired along a section plane perpendicular to the reinforcing axis; for each image acquired, detecting, using a neural network, barycentre and/or the circumference of each section of the reinforcing thread; for at least one acquired reference image, assigning a tag corresponding to a reinforcing thread, to each detected barycentre or circumference; for each other acquired image, assigning, to each detected barycentre and/or each detected circumference, the tag of the corresponding barycentre in the acquired reference image; reconstituting the architecture of each reinforcing thread from each detected barycentre and/or circumference having the tag of the reinforcing thread and the position on the reinforcing axis associated with the acquired image on which the barycentre and/or the circumference has been detected.

The present invention addresses to a multidirectional dynamic phase shifting interferometry (DPSI) shearography and interferometry sensor. The present invention uses a configuration with three fixed prisms, or a single fixed three-facet optical prism constructed so as to achieve the same effect as three prisms and thus simultaneously obtain three images with phase shifting. The present invention also encompasses a method of inspection and measurement of vibration modes using said sensor.

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.

There is provided a quantitative method for determining a level of a sanding surface preparation of a carbon fiber composite surface, prior to the carbon fiber composite surface undergoing a post-processing operation. The quantitative method includes fabricating a ladder panel of levels of sanding correlating to an amount of sanding of sanding surface preparation standards for a reference carbon fiber composite surface of reference carbon fiber composite structure(s); using surface analysis tools to create target values for quantifying the levels of sanding; measuring, with the surface analysis tools, sanding surface preparation location(s) on the carbon fiber composite surface of a test carbon fiber composite structure, to obtain test result measurement(s); comparing the test result measurement(s) to the levels, to obtain test result level(s); determining if the test result level(s) meet the target values; and determining whether the carbon fiber composite surface is acceptable to proceed with the post-processing operation.

A tomographic imaging system includes a light source, a light irradiation unit that irradiates light to a transparent material composite thin film sample and a reference mirror and acquires an interference signal between light reflected and scattered from the sample and light reflected from the reference mirror, a light measuring unit that measures the interference signal acquired by the light irradiation unit, a light transmission unit that transmits the light output from the light source to the light irradiation unit and transmits the interference signal of the light transmitted from the light irradiation unit to the light measuring unit; and a signal processing apparatus that converts the interference signal of the sample, outputs the converted interference signal as a tomographic image, and monitors the interference signal acquired by the light irradiation unit to modulate intensity and a polarization state of the light input to the light irradiation unit.

A method and system for determining the quality and configuration of a structure that is constructed from a thermoformable material, such as a thermoplastic or thermoset material, and in particular thermoplastic composite tapes, where heat is applied to cure the thermoformable material. The quality of the build is monitored during the construction of the structure by determining the differential heat flux in the material as it cools from its elevated temperature. The system and method also may determine the location of defects in a structure being constructed so that remedial measures may be taken or production operations halted to address the defect. A transient thermal effect is applied to the structure being monitored, such as the thermoformable material being applied, which may be implemented from the applied heating of the thermoformable construction application process or additional heating.

Embodiments herein relate to articles and methods for detecting heating patterns within model food compositions containing irreversible thermochromic ink, and for creating multi-dimensional temperature distribution profiles within a packaged model food composition. In an embodiment, a packaged model food composition for thermal testing is included. The packaged model food composition can include a package and a model food composition disposed in the package. The model food composition can include a model food material that shares processing characteristics with a target food material and 0.05 wt. % to 20 wt. % of one or more irreversible thermochromic inks. The irreversible thermochromic inks can exhibit a variable change in at least one color parameter in response to temperature change across a selected temperature range. Other embodiments are also included herein.

An apparatus for building and for checking a continuous elongated element during the building of a tyre for vehicle wheels. A beam of an electromagnetic radiation is projected on a section of the continuous elongated element dispensed by a dispensing head and interposed between the dispensing head and a first contact area of the continuous elongated element with a radially outer surface of a tyre being processed. An image of a radiation reflected by the section is acquired. A first parameter related to the image is detected, and the first parameter is compared with a second reference parameter.

A system for locating a strand including fibers of a first woven preform material, the preform including, at the surface, strands of fibers of a second material and the strand including fibers of the first material forming a tracer. The system further includes a camera; a light source emitting a non-polarized incident beam configured to be directed towards the preform; a polarizer configured to polarize the non-polarized incident beam before interacting with the preform in order to obtain a polarized incident beam; and a crossed analyzer; the first material being chosen from among glass, aramid and aluminum oxide; the second material being chosen from among carbon and silicon carbide; the camera being configured to film a reflected beam originating from the interaction of the polarized incident beam with the preform, the reflected beam having previously crossed the crossed analyzer, so as to locate the tracer of the preform.

An easily inspected shaft assembly is provided and includes a shaft, a sleeve receptive of a portion of the shaft and an optically activatable layer including first and second sections disposed on respective exterior surfaces of the shaft and the sleeve, respectively, such that the first and second sections move relative to one another as the shaft and the sleeve move relative to one another.