BENCHMARKING THE DOLPHICAM2 NDT PLATFORM

Recently we performed a capability study to provide insight into how effective the dolphicam2 ultrasonic platform is when inspecting composites on aircraft. To perform this study, we used a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) panel representative of the solid laminate composites on commercial aircraft, such as on a Boeing 787 or on an Airbus A350.

The inspection panel used to assess the performance of the NDT equipment was made to the specification of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) NDI Proficiency specimen 2A and featured various manufacturing flaws typical of aerospace composites. Specifically, the panel was a 24 ply co-cured substructure (16 ply skin with eight ply stiffeners and built-up pads). The sample was designed to include a wide range of common flaws in this relatively compact inspection sample.

The dolphicam2, used with a TRM-CI-5MHz transducer (TRM), was able to successfully inspect the FAA NDI Proficiency Specimen 2A. All of the manufactured flaws were clearly resolved and characterized. The flaws present included missing sealant, pillow inserts, dremel cut, flat bottom holes, prepreg backing and grease.

In conclusion, the time and cost savings enabled by the dolphicam2 are demonstrated by its ability to characterize such a wide range of flaw types with a single setup. Similarly, the TRM-CI-5MHz transducer is versatile and well-suited for many aerospace applications featuring thin to moderate thicknesses of both composites and metals.