Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Detection of Damage in Aircraft Composites by Advanced Synergistic Infrared Thermography and Phased Array Techniques

This paper presents an advanced methodology for the detection of damage in aircraft composite materials based on the sensor fusion of two image-based non-destructive evaluation techniques. Both of the techniques, phased-array ultrasonics and infra-red thermography, are benchmarked on an aircraft-grade painted composite material skin panel with stringers. The sensors systems for carrying out the inspections have been developed and miniaturized for being integrated on a vortex-robotic platform inspector, in the framework of a larger research initiative, the Horizon-2020 ‘CompInnova’ project.

Status Quo of Research on Impact Damage of Composites in Aircraft

The application of composites in aircraft was introduced. And compare composites with metal materials. The conclusions referring to the impact test on composite laminates and impact damage characteristics of composite laminates, were summarized by referring to a large number of literature. This investigation shows: composite material is more suitable for the preparation of the overall structure; the research of impact damage test on composites mainly concentrated in the layer order; layer direction and low-energy impact test; and there are clear division and judgment method of four kinds of damage body by studying characteristics of impact damage.Keyword: aircraft; composites; impact damage