Economic and Management Aspects of Nondestructive Testing, Evaluation, and Inspection in Aerospace Manufacturing.
Abstract
This report reviews the roles of nondestructive testing, evaluation, and inspection as they influence the manufacturing and operational costs of aerospace systems. It is based on a study of various aspects of quality assurance, program management, process control, implementation of advanced technology, and specifications to identify factors that might influence costs. One major conclusion is that nondestructive testing (NDT) represents a small percentage of the overall costs of an aerospace system and that improvements in NDT evaluation procedures, through use of available technology, could lower costs of manufacture and reduce operational and maintenance costs. Several steps are recommended for reducing costs of NDT and increasing the overall effectiveness of the money that is spent to guarantee the reliability of aerospace systems. These recommendations include the establishment of a Department of Defense (DoD) Executive Committee on NDT to act as a steering body to guide and direct activities that will make more effective use of available technology and procedures. Other recommendations and suggestions relate to program management, the potential use of current technology, and procurement specifications. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA049339