Detection Reliability for Small Cracks Beneath Rivet Heads Using Eddy-Current Nondestructive Inspection Techniques
Abstract
Advanced inspection technology that is emerging from the laboratory is generally far superior to the less capable systems around which aircraft inspections are designed. In light of the very conservative nature of these inspection designs, it is apparent that today's advanced technology is being employed at only a fraction of its full potential. In order to assess the full potential of advanced eddy-current inspection technology on representative aircraft applications, the FAA's Airworthiness Assurance Nondestructive Inspection Validation Center (AANC) was tasked to assess the full capability of several advanced systems. The task involved inspections of several rivet skin splices-representative of actual aircraft structure-containing cracks ranging from 0.040-, 0.060-, and 0.080-inch standards, and thresholds were set to the lowest reasonable level for the particular system. The results demonstrated that some of the systems were able to reliably detect cracks as small as 0.040 inch with false call rates remained less than 1%.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA359396
Entities
People
- Floyd W. Spencer
Organizations
- Sandia National Laboratories