Engine Life Extension through the Use of Structural Assessment, Non-Destructive Inspection, and Material Characterization

Abstract

For over twenty years, the USAF has had a life extension program for major rotating hardware, such as rotors, seals, and shafts. This program was called Retirement-For-Cause (RFC). Damage tolerance philosophies are essential to this lifting technique. Damage tolerance has been applied to all new engine programs as part of the Engine structural Integrity Program (ENSIP) within the USAF since 1984. An essential element of ENSIP and RFC is non- destructive evaluation (NDE). Not only is there a need for NDE equipment but also the quantification of the NDE system/process. The RFC program provided state of the art NDE equipment and software to enable complex inspections.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADP014074

Entities

People

  • Sharon Vukelich

Organizations

  • Aeronautical Systems Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Cold Working
  • Cracks
  • Engines
  • Fracture (Mechanics)
  • High Pressure
  • Inspection
  • Intervals
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Mechanics
  • Residual Stress
  • Residuals
  • Shot Peening
  • Surface Properties
  • Turbines
  • Ultrasonic Inspection

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Software Engineering