8results about "Investigating composite materials" patented technology

A tool for use with Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) machines and systems for use in in-process inspection of composite parts. The AFP system uses a robot, fiber guide, compaction roller, heating system, and an in-process inspection tool. The in-process inspection tool utilizes at least one profiler housed within a support bracket, which mounts the profiler on an AFP head of the AFP system such that the profiler does not interfere with the AFP layup, but outputs an in-process inspection signal representing a surface profile of a fiber strip as it is placed onto a molding for a composite part by the AFP head.

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a composite structure comprising a thin film made of single-crystal silicon carbide, arranged on a carrier substrate made of polycrystalline silicon carbide, comprising the following steps: 1) providing at least one donor substrate made of single-crystal silicon carbide, said donor substrate having a front face and a back face, said front face potentially having defects, called primary defects; 2) checking the quality of said at least one donor substrate using a photoluminescence-like imaging technique to extract a map of the front face, called a first map, listing the primary defects, said primary defects being identified as micro-hole type, complex star stack defect type or point defect type; 3) transferring a thin film obtained from a surface layer of said at least one donor substrate onto a carrier substrate made of polycrystalline silicon carbide to obtain a composite structure and a remaining donor substrate; 4) checking the free surface of the thin film of the composite structure by means of a defect checking technique using ultraviolet laser beam scattering to extract a map of the free surface, called a second map, listing the defects, called secondary defects; 5) rating said composite structure, which comprises comparing said first map and said second map.

A method for controlling the application of a patch can include the following steps:positioning a patch on a surface to be covered by means of a gripper and with or without partial overlapping with adjacent patches;acquiring by means of an optical control means at least one image of the positioned patch;detecting defects in the positioning of the patch by identifying differences in the thickness of the patch on the surface to be covered based on the at least one image of the positioned patch; andmapping the defects in the positioning of the patch.

The present invention reduces the burden of installing a detection sensor for monitoring a liquid such as a liquid resin. A detection sensor according to the present invention comprises: an optical transmission body group that includes a plurality of optical transmission bodies which each transmit light supplied from a light source; and a thin band-shaped holder that supports the optical transmission body group. The holder is provided with a first holder element that supports one or more optical transmission body groups, on a support surface that expands in a first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The plurality of optical transmission bodies are arranged in the second direction.

A method for surface inspection of a cured composite part comprising glass fibers (22) and carbon fibers (26), in particular of an aircraft, comprising the steps: illuminating a surface (18) of a composite part (12) to be inspected with infrared light (16) emitted from an IR-light source (14), and capturing an image of the surface (18). The IR-light source (14) is arranged so that the generated infrared light (16) hits the surface (18) at a first angle α to provide a dark field illumination of the surface (18), and the camera (32) is arranged so that it points at the inspected surface (18) at a second angle β to capture the image of the dark field illuminated surface (18). The captured image is evaluated with regard to brightness and contrast to detect one or more glass fiber layers (22) on top of one or more carbon fiber layers (28) within the composite part (12).

A method of evaluating a laminate formed by joining two or more layers, the method including: an image acquisition step of acquiring a two-dimensional image of the laminate; a detection step of detecting a gas pocket corresponding region from the two-dimensional image; a characteristic value acquisition step of calculating a characteristic value associated with an area of the gas pocket corresponding region; and an evaluation step of evaluating the laminate based on the characteristic value.

A method for fabrication of a composite component, e.g. wind turbine blade, comprises forming a composite structure within a mold, the composite structure including a resin dispersed throughout the fibers in the composite structure and applying a surface treatment, e.g. sanding, to at least one region of the composite structure. A Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer is employed to irradiate the treated surface area with infrared light; and determining the amount of infrared light absorbed in the treated area of the composite structure to measure the chemical bond (distribution efficacy, chemical composition, and cure state) of the composite product. Calibration models for a variety of materials are made using a partial least squares 2-variable regression. These calibration files incorporate spectrum from samples of varying resin-hardener mix ratio, and at varying degree of cure. After library comparison confirms the material, the device automatically selects the correct calibration file, ensuring accurate results.

A system and a method for surface inspection of a composite part of an aircraft comprise a first illumination unit (12) to be positioned in front of a surface (14) of a composite part (16) to be inspected and to illuminates that surface (14) with evenly distributed light (18), and a second illumination unit (22) to illuminate the surface (14) with light (24) hitting the surface (14) at an angle from different sides. Both illumination units (12, 22) are configured to alternately illuminate the surface (14). A polarization camera unit (26) generates image data of the surface (14) while the surface (14) is alternately illuminated by the first and second illumination unit (12, 22). A processor unit (28) processes the image data, detects defects on the surface (14) of the composite part (16), and determines the directions of fibers within the composite part (16) from the image data. It classifies the defects including fiber related defects according to their criticality.