Optical Analysis of Aircraft Composite Crystallinity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining material characteristics of aircraft components, such as thermoplastic fabric-reinforced components, are time-intensive and costly, often requiring destructive testing or significant logistical expenses.
Innovation Solution
A non-destructive method using image data analysis to differentiate between fibre inlays and crystalline portions of thermoplastic polymers in aircraft components, employing pixel characteristics and arithmetic-logic units to determine the relationship between these areas, allowing for optical analysis and quick quality control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is used for quality control of thermoplastic fabric-reinforced components, then material characteristics can be determined, but the process becomes very time-intensive and costly, and material is removed from the component
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/thermal testing system (DSC requiring material removal and heating/cooling cycles) with an optical imaging system that uses electromagnetic radiation to capture images of the component surface. The arithmetic-logic unit then analyzes pixel characteristics in the images to determine material characteristics, eliminating the need for physical material removal and time-consuming thermal processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an optical copy (image) of the component's surface characteristics and analyzes this copy to determine material properties. Instead of physically interacting with the actual material through DSC, the system captures visual information and derives material characteristics from the image data, enabling non-destructive and rapid assessment.
2Measurement precision
If differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is used for quality control, then material characteristics can be determined, but material is removed which is associated with logistical expense and possible destruction of the component
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/thermal testing system (DSC requiring material removal and heating/cooling cycles) with an optical imaging system that uses electromagnetic radiation to capture images of the component surface. The arithmetic-logic unit then analyzes pixel characteristics in the images to determine material characteristics, eliminating the need for physical material removal and time-consuming thermal processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an optical copy (image) of the component's surface characteristics and analyzes this copy to determine material properties. Instead of physically interacting with the actual material through DSC, the system captures visual information and derives material characteristics from the image data, enabling non-destructive and rapid assessment.
3Productivity
If optical scanning is used to detect laps and gaps in composite materials, then surface area coverage can be determined, but the method only detects surface features and not material characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the analysis parameters from simple surface area coverage (binary fibre/gap detection) to pixel characteristic analysis that correlates with material properties. By analyzing variations in pixel characteristics (such as intensity, texture, or color patterns) rather than just presence/absence of fibres, the system can infer material characteristics like crystallinity or composition while maintaining rapid optical detection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables simple, cost-effective, and rapid determination of material characteristics, improving production efficiency and reducing logistical costs by allowing for automatic and quick assessment of chemical resistance and dimensional accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
a layer, which can be optically detected from outside, of a workpiece to be examined
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a
Figure 3b
AI summary
The present invention relates to non-destructive determination of material characteristics of an aircraft component. To provide a simple determination of material characteristics, which can be implemented economically, it is provided to make available image data (112) of a layer, which can be detected from outside using electromagnetic radiation, of a workpiece to be examined (110); to detect (114) first areas (116) having a first pixel characteristic using the image data; and to detect (118) second areas (120) having a second pixel characteristic using the image data; the first pixel characteristic being associated with a fibre inlay of a fibre composite layer; and the second pixel characteristic being associated with an at least part-crystalline thermoplastic polymer of the fibre composite layer, which thermoplastic polymer is in a crystalline state; and to determine (126) a relationship (128) of the first areas to the second areas.