The D-Sight technique is an optical double-pass retroreflection surface inspection technique developed by Diffracto Ltd. in Canada. It is a real-time technique for visualizing very small out-of-plane surface distortions and it is particularly applicable to the rapid and enhanced visual inspection of large surfaces. An evaluation ot the D-Sight technique for the rapid detection and assessment of impact damage in composite aircraft structures is described. The viability, reliability, limitations and possible improvements of the technique are discussed. The work has been performed within the EUCLID framework, RTP 3.1 'Aeronautical Application Technology', Work Package 2 'Global Diagnostic Damage Detection Methods'. A set of equations has been derived to establish the relation of various parameters of a D-Sight set-up. To quantify the inspection results, a D-Sight index has been introduced which represents the contrast of the D-Sight signature of a defect. Image processing routines have been designed for automatic detection of defects from D-Sight images. It is concluded that the D-Sight technique can reliably detect significant impact damage, with a damage area equal to or larger than 5 cm2, within a field of view of about 0.25 m2. The sensitivity of the technique corresponds to indent depths in the range of 0.01 to 0.05 mm. Inspections on a full-scale composite structure show that the D-Sight technique compares favourably with other inspection techniques, for the detection of impact damage and other defects with surface deformation.
D-sight technique for rapid impact damage detection on composite aircraft structures
D-Sichtverfahren für den schnellen Nachweis von Schlagschäden an Verbundstrukturen der Luftfahrt
1998
8 Seiten, 6 Bilder, 5 Quellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch
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