The McClellan Air Force Base's Nuclear Radiation Center (MNRC) consists of the most extensive aircraft neutron radioscopic facilities in the world. The neutron radioscopic facility's primary function is the detection of low levels of moisture and corrosion in aircraft structures. These inspections are accomplished using two independent but complementary systems. The first system is the Maneuverable Neutron Radiography System (MNRS). The MNRS is used to inspect intact aircraft structures for moisture and corrosion with minimal disassembly of the airframe. The system is comprised of two source manipulating robots, one being an overhead six-axis gantry robot and the other four-axis floor mounted robot. Each robot utilizes 50 milligrams of Californium-252 as the neutron source. The Californium-252 source is robotically manipulated around the aircraft to the desired inspection location. The second independent inspection system is based around a one-megawatt TRIGA nuclear reactor with four neutron beam tubes which terminate in four separate concrete bays. Two of these bays are each equipped with a six-axis component positioning system (CPS) robot and radioscopic imaging equipment. This combination allows for high throughput production inspection of aircraft components for moisture and corrosion.
Aircraft inspection using neutron radioscopic techniques
Nondestructive Evaluation of Aging Aircraft, Airports, Aerospace Hardware, and Materials ; 1995 ; Oakland,CA,United States
Proc. SPIE ; 2455
1995-07-07
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
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