CRAWLING AUTOMATED SCANNER FOR NON-DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTION OF AEROSPACE STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS

摘要

Apparatus for non-destructive inspection of structural elements or workpieces,inparticular those having an airfoil configuration, that moves a scanning sensoracross the width(span) of a structural element or workpiece for the purpose of detectingstructural damage. Inone embodiment, the apparatus simultaneously traverses the length (chord) ofthe structuralelement or workpiece. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a guiderail thatencompasses the structural element or workpiece and the scanning sensortravels along theguide rail from a first location at an upper rear region, to the front, of thestructural element orworkpiece, and then around the leading edge toward the lower rear region. Theapparatusincludes a processor and a display device to display the processed, sensed,information.