Etek Aero industrial X-ray (DR) and computed tomography (CT) systems for non-destructive testing are designed to meet the most critical aerospace/defense standards and ensure the safe, reliable inspection of aircraft parts and materials.
Quality specifications for turbine blades in aerospace are very rigorous. At the same time, the complexity of turbine blade design is being driven by an effort to maximize efficiency. This makes industrial X-ray inspection during production critical in areas such as:
Detecting cracks, inclusions or corrosions
Measuring wall thicknesses or confirming the position of cooling bores
Inspection of wax or ceramic molds to avoid production faults
To ensure constant inspection quality and repeatability, technical features in YXLON industrial X-ray and computed tomography (CT) systems support the operator at the inspection process. Y.HDR-Inspect provides impressive live image quality and increases inspection security as well as speed.
During the course of maintenance and repairs, turbine blades are welded and then subsequently inspected for cracks and welding flaws.
Computed tomography (CT) systems are used during the production of prototypes as well as for spot-check sample inspection. Wall thicknesses and cavities can be measured or the position of cooling bores determined using computed tomography (CT) during manual inspection, or inline using fully automatic defect recognition (ADR).
Inspecting structural cast parts for aerospace can be a very demanding task. These parts can be geometrically complex, often requiring a creative approach to inspection. Using the wide accepted industry practice of digital imaging, YXLON provides unique solutions to solve these challenges. Typical tasks for industrial X-ray during production can include:
Finding porosity
Discovering cracks, inclusions or corrosions
Measuring features and wall thicknesses
Advanced technical features in YXLON industrial X-ray (DR) and computed tomography (CT) systems support the operator throughout the inspection process. Y.HDR-Inspect provides impressive live image quality and increases inspection security as well as speed.
Other software tools like Automatic or Assisted Defect Recognition (ADR) can help make the operator even more efficient while improving system and labor utilization.
Computed tomography (CT) systems are also used during the production of prototypes for spot-check sample inspection. Structural features, wall thicknesses, cavities and all of the internal details can be visualized and measured using computed tomography (CT).
Industrial X-ray inspection and computed tomography (CT) provide a view into the inner construction of fiber-reinforced composite materials for the aerospace/defense industries. This enables non-destructive testing during production and maintenance. Composite inspection tasks can include detection of:
Delamination
Foreign materials
Concealed damage
Fiber orientation
Due to the low specific weight and high mechanical strength (high fatigue resistance) carbon or glass fiber-reinforced materials (CFRP or GFRP) are increasingly used in the aerospace industry. Inspecting these materials poses a major challenge. Non-destructive testing using YXLON industrial X-ray (DR) and computed tomography (CT) systems makes it possible to detect production flaws or damage concealed in inner structures.
Other major tasks for non-destructive testing of composite materials include:
The correct position of fiber bundles
Fiber ruptures
Detection of damage inside honeycomb structures
Water ingress due to impacts
With the help of computed tomography (CT) it is possible to obtain an in-depth view into the material’s three-dimensional structure. This in turn enables the detection of the position and volume of fibers along with matrices and inclusions, and allows for a fiber orientation analysis.
Bleed-air ducts, braking components, climate-control and anti-icing systems used in aircraft can have complex shapes and many welds. The welds are subjected to very high mechanical and thermal stress loads, which is why the quality of these connections is critical.
Industrial digital X-ray inspection enables the detection of welding defects such as cracks or pores with exceptional process assurance and has been successfully deployed for quality control for years. The use of modern digital flat-panel detectors as found in YXLON industrial X-ray (DR) systems increases inspection certainty with regard to defect recognition even further.
A leading aircraft manufacturer empirically proved that defects in circumferential welds are detected with greater probability using a digital flat-panel detector and YXLON software than with conventional film technology. This occurs even without post-edit enhancement of the digital image.
Additional improvements can be obtained by adding the YXLON image processing software, YXLON Y.HDR-Inspect. This technology ensures high detail visibility and inspection reliability with advantages that include:
Shorter inspection times
Easier, space-saving archiving
No need for expensive disposal of pollutant chemicals
Our X-ray (DR) and computed tomography (CT) systems are useful in a range of ancillary aerospace/defense industry parts inspection.
As an example:
Additive Manufactured (AM) parts are becoming more common in aerospace and X-ray CT is helping pave the way for qualification of these parts
Large flat items like ceramic plates, electronic boards, and even aircraft wings can sometimes be difficult to image with CT using conventional rotational methods. When it is difficult to physically rotate the part or if it cannot be penetrated by X-ray at certain angles, use of laminography methods may work.
Batteries are routinely inspected using DR and CT to analyze the internal structure of these devices.
Rockets and their associated parts and components are often imaged using X-ray to test construction integrity.
Pieto valves, electronic sensors, connectors, housings and other small aerospace components can be easily imaged using X-ray to determine if they were correctly manufactured.
DR can be used routinely to ensure that all welds are correct in fire suppression systems
NON DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
Inspection Systems
Our world class Imaging Division offers a range of innovative and cost effective equipment for industrial X-ray and CT for non-destructive parts inspection.
SUPPORT & TRAINING
Service & Maintenance
We have a team of equipment and process specialists capable of providing 24/7 rapid-response, ‘frontline’ support and training to compliment your own technical personnel.
Featured Products
At Etek Aero offer a broad range of cutting-edge X-ray and CT products designed to support all your industrial inspection needs. Whether your component is measured in micrometers or meters, we have a system that fits.
Why choose Etek Aero
With our team of experienced and factory trained service engineers, Etek Aero provide a world class service that focuses on quick response times and putting customers first.
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