METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ULTRASONIC METAL ADHESIVE BONDLINE THICKNESS TEST
The technology of this application relates to an Ultrasonic Test Bondline Thickness system that acquires ultrasonic data using a combination of hardware including a low noise pulser/receiver and high speed wide dynamic range digitizer. A high frequency wideband ultrasonic transducer is used that is small enough to reach difficult areas of interest under stringers and intersection of bonded stiffeners. Iterative pattern recognition signal processing technique(s) using progressive model matching based on reflection coefficients are employed.
1 . A system, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory configured to store computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
obtain a reference signal using an ultrasonic transducer;
obtain a first signal using the ultrasonic transducer;
measure a first metal thickness for a first metal layer based on the obtained first signal;
determine the reference signal based on the measured first metal thickness;
subtract the reference signal from the first signal;
using waveform data from the first signal, analyze a plurality of elements in the waveform data;
determine a first adhesive thickness for a first adhesive layer based on analyzing the plurality of elements in the waveform data; and
generate, for display, user interface data for generating a user interface.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the plurality of elements in the waveform data includes analyzing a plurality of peaks from waveforms in the waveform data and determining the first adhesive thickness for the first adhesive layer based on analyzing the plurality of peaks from the waveforms.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is further caused to:
perform an iterative process of analyzing and removing peaks from the waveform data; and
determine the first adhesive thickness for the first adhesive layer based on performing the iterative process.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is further caused to:
determine a first algorithm for selecting an adhesive reflection;
analyze the waveform data to final all positive peaks; and
generate a list of possible adhesive reflections based on the analysis.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the system is further caused to:
predict an adhesive curve using a first formula; and
determine positive peaks from the waveform data having values greater than an adhesive curve threshold.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the system is further caused to:
filter positive peaks from the waveform data using an iterative process; and
determine the first adhesive thickness for the first adhesive layer after performing the iterative process.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is further caused to:
determine a second metal thickness for a second metal layer based on analyzing the plurality of elements in the waveform data; and
determine a second adhesive thickness for a second adhesive layer based on analyzing the plurality of elements in the waveform data.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes a first display having a first portion showing values associated with the first metal thickness, and a second portion showing values associated with the first adhesive thickness.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first metal thickness and/or the first adhesive thickness are used in association with building an aircraft.
10 . A method for determining thickness of layers in bonded metal, the method comprising:
obtaining a first signal using a transducer;
measuring a first metal thickness for a first metal layer based on the obtained first signal;
determining a reference signal based on the measured first metal thickness;
subtracting the reference signal from the first signal;
using waveform data from the first signal, analyzing a plurality of elements in the waveform data;
determining a first adhesive thickness for a first adhesive layer based on analyzing the plurality of elements in the waveform data; and
generating, for display, user interface data for generating a user interface.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising obtaining the reference signal using the transducer.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein analyzing the plurality of elements in the waveform data includes analyzing a plurality of peaks from waveforms in the waveform data and determining the first adhesive thickness for the first adhesive layer based on analyzing the plurality of peaks from the waveforms.
13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
performing an iterative process of analyzing and removing peaks from the waveform data; and
determining the first adhesive thickness for the first adhesive layer based on performing the iterative process.
14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining a second metal thickness for a second metal layer based on analyzing the plurality of elements in the waveform data; and
determining a second adhesive thickness for a second adhesive layer based on analyzing the plurality of elements in the waveform data.
15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes a first display having a first portion showing values associated with the first metal thickness, and a second portion showing values associated with the first adhesive thickness.
16 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processor of an information processing apparatus, cause the processor to provide execution comprising:
obtaining a first signal using a transducer;
measuring a first metal thickness for a first metal layer based on the obtained first signal;
using waveform data from the first signal, analyzing a plurality of elements in the waveform data; and
determining a first adhesive thickness for a first adhesive layer based on analyzing the plurality of elements in the waveform data.
17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further caused to provide execution comprising:
obtaining the reference signal using the transducer;
determining a reference signal based on the measured first metal thickness; and
subtracting the reference signal from the first signal.
18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further caused to provide execution comprising generating, for display, user interface data for generating a user interface.
19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further caused to provide execution comprising:
performing an iterative process of analyzing and removing peaks from the waveform data; and
determining the first adhesive thickness for the first adhesive layer based on performing the iterative process.
20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further caused to provide execution comprising:
determining a second metal thickness for a second metal layer based on analyzing the plurality of elements in the waveform data; and
determining a second adhesive thickness for a second adhesive layer based on analyzing the plurality of elements in the waveform data.