Composite Aircraft Structure Inspection
Composite Wing Covers and Spars are components that SPIRIT Aerosystems wish to inspect with combined NDT and metrology.
Research challenges:
▪ High speed defect identification so that inspection path can be modified in real time.
▪ High throughput ultrasonic systems and data processing required (compressive sensing)
▪ Integrated fixturing and part registration.
Automotive Remanufacture
Automotive remanufacture requires automated disassembly with integrated inspection.
Research challenges:
▪ High speed part identification and orientation
▪ High throughput data processing required (compressive sensing)
▪ Integrated fixturing and part registration
Asset Inspection
Asset inspection is moving from manual intervention to automated inspection using mobile robots and UAVs. The research challenges are similar to manufacture
▪ Automation – flexible path programming, coverage, obstacle avoidance
▪ Inspection – delivering physical measurement
▪ Data handling – registration and mapping to structure
Factory Parts Transport
Flexible mobile robot platforms are increasingly used for factory parts transport.
The research challenges are:
▪ Automation – flexible path programming and obstacle avoidance
▪ Data handling – registration and mapping to environment
Architecture, Construction & Demolition
Adaptive and intuitive robot programming for non-experts allows flexibility in design and manufacture
The research challenges are:
▪ Automation – flexible path programming and human machine collaboration
▪ Part identification and orientation – complex sub-assemblies
Nuclear inspection & decommisioning
Flexible robotic platforms for vision based inspection, surface mapping and 3D surface reconstruction.
Additive manufacture inspection
Automated inspection of deposition coatings from arc, plasma, and thermal spray processing.
Research challenges:
▪ microstructure optimization
▪ Evaluating coatings – real time NDT
