Automate non-destructive testing in aircraft maintenance
Aircraft maintenance requires regular inspection of the aircraft surfaces. We are speaking about non-destructive testing (NDT). These tasks are time-consuming and potentially dangerous for operators working at height. The Defense Innovation Agency (DIA) and other stakeholders called for projects to “automate non-destructive testing“. The project aims to develop solutions to reduce the duration and improve the quality of such maintenance operations.
8tree’s collaboration with Donecle and Dassault to develop a flying dentCHECK is part of this initiative. The French Ministry of Defense recently announced an article and a video about our drone project with Donecle and 8tree.
The article was published in French. Read below a segment about our project and have a look at the video, where you can see the drone flying around a Rafale aircraft.
DONECLE, in partnership with 8tree and Dassault provides an automatic 3D inspection of aircraft skin, thanks to a 100% automated drone. This technique allows to detect and measure surface defects such as dents, impacts, or perforations. Tested on metallic and composite surfaces, the solution also allows comparisons with the aircraft’s digital mapping and digital monitoring of the evolution of defects.
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waveCHECK – 8tree’s latest innovation for rotor blade inspection in the wind industry gets certified according to DNVs standard for wind turbine rotor blades (DNVGL-ST-0376).
One year after formally introducing waveCHECK into the wind industry, 8tree has engaged DNV for the product’s certification according to established industry standards.
“During the past several years we have learned from stakeholders and experts in the wind industry, that waves and wrinkles in the load-carrying composite structure of wind turbine rotor blades are a critical problem,” said Erik Klaas, 8tree’s CTO. “The accurate and objective evaluation of waves and wrinkles helps blade producers build higher quality blades and reduce the risk of failure during operation. As the industry’s interest in waveCHECK continues to grow, we believe that obtaining DNV certification will be an important milestone on our journey to enabling the renewable energy market.”
“The improvement of quality and reliability of rotor blades is an important topic in the wind industry and we are happy to see that new technologies that support wind turbine blade manufactures are entering the market,” said Ramakrishna Parasarampuram, Head of Section Rotor Blades at DNV. “Certification of 8tree’s waveCHECK will include assessment of the system’s hardware, software as well as the scanning process itself and its boundaries.”
About 8tree
“We make precision 3D measurement as simple as taking a photo.”
With this vision in mind, 8tree makes 3D optical surface inspection tools that solve chronic problems for multiple industries. 8tree’s products empower every operator – from mechanics on the floor, to engineers in the lab – with instantly actionable precise measurements, portability and performance. With its patented user-centric product design, instant ‘go/no-go’ answers and zero-learning curve, 8tree is committed to making precision 3D scanning more broadly accessible – technically and commercially.
For recent news follow 8tree on LinkedIn, LinkedIn.
waveCHECK is a first-of-its-kind solution for end-to-end digital analysis of composite waviness. It empowers manufacturing teams to quantify composite waviness with unprecedented precision and repeatability. waveCHECK detects and displays
Positive, Negative and Step waves & wrinkles
Highest point; shortest distance to edge, in main fiber direction
Aspect ratio
Angle of wave with respect to main fiber direction
“Inspection is a key part of the MRO community’s contribution to aviation safety. Chuck Grieve reviews developments in inspection tools and methods where communication is king.”
Check out this new article in the Arabian Aerospace Magazine (Issue 3, Vol 13, Aug-Oct) on page 44.
Quality control of wind turbine rotor blades is complex and requires consideration of various aspects. Different inspection technologies are available. However, not every inspection technology is equally suitable for all aspects of wind blade quality.
This white paper outlines and explores the possibilities and limitations of different inspection methods:
This is a question which our customers and prospects ask on a regular basis. Dent damage is a chronic and recurring problem on aircraft, due to loading operations, hail-storms, bird strikes, etc.. But detecting, measuring and precisely locating such damage is a long and challenging process, which can be risky for inspectors working at height. As an example, on an annual basis, hail strikes affect 25% of the worldwide fleet and requires dozens of hours of inspection. How can the manual process of dent characterization be improved?
In this context, a drone seems an obvious solution.
However, embedding dentCHECK on a drone is not an easy thing to do and requires intense development.
So, the question came up – Who can we collaborate with to make dentCHECK flying?
We identified Donecle as our launch partner to realize the vision of a flying dentCHECK. Donecle as the leader of automated aircraft visual inspection has a strong expertise in drone robotics, automation and aircraft maintenance processes.
After initial tests, we accelerated our collaboration under the approval of the DGA, working together with Dassault on Rafale inspections.
Working on next generation of automated drones for aircraft inspections
The solution features Donecle’s automated drone which will scan targeted areas where risks of dents are well known (such as doors, leading edge, HTP, tail…). The acquired 3D scan data will then be sent into our damage reporting tool which will automatically map and measure dents and generate an SRM-compliant report.
Typical use cases include inspection after hail strike or after hard contact during in-flight refueling for military aircraft; dent measurement around doors which are subject to impacts during loading and unloading operations; inspection of dents and depth defects during aircraft manufacturing, and any other dent inspection in areas difficult to access.
This new unique solution will enable much faster inspections, bring better accuracy thanks to the precise location of the dents relative to the aircraft structure, improve safety of workers (no need to climb on upper surfaces and dangerous areas) and contribute to a paperless process.
The question which is on everyone’s lips is of course: when will it be available? We are making good progress and after recent promising lab tests we conducted the first field-tests on aircraft, before larger deployment 2021.
So, stay tuned, we will soon officially announce the availability of this new product!
At the 2019 Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC), dentCHECK helped participating technicians complete an inspection task 8x faster, delivering higher efficiency when compared to using traditional manual methods. In addition, leading maintenance organizations reported that dentCHECK helps engineers create SRM-compliant digital reports up to 10x faster.
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Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic) and 8tree today announced a partnership to make available the dentCHECK dent-mapping/reporting service at select Panasonic Technical Services (PTS) regional line stations: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), London Heathrow (LHR) and Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD).
This new service offering will allow Panasonic Avionics customers yet another convenient, accurate and efficient way to protect their commercial aircraft investment, avoiding unnecessary cost and time delays. Further, the service will complement PTS’s existing line of best-in-class products and services, continuing its history of being a premier service solution provider.
Now available — dentCHECK dent-mapping/reporting service at select Panasonic Technical Services (PTS) regional line stations: (LAX), (LHR) and (SYD).
“We are excited to embark on this partnership with Panasonic Avionics, driven by a common goal – to deliver accurate and objective dent-mapping reports that lead to quicker turn-around-times for line maintenance operations worldwide”, said Arun Chhabra, CEO of 8tree. “This will be possible by leveraging Panasonic’s strong global line-support footprint, coupled with the proven track-record of 8tree’s dentCHECK tool in aviation maintenance.”
About Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is the world’s leading supplier of Inflight Entertainment and Communication (IFEC) systems. The company’s best-in-class solutions, supported by professional maintenance services, fully integrate with the cabin enabling its customers to deliver the ultimate travel experiences with a rich variety of entertainment choices, resulting in improved quality communication systems and solutions, reduced time-to-market and lower overall costs.
Established in 1979, Panasonic Avionics Corporation, a U.S. corporation, is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation. Headquartered in Lake Forest, California with operations in 80 global locations, it has delivered over 14,300 IFE systems and 2,200 inflight connectivity solutions to the world’s leading airlines.
About 8tree
“We make precision 3d measurement as simple as taking a photo”
With this vision in mind, 8tree makes 3D optical surface inspection tools that solve chronic problems for multiple industries – including dent-mapping for aviation. 8tree’s products empower every operator – from mechanics on the floor, to engineers in the lab – with actionable precise measurements, portability and performance. With its patented user-centric product design and instant ‘go/no-go’ answers, 8tree is committed to making precision 3D scanning more broadly accessible – technically and commercially.
“Every crisis presents an opportunity. Although the aviation sector – one of 8tree’s core markets – was adversely impacted by the COVID-19, our intention was to emerge stronger coming out of the crisis. The ISO9001 certification sends a clear message to our customers and stakeholders saying ‘8tree is still here – stronger than ever,’” says Erik Klaas, 8tree’s CTO.
8tree performs R&D, product design and manufacturing in Constance, Germany. ISO9001 certification for this site took effect on March 19th 2021.
“Alongside the adoption of 8tree’s products by major OEMs, airlines and MROs like Airbus, Delta, SIAEC and Lufthansa Technik, the independent ISO9001 certification marks another significant milestone for us. The certification emphasizes that 8tree’s products are developed and manufactured under highest quality standards,” says Arun Chhabra, 8tree’s CEO.