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.
Dent & buckle check with dentCHECK during aircraft phase-in – Case Study with Fly Air41
Fly Air41 phased-in an Airbus A319. During the phase-in operations, an entire dent and buckle check had to be performed. As always, time was short, and the Fly Air41 team…
What is the Aerospace Maintenance Competition? The Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) is a 2-day competition held in conjunction with the annual MRO Americas organized by Aviation Week. It is a…
Supporting the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals with Technology
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Zero Learning Curve: Map Dents Easier with dentCHECK
New technology for a decades-old problem: dentCHECK's zero learning curve At the 2019 Aerospace Maintenance Competition, more than 150 engineers, technicians, and students discovered the efficiency and accuracy of dentCHECK.…
Tick-tock, tick-tock. Accelerate Aircraft Inspection, Avoid Delays and Save Money
At the recent 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,…
Make better decisions with measurements you can trust
Passersby couldn’t ignore the significance of data emerging from the recent 2019 Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) #AMCAero. It is tough to ignore that traditional manual measurements have 18x poorer measurement…
How Did 100 Different Manual Measurements Stack Up?
What do you uncover by analyzing hundreds of manual measurements of the same surface? The Truth. 8tree conducted the world’s most comprehensive study of dent-mapping in the aviation sector, at…
Aircraft hail-damage: What tools will aircraft maintenance crews use for the job?
What does an aviation technician do when their aircraft is pummeled by hail? To contrast traditional methods vs. emerging technology, more than 150 engineers, technicians, and students participated in a…
How do you handle hail damage inspection in your maintenance operations?
Hail damage is inevitable for a busy fleet of aircraft. It results in significant damage to the aircraft. Whether it’s safety critical or only cosmetic, the damage creates extensive maintenance work that requires precise assessment.
Are you still mapping hundreds of dents manually?
For most maintenance organizations, coping with hail damage situations is still a pain. Assessing all relevant data by hand is cumbersome and prone to error.
8tree’s new panoLite feature for dentCHECK® tackles this major challenge and might be the right tool for you.
panoLite enables large-area mapping. It allows the operator to cover a large hail damage scenario in just one dent-mapping job. Multiple individual dentCHECK scans are automatically stitched into an accurate panorama view, within seconds!
panoLite captures and analyzes up to a two-meter-wide area, at a time. An SRM-compliant multi-dent report is seamlessly and instantly generated.
panoLite captures and analyzes damages on areas up to two meters wide, at a time. An SRM-compliant multi-dent report is seamlessly and instantly created.
How does it work?
The dentCHECK operator applies a reusable encoded panoLite tape onto the aircraft skin. While performing the scans, the operator needs to ensure, that each scan covers at least one coded marker on the panoLite tape.
The markers on the panoLite tape allow automatic and instant stitching of the scans without any user intervention.
Using the dentCHECK Damage Reporting Tool (DRT), operators can measure inter-dent distances across the whole panoramic area with a single a click.
Finally, the operator can export an end-to-end digital multi-dent report (.xls, .pdf) which shows a panorama view of the large area with all measurement results summarized in graphical and tabular views.
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.
8tree continues to be recognized for continuous innovations in its design of user-centric technologies that enhance quality and efficiency. The company’s dentCHECK tool – now the standard for damage-mapping within the aviation sector – was awarded the VR-Innovationprize. This was the 20th consecutive year in which the Baden-Württemberg Volksbank & Raiffeisenbanken awarded the prize. Learn more.
At this week’s 62nd annual A4A NDT Forum in Long Beach, California, Allegiant Air presented a comprehensive case study detailing the impact of 8tree’s dentCHECK tool for inspecting and reporting damage during the aircraft induction process. The study, which spanned four aircraft and almost a hundred damage locations, demonstrated 87% time-savings when using dentCHECK, compared to traditional manual methods. Read more about it here.
At the recent 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,…
Passersby couldn’t ignore the significance of data emerging from the recent 2019 Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) #AMCAero. It is tough to ignore that traditional manual measurements have 18x poorer measurement…
What do you uncover by analyzing hundreds of manual measurements of the same surface? The Truth. 8tree conducted the world’s most comprehensive study of dent-mapping in the aviation sector, at…
