Facilities and Equipment

This is an Ultrasonic Pulse Echo or Through transmission machine, it takes the returned sound energy that has been created from the transducer and compiles the information into an easy to read C-Scan or Top View of the part. It plots the flaws directly out on the screen in respect to where they are in the part. This is a very widely used machine in the aircraft industry for locating and sizing defects in panels created for aircraft.

This row of instruments are Ultrasonic Flaw detectors using an A –Scan presentation, they plot the defects inside the part out on a time / distance based readout. The reflectors are easily located due to the calibration techniques that we discuss throughout the course.

The above two pictures are pictures of an ultrasonic flaw detector with the A-Scan in use, the flaw detector is showing in the first picture a “good” material, the second picture is showing the same part, with a flaw indicated by the extra signals along the baseline of the readout.

This is our fluorescent penetrant line, fluorescent penetrant is one of the most widely used NDT methods due to its sensitivity of very small finite details that occur on the surface of non magnetic materials. It is a very easy to use method and is a very widely used method throughout any NDT business. Penetrant inspection consists of the following steps. 1. Pre-clean the part to be inspected. 2.  Put a penetrating liquid on the part, 3. After a suitable waiting time remove the penetrant. 4. Dry the surface of the part. 5. Apply a developing (powder) agent to the part. 6. After a suitable waiting time, evaluate the part. (Accept / Reject)

This is one of our Magnetic Particle machines, magnetic particle inspection is the inspection of ferromagnetic “magnetic” parts, for surface or slightly subsurface flaws or defects that could be detrimental to the life or service of any part. Magnetic Particle Inspection is the sister inspection to liquid penetrant due to being able to look at surface defects. It also is a very widely used method throughout any NDT business. The magnetic particle process is as follows, Apply a magnetizing force to the part, and then a fluid that carries iron filings, then evaluate the part for defects(flaws).

Radiographic Testing (X-Ray) consists of exposing the part to be inspected to X-Rays, putting a film under that part before inspection and after the suitable time required for the exposure, develop and read(interpret) that film.

The above is a new emerging technology of Computed Radiography, most major companies are transitioning to this technology in order of reducing their costs of Film and the developing process. This process uses reusable plates that are exposed and put into a laser reader and it displays the latent image on the computer screen.

These pictures are of tools and equipment that are used in Visual/Dimensional inspections of any part that is to be dimensionally inspected. The first two pictures are of our Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). That is a machine that is attached to a computer and can gives digital readouts of all of the measurements that are needed or wanted. The final picture is of the conventional equipment (Micrometers, Vernier Calipers, Height gauges, and many more). These are the instruments that companies use to get the actual dimensions that a part is. These dimensions are then compared to a blueprint for the accept / reject criteria.