Production Verification of the Automated Roadwheel Inspection System

Abstract : A microcomputer-controlled ultrasonic Automated Depot Roadwheel Inspection System was reprogrammed to incorporate a mathematical model for estimation of the adhesion strength of the rubber-to-metal bonding based on selected ultrasonic parameters. Additionally, accept/reject criteria for weak bonding and undercure were modified along with certain characteristics of the microcomputer control of the hardware of the system. A 6-month field test was run with this modified configuration to assess the correlation of the ultrasonic inspection system predictions of roadwheel quality determined by in-production destructive testing. The success of adhesion failure prediction in this test is discussed, along with the need for further data analysis for enhanced strength prediction and hardware/software modifications to allow reliable separation detection. Keywords: Ultrasonic tests; Nondestructive testing; Composite materials.