Aerospace NDT with Advanced Laser Shearography

Shearography nondestructive testing has evolved considerabl y since first used on a production aircraft program in the USA in 1986. Shearography l aser interferometric imaging methods measure test structure deformation due to an applied engineered change in stress. The resulting changes in Z-Axis strain component reveal ima ges of subsurface defects such as disbonds, delaminations, core defects and impact damage i n aerospace structures. Shearography NDT provides high thru-put, cost-effective productivity enhance ments, improved manufacturing processes and quality. Development of digital CCD cameras, the PC and small, high power solid-state lasers have led to dramatic performance improv ements in shearography instruments and systems. Shearography is currently in use on a wide variety of aircraft including F-22, F-35 JSF, Airbus, Cessna Citation X, Raytheon Premier I and the NASA Space Shuttle. This presentation will provide a brief background on shearography ND T technology as well as recent developments in production and portable on-aircraft shearogr aphy inspection technologies and applications.