US 12,222,323 B2
Method and device for analyzing the conformity of an interposition mastic integrated into a structure, in particular of an aircraft
Stephane Auffray, Toulouse (FR)
Assigned to AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS), Toulouse (FR)
Filed by AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS), Toulouse (FR)
Filed on Mar. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/704,886.
Claims priority of application No. 2103078 (FR), filed on Mar. 26, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0308017 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 29/07 (2006.01); G01B 17/02 (2006.01); G01N 29/34 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 29/07 (2013.01) [G01B 17/02 (2013.01); G01N 29/348 (2013.01); G01N 2291/011 (2013.01); G01N 2291/0234 (2013.01); G01N 2291/02854 (2013.01); G01N 2291/2694 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for analyzing conformity of a faying-surface mastic integrated into a structure includes at least two partially superposed parts between which is arranged the faying-surface mastic, the method comprising:
determining a propagation model of faying-surface mastic and auxiliary data;
a measuring step, implemented by an ultrasonic measuring unit, including generating a ultrasonic signal, sending the ultrasonic signal to the structure from a measurement point and measuring an amplitude of the ultrasonic signal sent back by said structure as a function of a corresponding time-of-flight of the ultrasonic signal, wherein the measuring step is performed after the determination of the propagation model;
a first processing step, implemented by a first processing unit, including determining a thickness of the faying-surface mastic at said measurement point based on the measurements of the amplitude and using the propagation model of said faying-surface mastic and said auxiliary data, said propagation model being characteristic of a type of said faying-surface mastic and delivering a thickness value of the faying-surface mastic depending on the time-of-flight of the ultrasonic signal and on said auxiliary data; and
a second processing step, implemented by a second processing unit, including deducing, from the thickness of the faying-surface mastic, at least a conformity or a non-conformity of said faying-surface mastic.