US 12,259,362 B2
Non-destructive inspection station for aircraft fuselage sections fabricated in an assembly line
Daniel R. Smith, Woodinville, WA (US); Darrell D. Jones, Mill Creek, WA (US); Barry A. Fetzer, Renton, WA (US); Jeremy Evan Justice, Mill Creek, WA (US); and James C. Kennedy, Port Angeles, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Nov. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/454,294.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/115,038, filed on Nov. 18, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0155260 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 29/27 (2006.01); G01N 29/06 (2006.01); G01N 29/22 (2006.01); G01N 29/28 (2006.01); G05B 19/4155 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 29/27 (2013.01) [G01N 29/0654 (2013.01); G01N 29/225 (2013.01); G01N 29/28 (2013.01); G05B 19/4155 (2013.01); G01N 2291/023 (2013.01); G01N 2291/0289 (2013.01); G01N 2291/044 (2013.01); G01N 2291/048 (2013.01); G01N 2291/106 (2013.01); G01N 2291/2694 (2013.01); G05B 2219/37206 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for inspecting a structure for inconsistencies, the method comprising:
advancing the structure along a track in a process direction through a Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) station comprising a frame comprising an arc following an Inner Mold Line (IML) of the structure;
indexing the structure to the NDI station; and
inspecting the structure with an NDI head mounted on the arc.