Advanced NDT for Additive Manufacturing and Critical Components
Understanding component integrity through nonlinear resonance inspection
As aerospace and space manufacturers adopt increasingly complex materials, geometries and manufacturing processes, demonstrating component integrity becomes increasingly important.
Theta Technologies has developed advanced nonlinear resonance (NLR) NDT solutions that help manufacturers understand the integrity of critical components; from additively manufactured parts to complex metallic and non-metallic components.
Our technology provides a rapid, non-destructive assessment of a component’s response to controlled mechanical excitation, identifying changes associated with flaws and defects.
For aerospace and space applications, NLR can support component development, inspection, qualification and production decision-making, providing another tool for engineers working with increasingly demanding manufacturing and performance requirements.
ADVANCED
MANUFACTURING
SUPPORTING THE QUALIFICATION
OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
Advanced manufacturing has opened up new possibilities for aerospace and space component design: including complex geometries, weight reduction, part consolidation and advanced internal structures.
But manufacturing capability is only one part of the challenge.
For critical applications, manufacturers need to demonstrate that the resulting components are repeatable, inspectable and fit for purpose.
Theta Technologies works at the intersection of advanced manufacturing, NDT and qualification, helping organisations investigate how nonlinear resonance can contribute to the inspection and qualification of complex components.
Our work includes:
- Development and application of nonlinear resonance NDT
- Inspection of additively manufactured components
- Controlled creation of representative flaws
- Inspection validation and capability studies
- Reference Quality Indicator (RQI) development
- Probability of Detection (POD) research
- Collaborative R&D with aerospace and manufacturing organisations
- Support for the development of future qualification methodologies
A PRACTICAL INSPECTION TOOL
FOR QUALIFICATION, DEVELOPMENT
AND DEPLOYMENT DECISIONS
RD1-TT is Theta Technologies’ commercially available nonlinear resonance NDT system.
It applies controlled excitation to a component and analyses its nonlinear resonance response. Rather than relying solely on conventional measurements of a component’s linear response, NLR exploits the way flaws can alter the component’s dynamic behaviour under changing excitation conditions. This provides a rapid, non-destructive assessment of component integrity.
NONLINEAR
RESONANCE NDT
WHAT DOES RD1-TT DO?
RD1-TT excites a component through a controlled range of energy levels and records its acoustic/resonance response.
Flaws such as cracks can exhibit nonlinear mechanical behaviour under excitation. The interaction between crack faces: including mechanisms such as opening, closing, friction and contact which can all alter the component’s response.
RD1-TT analyses these changes to produce an inspection metric that can be used to identify components requiring further investigation.
NON-DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTION
The component remains intact throughout the inspection.
This makes NLR particularly interesting during development and qualification, where engineers may need to investigate a population of components without destroying every sample.
The technique can also be used at different stages of a manufacturing workflow, including before significant downstream value has been added to a component. Theta’s published work has highlighted the potential for early-stage assessment before post-processing. (BindT)
THETA
TECHNOLOGIES
A NONLINEAR RESONANCE
NON-DESTRUCTIVE TEST EXPLAINED
See a nonlinear resonance non-destructive test in action as our very own Applications Engineer, Lydia Pavey takes you through a step-by-step guide.
SMARTER
INSPECTION
SUPPORTING FASTER
ENGINEERING DECISIONS…
For aerospace and space programmes, inspection is rarely an isolated activity.
Inspection results influence decisions about:
- Manufacturing processes
- Material selection
- Design iterations
- Process parameters
- Post-processing
- Qualification routes
- Component acceptance
- Further investigation
The ability to rapidly assess components can therefore provide value beyond simply producing a pass/fail result.
Inspect earlier. Decide sooner.
NLR can be introduced as an additional inspection stage within an engineering workflow, helping identify potentially anomalous components before more time and cost are committed to them.
This creates the potential to move inspection upstream and reduce unnecessary downstream processing or reliance on more time-intensive inspection for every component.
Reducing Reliance on destructive testing.
Destructive testing remains essential for understanding material and component performance.
However, it provides information about the individual test article, and once the test is complete, that component cannot enter service.
NLR provides a complementary approach:
- Test
- Analyse
- Learn
- Retain the component
This can allow engineers to investigate component populations non-destructively while reserving destructive testing for the studies where it provides the greatest value.
CONTACT
THETA TECHNOLOGIES
BOOK A
CONSULTATION
Keen to understand how Theta Technologies’ unique nonlinear resonance NDT works, or discover how you could solve a number of key qualification challenges with advanced manufacturing? Begin the conversation by reaching out to our team of specialists.
✔️ Inspect the devices you actually intend to use, not unrepresentative test coupons.
✔️ Identify flaws in complex component
✔️ Rapid non-destructive test delivers reliable flaw data in under a minute
Begin your smarter inspection journey.
Theta Technologies Limited
Address
Theta Technologies Limited
3 Babbage Way
Exeter Science Park
Clyst Honiton
Exeter
EX5 2FN
United Kingdom
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