H-Scan

Major parts – including the wings of the Airbus A 380 – are made of fiber-reinforced composites. During machining – e. g. drilling – the inhomogeneity of the material in the inner walls of the boreholes can lead to fraying and loosening. However, the quality of the boreholes is essential for the strength of the riveted joints and thus for the durability of the components. Until now, the necessary control had to be done manually – in view of the number of boreholes, this is an enormous cost factor. In addition, visual inspection is currently limited to the entrance and exit of the boreholes.

Up to now, efforts have been made to ensure the quality of the drill channels by changing the drill bit frequently and by means of ultrasound inspections.

In the international H-Scan project, PROFOACTOR is developing an inspection system that also inspects the inner walls of boreholes within seconds using an endoscope camera. From the images with adapted illumination (Photometric Stereo), the sensors calculate whether the component is faultless.

For a borehole depth of one centimeter, a cycle time of only three to five seconds is to be achieved during the inspection process. The project will produce a prototype for the industrial partner FACC.

Project name:
HScan – Inspection Sensor and Evaluation Criteria for Assessing the Inner Surface Quality of Holes in CFRP Parts

Funding:
Horizon 2020 / Clean Sky JU

Duration:
2016 – 2018