Through skin sensing assessment of aircraft structures using pulsed thermography

In this work, an investigation has been made of the potential of pulsed-transient thermography for identifying the location of fixtures beneath aircraft skins to facilitate accurate automated assembly operations. Representative test structures, comprising of aircraft skin (i.e. aluminium (Al) or carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP)) positioned over a thick strut fixture of Al or CFRP, were investigated experimentally and analysed using finite difference thermal modelling software, taking into account the size and depth of the features, as well as the thermal properties of the investigated materials. The ability of the technique to detect a subsurface fixing and to provide information about its location was analysed. Results from the modelling and the experimental analysis are presented and discussed.