The Role of NDT in Additively Manufactured Parts in Aerospace

Aerospace and Defense Review | Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Additive manufacturing (AM) has been viral for many industries, as has multiple benefits when compared to subtractive manufacturing. In aerospace, it can be used to create different parts of an aircraft separately and then assemble them.

FREMONT, CA: Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, is playing a significant role in many industries. Manufacturing companies have nearly doubled the usage of AM in the past year, and many are combining printed parts and traditionally manufactured parts in the same products.

The aerospace industry is no exception in being introduced to AM. The technology is more versatile than subtractive manufacturing, which is a vital aspect of the industry. As different companies need different specifications for an aircraft, changes are necessary and AM accommodates them. The use of AM processes reduces lead times to the market and also increases variability without additional costs and lengthy lead times that a subtractive manufacturing solution would bring.

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Although there are multiple benefits to moving to AM, it also brings some challenges. One of the most prominent issues is inspection. Currently, aerospace parts are being inspected using non-destructive testing (NDT), which essentially inspects a component without damaging the product.

Applying the same NDT techniques to AM-produced aerospace parts becomes an obstacle because NDT methods that are currently used have been designed specifically for the subtractive methods of manufacturing. A solution to this complex issue is to make use of powerful scanning tools. Multiple NDT companies make use of this method, and some of them have constructed a large industrial CT scanner at their facility, exclusively to inspect AM-produced aerospace parts.

Another alternative that might be upcoming in the next few years is AM technology which can evaluate aerospace parts as it's being printed. This is termed in-process monitoring and it involves gathering data sets regarding 3D printing, as it is taking place.

How NDT Techniques are Used in Aerospace

Many NDT technologies are used in the development, manufacturing, and testing of aerospace products.

Radiographic Inspection Techniques: It uses gamma rays and x-rays to scan a part of the product and is also regarded as complementary inspection technology to ultrasound, as radiographic testing can identify volumetric defects that ultrasonic inspection might miss. It is utilised to detect flaws in castings, structures, composites, and weld quality.

Ultrasonics: It is one of the most common NDT methods. It uses transducers to bounce high-frequency sound waves against a material. This method detects weld grooves and fractures, cracks, moving components, and also indicates material thickness.

Computed Tomography: Also known as a CT scan, it integrates X-rays with computer processing to generate a detailed, 360-degree view of a component’s interiors. In the context of aerospace, it is used to inspect small components such as aluminium castings, turbine blades, and tube welds.

Eddy Current Testing: This type of testing is useful while analysing metallic structures and detecting cracking in the surface of aircraft fuselages. It used the concept of electromagnetic induction to identify and characterise surface and sub-surface defects in conductive materials. In this method, a probe is placed near the surface of the test material and an alternating current flows through a wire coil, which generates an oscillating magnetic field.

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