New inspection tool saves time, money, environment

  • Published
  • By Sue Baker
  • Aeronautical Systems Center Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) --  Air Force officials here are implementing a new inspection device to be used on aging aircraft that will speed repair, return them to operations for improved mission readiness and save $18 million in the process.

The new system, called multiaxis X-ray, or MAX, uses noninvasive technology to detect problems like corrosion, fatigue cracks and internal moisture. Workers are using it at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.

"MAX will save the Air Force time and money as well as increase worker safety and reduce environmental hazards," said Maj. Timberlyn Harrington, program manager at Aeronautical Systems Center's aeronautical enterprise program office here.

The MAX system will give depot inspectors high-resolution, real-time digital radiography without needing expensive film or wet chemical processing, said Charles Buynak, technical program manager at Air Force Research Laboratory's materials and manufacturing directorate nondestructive evaluation branch.

"In the past, ALC workers had to clamber around the airplane, tape individual X-ray film onto exterior surfaces, manually take X-ray pictures of those spots, and develop the film for viewing and analysis to determine if there were any structural damages or anomalies," Mr. Buynak said. "It was a time-consuming, labor-intensive process.

"With MAX, an automatic, gantry-mounted system will look deep inside the aircraft to see problems in real-time, and 'feed' digital imagery for engineering analysis," he said.

A major challenge in developing this capability at Robins was putting it in place without disrupting the existing X-ray inspection facility for control surfaces on F-15 Eagle aircraft, Mr. Buynak said.

Future plans include expanding applications to produce spinoffs for other aircraft at other centers, Major Harrington said. (Courtesy of Air Force Materiel Command News Service)