Nondestructive Inspection of Aircraft Tires by Pulse-Echo Ultrasonics

Abstract

Recent technological advances in ultrasonic flaw detecting apparatus (broad band characteristic) have shown that ultrasonic pulse-echo inspection of aircraft tires is now possible. The acoustic properties of rubber and rubber composites have been studied so that optimum system requirements may be determined. A prototype inspection system has been constructed to demonstrate the ability of pulse-echo ultrasonics to locate critical internal flaws and structural elements in tires. Electronic and mechanical refinements necessary to complete automated inspection systems are discussed and the importance of defect standards for aircraft tires considered.

Ultrasonic Testing of Materials

“…The tire is inflated for optimum geometrical conditions. Klinman et al [1007] in more recent investigations also used the pulse-echo method with highly dampled I-MHz probes and wide-band amplifiers, which provides additional information for tire evaluation from the distortion of the back-wall echo due to dispersion.…”