One of the most important parts of any machine is its bolts and pins. They are essentially the glue that binds certain parts together. If they lack integrity, then that creates a problem for the part and the system as a whole. Therefore mechanics and engineers must have reliable ultrasonic inspection solutions at their disposal. We provide those solutions with equipment such as our immersion ultrasonic testing equipment. Below is some information ultrasonic testing as it relates to bolts and pins.
The ultrasonic testing of anchor bolts can detect potentially damaged mechanisms at the early age, (much earlier than the time when the visual signs appear in the structure). One way the testing and inspection of conditions such as rust and corrosion can be detected is with the ultrasonic pulse-echo method. With this method, a transmitter and transducer are placed at the top of the bolt. A pulse is them created and travels the length of the bolt. Anomalies – including cracks and discontinuities – can be detected along its length. The advantage to this kind of testing of bolts and pins is that it is rapid, easy to perform, and minimally intrusive. Ultrasonic signal characteristics can be determined by studying different time and frequency domains, such as the area under the rectified signal, the centroid of the full or partial echo, the ratios of peak amplitudes of the trailing echoes to the first back echo, etc.
Aircraft Hardware
The term aircraft structural hardware refers to many items used in aircraft construction. These items include such hardware as rivets, fasteners, bolts, nuts, screws, washers, cables, guides, and common electrical system hardware. Due to the size of these objects, their importance is sometimes taken for granted. However, it is just as important they be in good shape and that technicians are able to indentify flaws as it is with larger objects.
The inspection of bolts, pins and shafts using ultrasonic methods is a common and typically reliable method for the detection cracking that may occur down the road. However, many do not fully comprehend some of the complex phenomena that occur, and that in many cases resulted in cracks that can go incorrectly assessed. Our equipment – in the hands of a trained professional – -can reliably diagnose common issues associated with the bolts and pins that hold aircraft components together.