Laser ultrasonics, an esoteric laboratory curiosity in the 1960s, is f
inding its niche in industry today. The technique has evolved concurre
ntly with advances in electronics and optics to achieve recent breakth
roughs Two applications will be presented here: rapid inspection of co
mplex shaped composite structures and in-situ monitoring of a coating
process in hostile environments. The ability to inspect complex shapes
rapidly with in-process capability is a clear cost benefit for the ND
T community, where nondestructive testing has long been viewed as an a
dded cost. Complex shape composite structures are now common, particul
arly in the aircraft industry and may be critically load bearing. The
ability to inspect virtually any shape without immersion is becoming e
ver more important. The rapidly growing aircraft engine coating indust
ry is moving toward higher temperature coatings and therefore more eff
icient engine operation. Control of the coating process will be cost e
ffective and there simply is no other way to quantitatively assess the
process at temperatures as high as 1,400 degrees C (2,552 degrees F).
These examples serve to demonstrate how a deep understanding of a com
plex subject has led to timely practical applications.