Laser shearography inspection for aircraft and space structures

Laser shearography inspection has become a powerful tool for the non-destru ctive testing of a wide range of composite structures. The use of these mat erials and structures in aerospace applications is extremely large and wide -ranging. Their flexibility of design, strength-to-weight ratio, resistance to both corrosion and fatigue, coupled with the ease at which the material can be designed to meet the flight loading demands, all contribute to a co ntinued growth in the foreseeable future. This class of materials is not, h owever, without inherent inspection problems in either initial build or sub sequently in-service inspections. Composite repairs create their own proble ms due to the non-homogeneous construction and use of differing materials. Laser shearography is able to offer a fresh realistic method of inspection that stretches the boundaries of NDT technology. Laser shearography is used both during initial manufacture and later for in-service inspection and qu alification of repairs and offers a rapid and unique inspection for the NDT of composite components.