Bionic Aircraft is a project founded under the H2020 Framework Program and it is a
result of a need to reduce emissions due to the impact of the growth of the aviation
industry. The introduction of Additive Laser Manufacturing (ALM) to produce some
metal aircraft parts is considered as an opportunity to address this issue. This technology allows to produce ultra-lightweight and highly complex parts (so-called “bionic parts”).
One of the actions to consider in the project is the development of new NDT strategies to inspect, in-service, parts produced by ALM made of Al-based alloys. This need arises
because, ALM processes for these alloys are at low maturity level (TRL2) and hence, no
proven and certified NDT methods are yet developed. Moreover, in-service inspection of aeronautic bionic parts involves challenges like the uncertainty of the inner inspection of a layered material, the lack of accessibility (the part is attached to the aircraft fuselage), and the expected defects under in-service conditions, something still under study.
The objective of this work is to assess the inspection, in-service, of this kind of parts, by
selecting and customizing the most suitable NDT methods, according to the type and
maximum tolerable damage sizes estimated by a fatigue life prediction evaluation.H2020, 690689, Bionic Aircraf
