3D imaging technology company Adaptix Limited has launched the Auto3DX NDE 4.0 project in conjunction with Dowty, a GE Aerospace company. This 18-month project, which received a NATEP grant, will focus on Adaptix’s development in dry-fiber inspection technology, creating potential methodologies for automated defect detection using artificial intelligence and/or computer vision. Product and component use cases from Dowty, along with current inspection techniques, will be utilized to verify the defect identification developed within the project in both dry fiber and cured composite materials.
This will be carried out by the non-healthcare division, AdaptixNDE and will also be supported by leading UK aerospace composite manufacturing primes, Spirit AeroSystems and GKN Aerospace.
Andy Barnes, AdaptixNDE commercial director, stated: “We’re translating a highly innovative hardware solution from healthcare into aerospace, allowing us to inspect in dry-preform, where other methods simply can’t. This means an earlier first point-of-inspection during manufacture to reduce cost, time, material waste and machinery usage on unfit parts. This NATEP project will help automate the inspection for composite failure detection earlier in manufacture and through-life with significant economic and environmental impacts. It’s exciting to evolve Adaptix’ inspection capability and make moves towards the future by pioneering the route to NDE 4.0 and through-life digital twin inspection. NATEP was designed specifically to help companies develop and exploit their technology offering using a mix of part funding and technology mentoring and is a perfect fit for Adaptix Auto3DXNDE for this, our second project with the program.”
About Adaptix and AdaptixNDE
Adaptix Limited is transforming radiology through the development of innovative fast-acquisition, low-flux, deployable Digital Tomosynthesis 3D X-ray with applications across a multitude of global markets.
AdaptixNDE are taking this technology into Aerospace composites where non-destructive evaluation (NDE) is dominated by ultrasonics for speed, cost and portability benefits. This is because the aspirational Computed Tomography 3D x-ray is too prohibitive because of high cost (and running/maintenance cost), weight and power, and slow speed. AdaptixNDE are offering 3D internal visualization at the point of diagnostics earlier in manufacture and through-life with a consistent digital output facilitating digital twins and NDE4.0.
