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To present an overview of the research and development carried out by an EC Framework 6 part funded consortium, known as MICROSCAN, for the implementation of an in‐line PCB inspection prototype system that is capable of offering comprehensive defect detection.

Four non‐destructive testing inspection modules based on digital radiography (X‐ray) inspection, thermal inspection, automated‐optical inspection and acoustic inspection have been integrated to form a combined inspection system.

A proof in principle in‐line PCB inspection system, utilising four different inspection techniques, has been developed and demonstrated. The system is based on a generic mechanical, electrical and software communications platform culminating in a flexible system that enables the inspection modules to be used separately, together or interchanged to give the best results in terms of inspection coverage and inspection throughput.

In its current embodiment, the prototype is suited to inspection of high‐return PCBs, particularly those used in medical and aerospace products, rather than high‐throughput PCB production work. The X‐ray inspection module is the slowest inspection technique and combining four different inspection techniques reduces the inspection throughput of the whole system to that of the X‐ray inspection module. Further, trials and investigations need to be carried out to improve inspection throughput.

The novelty of the system is that it is the first time that four inspection techniques have been combined to give the capability of 100 per cent defect coverage.

The improvements in quality of advanced aerospace steels have brought new challenges for the materials testing and inspection teams. Looks at the advances of this type of testing at British Steel Engineering Steels. Details non‐destructive testing of aerospace steels and the ultrasonic immersion tank. Finally looks at Engineering Steels’ recent investments in automation.

The paper aims to provide a review of the uses of robots in non‐destructive testing (NDT).

Following a brief introduction, this paper considers the uses of robotic NDT, with an emphasis on applications in certain key industries. While some development activities are considered, the emphasis is on existing systems rather than research and reference is made to a selection of commercial products.

It is shown that robotic NDT finds limited uses in most of the industries using conventional NDT methodologies. These include oil and gas, offshore and shipping, petrochemicals, aerospace and power generation. In some instances, financial benefits arise from their use while in other cases the use reflects access difficulties or the hazards associated with testing.

Applications in the nuclear power industry is not considered but will be covered in a subsequent article. Remotely operated vehicles, which are not considered to be true robots, are also excluded.

This paper provides details of NDT robots and their uses in a selection of key industries.

LAUNCHED at the Farnborough International Airshow last year by FT Technologies Ltd. the FT280 Synchro/Resolver Test Set incorporates in one versatile instrument an Angle Position Indicators, Simulator and Reference Oscillator and is designed for testing and evaluating a wide range of synchro and resolver‐based avionics equipment.

As part of the V.10 F programme financed by Service Technique de la Production Aeronautique (STPA), AEROSPATIALE and DASSAULT — BREGUET have joined forces to produce a single Falcon 10 wing entirely made of carbon fibre. This wing has just been sent from the AEROSPATIALE Company's Nantes factory to the Toulouse Aernautic Testing Centre. A second wing will also be built, but this time, by DASSAULT‐BREGUET Biarritz plant. The two wings will be used for static fatigue testing. The programme calls for another pair of wings, one to be made by each of the same firms. They will later be mounted to a Falcon 10 for flight testing.

A researcher at Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science (Evanston, Illinois) has developed an X‐ray device that is believed to be the first practical means of detecting corrosion hidden beneath the surface of an aircraft's body. When the “virtual core drill” is positioned against the side of an aircraft, a computer screen shows an image of the layers of metal under the surface of the skin. If one or more of those layers are corroded, the amount of corrosion will be recorded on the screen, to an accuracy of 1/1.000 of an inch. The virtual core drill or, more technically, a Compton backscatter depth profilometer, was invented by Larry Lawson, research scientist at the McCormick School's Centre for Quality Engineering and Failure Prevention. The device sends con‐trolled X‐ray beams through the plane's body and detects those X‐rays that are deflected back at an angle near 90° from each layer. Today, whenever corrosion is detected on aircraft, the section must be dismantled, the layers pulled apart, and a micrometer used to measure the thickness. If the corrosion represents more than 10 per cent. the part must be replaced. The virtual core drill can eliminate the downtime and the damage that occurs when aircraft have to be torn apart for inspection. The new device includes a 200lb scan head, which is attached to the plane using feet shaped like suction cups while supported by a flexible boom mounted on a vehicle resembling a fork‐lift truck. The vehicle moves the scan head up and down the aircraft. The drill is equipped with the most sensitive detector known, the sodium iodide scintillator. The drill provides the same kind of information, layer by layer, as would be provided by cutting a plug out of the aircraft with a core drill, except that the aircraft is undamaged. Radiation exposure also is minimal.