R. B. Thompson, J. Gray, T. Gray, M. Garton, N. Nakagawa, L. Brasche, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
An important part of component design, optimization and lifting is the determination of what flaws might be expected to be produced by manufacturing and/or service and whether these flaws might be detectable by NDE techniques. Work on the development of computer tools to predict the detectability of flaw started at the Center for Nondestructive Evaluation in the late 1980’s under the support of NIST and has continued since then with important developments made possible through support from industrial sponsors, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Air Force Research Laboratories. This paper will summarize the current capabilities of those tools, XRSIM, UTSIM, and ECSIM, including their general framework, state of development, and advances in progress. Illustrations of recent applications will be presented followed by a discussion of lessons learned, leading to an indication of steps that should be taken by potential users to assure a successful application.
Summary: Computer simulations are playing a rapidly increasing role in the development and application of aerospace materials. This papers describes the current status of models that are being developed at the Center for NDE at Iowa State University to simulate the detection of flaws using ultrasonics, x-rays or eddy currents. Included is a discussion of successful applications and guidelines for use.
