LASERUT® TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOR THE ULTRASONIC INSPECTION OF COMPOSITES IN THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY

A laser‐ultrasonic technique developed at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics called LaserUT® is used for the ultrasonic inspection of composite parts in the aeronautic industry and has demonstrated significant reduction in inspection labor and capital expenditure over approximately 20,000 parts so far. Development of new technologies will further increase LaserUT savings: structured‐light mapping, improved CO2 laser, mid‐infrared generation laser, and new robotic approach. Those different technologies are described and their status relatively to their introduction to production is discussed.