St. Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation (SPbGU GA) has developed a device for active thermoacoustic maintenance of composite aircraft structures. The utility model is designed for diagnosing and eliminating microdefects — delaminations, microcracks, and fatigue damage up to 2 mm in size in multilayer carbon fiber.
The device works as follows: an infrared laser heats the surface of the part by 40–60°C, and an ultrasonic module creates acoustic waves. Special sensors — a thermal imager and a vibrometer — record how the material reacts to heating and vibration. This allows hidden microcracks and delaminations, which are invisible to the naked eye, to be detected. The obtained data is processed by a program that compares it with a digital model of the structure and accurately identifies defects.
The technical result is an increase in the accuracy of detecting defects in wings and fuselage elements, a reduction in errors to 2–5%, the elimination of microdefects up to 2 mm in size, and an extension of the service life of structures by 15–20%.
The development can be applied in both civil and military aviation. It will help airlines extend the service life of passenger liners, reduce maintenance costs, and shorten downtime. For military aviation, the technology is important for maintaining combat readiness: prompt diagnostics and repair of composite parts of fighters, transport aircraft, and drones will allow machines to return to service faster. The device is also suitable for diagnosing helicopters and promising aviation systems where composite materials are widely used.