[Fot] Testing for Composite Cracking ?

[fpspitfire at comcast.net]

Ultrasonic is probably the only reliable non-destructive way to test
composites.



you could venture into the realm of eddy currents, but reliability of UT makes
it the industry norm.



It will report out the depth of the crack as well as find any sub-surface
issues.



you could also go the X-ray route!



aaron
----- Original Message -----
From: Group44TR7 at aol.com
To: fot at autox.team.net
Sent: Monday, April 12, 2010 3:46:11 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: [Fot] Testing for Composite Cracking ?

Guys
B 
B B  B What would be the cheapest, but reliable testing method to determine if
crack lines on the surface coating a high performance composite (think
advanced type composite) are simply cosmetic surface coating cracks or are the
surface lines of actual fractures in the underlying composite.
B 
B B  B The item being examined is approximately a 1 to 1 1/2 inch diamter
hollow tube with a wall thickness of about 3/8 inch of the composite at the
point of observable lines, the object is about 30 inches long. The item must
not
be damaged by the testing procedure.
B 
B B  B Thanks in advance.
B