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Non-destructive evaluation of composite materials using a capacitive imaging technique

The mapping of structural changes and damage within fibre-reinforced polymer composite materials is difficult to achieve. This work showed that an easy-to-use method could be developed. It proceeded via a targeted industrial programme with four partners (Airbus, BP, Shell and BNFL) to demonstrate that it had potential in industrial inspection settings. A demonstration at Airbus (contact: Andrew.BondThorley@airbus.com) showed detection of unknown surface damage in wing structures, and the technology is being considered as a rapid scanning method for large-area panels. Subsequent work has shown that surface damage due to heat exposure in carbon fibre aerospace composites could also be imaged.