Pushing the Limits: Cutting-Edge Aircraft Materials Demand New Approaches to NDT Inspection

Abstract

This article examines how advances in portable phased-array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) are expanding aerospace NDT capabilities across the full aircraft lifecycle—from raw-material verification and manufacturing quality control to in-service maintenance. Key developments covered include local immersion scanning for large composite panels, near-surface-optimized probe and wedge configurations for thin skins and bonded structures, and advanced imaging techniques such as the Total Focusing Method (TFM) and Phase Coherence Imaging (PCI), which improve defect characterization beyond traditional amplitude-based methods.