ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | MAY 2026 26 DATA ANALYSIS AND INSPECTION REPORTING Collecting high-quality inspection data is only one part of the aerospace NDT process. Interpreting that data and documenting inspection results is equally critical for ensuring traceability and regulatory compliance. Modern PAUT inspection workflows often incorporate dedicated analysis software that supports detailed evaluation of ultrasonic data. These tools provide inspectors with: • Customizable display layouts and color palettes • Adjustable gain and time-corrected gain (TCG) functions • Freehand sizing and annotation tools • Signal-to-noise analysis • Indication tables with statistical summaries • Automated reporting functions • Metadata Maintaining accurate spatial representation of inspection data is also important. Many new analysis platforms allow ultrasonic views to be displayed at a true 1:1 scale, enabling inspectors to measure flaw dimensions and positions more precisely. Automated reporting tools further improve consistency by generating standardized inspection reports that include images, measurements, and inspection parameters. These reports support maintenance documentation, quality assurance processes, and long-term structural monitoring programs. As aerospace programs increasingly adopt digital thread concepts, integration between acquisition hardware and analysis/reporting software is becoming essential. Portable PAUT platforms are evolving not only in imaging performance but also in data management. In particular, many new PAUT systems offer open NDE file format compatibility, allowing easy standardized sharing of inspection data and reducing or eliminating the need for proprietary or custom file sharing software. INTEGRATED AIRCRAFT INSPECTION WORKFLOWS Due to increasingly advanced materials, aerospace NDT is moving toward integrated inspection ecosystems. Rather than treating instruments, probes, and software as isolated components, more manufacturers and operators are adopting unified workflows that link: 1. Data acquisition (portable PAUT hardware) 2. Scanning mechanisms (manual scanners, rolling immersion systems, XY scanners) 3. Probe and wedge configurations (application-specific) 4. Analysis and reporting software (dedicated systems) This unified approach to NDT inspection offers a number of key advantages, including: • Improved inspection consistency • Reduced training variability • Streamlined deployment across manufacturing and maintenance sites • Enhanced data traceability For both aerospace manufacturers and maintenance organizations, an integrated inspection approach can help streamline training, improve efficiency and repeatability, and support digital recordkeeping initiatives. As aircraft structures continue to become more complex, inspection workflows that combine advanced imaging and analysis with efficient data management will play an increasingly important role. ADVANCES IN MATERIALS = ADVANCES IN INSPECTION New advances in PAUT for aerospace inspection are a direct reflection of current trends in materials engineering, including increased reliance on composite and hybrid materials, ongoing monitoring of aging metallic fleets, greater emphasis on fatigue-critical evaluation, and growing demand for digital documentation and traceability. From a materials perspective, inspection technologies must address anisotropy in composites, complex wave propagation in layered media, and subtle crack morphologies in aluminum alloys. Today’s newest portable PAUT systems—equipped with advanced imaging modes and flexible probe configurations—provide the tools needed to meet these demands, including: • Multichannel capabilities and rugged housing • Local immersion techniques for composite inspection • Near-surface optimized probe configurations • Advanced imaging methods such as TFM and PCI • Integrated analysis and reporting software Evident’s AeroView software provides aerospace inspectors with tools for detailed evaluation and reporting including a custom layout manager, custom palette editor, analysis gain, soft TCG, freehand sizing, sticky notes, and indication table.
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