MISTRAS' Spider Semi-Automated (SA) scanning services offer flexibility and precision in NDT. The service allows parts to be assessed without damage or affecting their final use during most production stages, including active and post-operation and fatigue testing.
Ensuring high-quality standards across critical components is crucial, especially in Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) of wind energy parts like rotor blades that need to perform effectively under environmental stress. The Spider Semi-Automated scanner serves as a rapid inspection service for large-scale assets, used to perform quality assessment of metals, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP), and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) components.
If material discontinuities on wind blades, like wrinkles or bonding defects, go undetected, they could lead to catastrophic failure and costly repairs. The Spider SA scanner is a high-quality service that conducts NDT inspections without causing any damage to the part. The scanner also offers a range of advanced features that make it ideal for efficient and accurate inspections.
Key features include:
The scanner's flexible mobility allows it to easily maneuver and reach complex positions, especially at height, ensuring optimal performance across challenging environmental conditions. The Spider SA scanning service also supports a variety of Ultrasonic Testing (UT) techniques, including single-element sensors, sensor groups, and multi-element Phased Array UT (PAUT) probes, therefore enhancing its versatility.
The service also boasts a wireless operation which provides greater flexibility by allowing communication between the scanner and control panel without the need for physical connections. Additionally, Spider SA is customizable and adaptable, with interchangeable X/Y axes that make it suitable for a wide range of surfaces and applications. It offers versatile mounting options, and can be positioned vertically or overhead to facilitate testing in various orientations.
The ability to operate across a wide range of applications makes the Spider SA a versatile and important service for wind energy inspection and maintenance tasks.
Some critical applications include:
Rope access compatibility makes the Spider SA suitable for both onshore and offshore projects. Its design is ideal for inspecting hard-to-reach or inaccessible areas, subsequently eliminating the need for costly or unsafe inspection methods.
The scanner’s full scan capability service works to efficiently cover large, complex, semi-finished products, as well as completed structures. It is also capable of analyzing materials' edges (up to 90°) and other challenging areas like external and overhead surfaces.
