Imperium reports that the i600 Acoustocam is a smaller and easier to manage device and is built of more rugged material, but contains the same imaging capabilities. It is approximately half the size of the i500 and a third of its weight.
Imperium is demonstrating the i600 Acoustocam at the American Composite Manufacturers Association (ACMA)’s Composites 2010 trade show in Las Vegas this week.
“This is a breakthrough for our company and a benefit to the industry which lacked an easy to manage, portable imaging tool for internal damage inspection in the field,” says Bob Lasser, president of Imperium. “This powerful, more rugged and lightweight internal defect detection tool can be held effortlessly overhead, making comprehensive NDI examinations easier and more comfortable for the technician.”
Boeing IDS Philadelphia is the first customer to receive the i600.
“Boeing recently selected Imperium’s Acoustocam i600 with Remote NDI for its plans to develop an innovative damage assessment process to improve operational readiness in the field for the V-22 Osprey,” reports Matt Atkinson, support equipment design engineer, Boeing IDS. “With realtime collaboration over a wireless communication network, sharing real-time images and analysis, this technology should provide a tremendous benefit to our fleet support team.”
Boeing Commercial Airplane Group is also said to be planning to upgrade to the i600 to support its plans for damage assessment on the forthcoming 787 Dreamliner.
The i600 is expected to be available by the end of February. Retail pricing (in pulse-echo configuration) is the same as the existing i500 Acoustocam. The i600 camera head is available as an upgrade to existing systems.
Also see: Ultrasonic camera makes internal composite damage easy to find.
