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Creaform Launches SmartDENT 3D Surface Damage Analysis Software

Combined with HandySCAN 3D scanners, Creaform is trying to reduce downtime and maintenance costs in aerospace.

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Creative aerospace engineers have a huge amount of regulations and inspections to navigate their designs through, including aircraft surface inspections. Aircraft surface inspections are a critical part of the process that airlines and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) companies use to assess and analyze damage to aircraft.

Airlines and MROs use metrology tools, like laser scanners and metrology software, for this process.

Creaform produces two HandySCAN 3D scanners (the 300 series and 700 series), which use 3 or 7 laser crosses that take metrology-grade measurements. The handheld and versatile (virtually unlimited scanning no matter the part size, shape, color, etc.) HandySCAN 3D scanners are used for many different things: finite element analysis (FEA), surface reconstruction, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD & T), and 3D modeling.

Creaform recently announced the launch of its aircraft surface inspection software for non-destructive testing (NDT) for the aerospace sector, called SmartDENT 3D. 

The key difference between typical MRO software and SmartDENT 3D is the way it closes the loop between data acquisition and the production of reports. (Image courtesy of Creaform.)

The key difference between typical MRO software and SmartDENT 3D is the way it closes the loop between data acquisition and the production of reports. (Image courtesy of Creaform.)

The HandySCAN 3D scanner is meant to be user agnostic, which means that it must have a short learning curve. Once a user is over the learning curve, they can use the handheld laser scanner to measure 80 times faster than the pit gauge technique. In combination with SmartDENT 3D software, the user can scan parts and see them in a real-time 3D visualization. (Image courtesy of Creaform.)

The HandySCAN 3D scanner is meant to be user agnostic, which means that it must have a short learning curve. Once a user is over the learning curve, they can use the handheld laser scanner to measure 80 times faster than the pit gauge technique. In combination with SmartDENT 3D software, the user can scan parts and see them in a real-time 3D visualization. (Image courtesy of Creaform.)

By attempting to create an intuitive graphic interface and simplify measurement extraction of 3D scanning data, the end goal is to give users the ability to measure the exact dimensions necessary to perform in-service aircraft assessments. The combination of SmartDENT 3D and HandySCAN 3D scanners is meant to improve the efficiency of inspection processes and damage assessment for airlines and MRO service companies.

Basically, the hardware and software solution is meant to streamline the assessment and categorization of surface defects on aircraft to such a degree that future maintenance requirements can be predicted.   

If you’re interested and nearby, Creaform will be exhibiting at ASNT Annual Conference from October 30 through November 2, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn.