WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE (AFRL) — The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, has developed an augmented reality capability to assist in accomplishing nondestructive inspections, or NDI, for safety-critical applications in military aircraft. Research engineers in AFRL’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate designed the Augmented Reality for Nondestructive Evaluation, or ARNE, system to help aircraft technicians detect fatigue cracks between metal aircraft layers using a bolt hole eddy current, or BHEC, procedure, contributing to airworthiness and improved fleet readiness for the U.S. Department of the Air Force.
“ARNE meets a crucial need for nondestructive inspection methods by providing hands-on refresher coaching for our NDI technicians out in the field,” said 1st Lt. Svanna Perseghetti, nondestructive research engineer, AFRL’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate. “Our aircraft maintainers and technicians are already fully trained and fully certified, but everyone benefits when they have access to review opportunities to ensure that they can practically apply what they learn.”