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Supporting the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals with Technology

By Case Study, dentCHECK, Events, Insights

Do years of experience and skill level of aviation professionals affect the time taken to complete an inspection task?

The answer lies within the choice of tool used.

When using traditional manual methods, we saw that New Hires tend to complete an inspection task 33.3% slower than their Experienced colleagues (~7 minutes 30 seconds and ~5 minutes respectively). However, when using dentCHECK, years of experience and skill level have no influence on efficiency. Each experience and skill level group is able to complete the task in ~47 seconds when using dentCHECK, an 8x improvement when compared to traditional manual methods. Read on to learn more.

The 2019 AMC, held in conjunction with Aviation Week Network’s MRO Americas, witnessed 27 teams representing schools, 27 teams representing airlines/MRO/Manufacturing companies, and 27 teams representing the military. While the diversity of participants at the AMC is extensive, a majority of participants who participated in the Airframe Damage Inspection event represents those coming from “New Hire (<5 years-experience)” and “Mid-Career (5 – 20 years-experience)”.

 

So do years of experience and skill level affect the time spent to complete an inspection task? Using traditional manual methods, those with <5 years-experience (New Hires) completed the task in ~ 7 minutes 30 seconds, 33.3% slower when compared to those with >20 years-experience (Experienced), who completed the task in ~5 minutes. In contrast, when participants used dentCHECK to complete the inspection task, years of experience have no bearing on the time taken – Each experience group completed the task in ~47 seconds when using dentCHECK.

 

Retiring experienced maintenance professionals means that skillset that would traditionally take years to master (In this particular case, 20 years), now need to be mastered by new hires within a short amount of time. “dentCHECK is one of the more innovative pieces of hardware that I’ve seen. It should be a staple in every shop that works on aircraft”, said Trenton Blackwood, one of the student competitors from Team Tulsa Tech.

As the new generation of aviation technician – especially those still in schools – continue to view technology as a critical part of their life and work, 8tree hopes to play a much more involved role in supporting them by exposing them to advanced technology in the early stages of their career. This is accomplished by introducing dentCHECK into Part 147 schools, as well as creating opportunities for the aerospace community to experience dentCHECK at the upcoming Aerospace Maintenance Competition.

8tree is proud to once again host an event at the upcoming 2022 Aerospace Maintenance Competition. “The Aerospace Maintenance Competition is first and foremost a place where maintenance professionals showcase their ability and compete against each other. But it is also a place for the Aerospace Community to be together, to be inspired, and to celebrate the skilled craft of aviation technicians.”, said Howard Chung, 8tree’s lead in organizing the 8tree and Alaska Airlines Airframe Damage Inspection event.

 

Horizon Air Chooses dentCHECK to Enhance Maintenance Operations

By dentCHECK, Newsroom, Testimonial

US regional carrier Horizon Air begins implementing dentCHECK as part of its fleet maintenance activities.

This press release was published on PRWeb.

dentCHECK @Horizon Air

Horizon Air, a leading regional carrier in the western US, has begun using dentCHECK to enhance the efficiency and quality of its aircraft damage-mapping and reporting activities.

“With dentCHECK, Horizon is able to quickly and accurately map dents and release aircraft back into the operation safely”, said Archie Vega, Director of Line Maintenance at Horizon Air. “dentCHECK allows us to quickly assess and map dents in a fraction of the time it would take to hand map. This will advance our capability into the future as we start to expand dentCHECK use to other Horizon maintenance locations.”

“We are delighted to welcome Horizon Air to 8tree’s growing base of dentCHECK customers”, said Arun Chhabra, CEO, 8tree. “Horizon joins the rapidly growing global aviation community of more than three dozen airlines, MROs and OEMs who rely on dentCHECK for verifiable end-to-end digital damage-mapping and reporting, across a wide variety of commercial, cargo, business and defense aircraft. We look forward to empowering Horizon’s maintenance operations and having them experience 8tree’s exceptional customer service.”

dentCHECK is the world’s only handheld-portable, completely wireless 3D scanner tool with integrated AR that is purpose-built for the aviation maintenance industry. It is now used by the world’s leading commercial, cargo and defense MROs. Delivering real-time ‘go/no-go’ answers at the push of a single-button, the tool significantly reduces damage-mapping and reporting times, compared to traditional manual methods that use depth-gauges and straight-edges.

Approved and recognized by all major aerospace OEMs (Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer), dentCHECK is used by the world’s leading airlines/MROs for fast and accurate damage-mapping and SRM-compliant multi-dent reporting. When compared to traditional inspection methods, dentCHECK delivers a 90% gain in efficiency and 35x better measurement consistency.

OEM-acceptance has led to widespread adoption of dentCHECK amongst airlines/MROs. Detailed case-studies from easyJet, Delta TechOps and TAP-M&E, as well as news from Lufthansa Technik, Kalitta Air, Aeromexico, Airbus’ Flightline, DHL-Express and Zeppelin, demonstrate that dentCHECK drastically reduces inspection and reporting times by up to 90%. This shortens aircraft Turn-around-Time (TaT), which further reduces lost revenues and very directly improves operational efficiency for airlines. dentCHECK enhances safety through an improved understanding of airframe reliability.

About 8tree

“Precision 3D measurement as simple as taking a photo”

With this vision in mind, 8tree makes 3D optical surface inspection tools that solve chronic problems for multiple industries. 8tree’s products empower every operator – from mechanics on the floor, to engineers in the lab – with instantly actionable precise measurements, portability and performance. With its patented user-centric product design, instant ‘go/no-go’ answers and zero-learning curve, 8tree is committed to making precision 3D scanning more broadly accessible – technically and commercially.

For recent news follow 8tree on LinkedIn.

About Horizon Air

Horizon Air is US regional airline that operates a fleet of 62 aircraft, comprising DeHavilland Dash-8 and Embraer E175. The fleet will grow up to 71 aircraft with the addition of 9 more E175 by October 2022. Horizon serves 45 destinations across Canada and the US, and employs over 4000 employees. Horizon is part of the Alaska Airlines Group.

 

Zero Learning Curve: Map Dents Easier with dentCHECK

By Case Study, dentCHECK, Events, Insights

New technology for a decades-old problem: dentCHECK’s zero learning curve

At the 2019 Aerospace Maintenance Competition, more than 150 engineers, technicians, and students discovered the efficiency and accuracy of dentCHECK. But what was their experience in using new technology to solve a decades old problem? 82% of competitors rated the learning-curve of dentCHECK as Zero (<5 minutes). Read on to learn more.

From its early days, 8tree’s vision is to make precision 3D measurement as easy as taking a photo. Guided by the principles of Simplicity, Speed, and Actionable Results, dentCHECK is designed to provide operators with actionable results within seconds. With one-click, dentCHECK measures dents on an aircraft surface, and superimposes the results onto the inspected surface, giving operators immediate feedback so they may determine the next course of action quickly.

In the 2019 AMC, each team was tested on a wide array of aircraft maintenance skills. There were more than 25 different tasks spanning from structural repair to avionics troubleshooting to taking a human factors awareness test! Each team had several weeks to prepare themselves with pages of tool manuals and process guidelines in order to excel in the competition. So how did competitors find the learning-curve and ease-of-use of dentCHECK?

At the conclusion of the competition, competitors were surveyed to rate the learning-curve of dentCHECK. 82% of competitors rated the learning-curve of dentCHECK as Zero (<5 minutes). “Love this tool. It eliminates so much time and is very efficient. Have more dents to measure?”, said Candice McHargue, one of the competitors.

Back at AMC 2022: Airframe damage inspection event

You asked. We listened. After 2 years of the AMC being cancelled, 8tree is returning to the 2022 AMC with more dents to map, and with a newly added dentCHECK function that will be experienced first-hand by competitors this year. Stay tuned to learn more!

Read the entire AMC 2019 Case Study
Case StudydentCHECKEventsInsightsAMC 2022 – dentCHECK vs. Traditional Methods
16. October 2022

AMC 2022 – dentCHECK vs. Traditional Methods

What is the Aerospace Maintenance Competition? The Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) is a 2-day competition held in conjunction with the annual MRO Americas organized by Aviation Week. It is a…
Case StudydentCHECKEventsInsightsSupporting the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals with Technology
19. April 2022

Supporting the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals with Technology

Do years of experience and skill level of aviation professionals affect the time taken to complete an inspection task? The answer lies within the choice of tool used. When using…
Case StudydentCHECKEventsInsightsZero Learning Curve: Map Dents Easier with dentCHECK
11. April 2022

Zero Learning Curve: Map Dents Easier with dentCHECK

New technology for a decades-old problem: dentCHECK's zero learning curve At the 2019 Aerospace Maintenance Competition, more than 150 engineers, technicians, and students discovered the efficiency and accuracy of dentCHECK.…
Case StudydentCHECKInsightsTick-tock, tick-tock. Accelerate Aircraft Inspection, Avoid Delays and Save Money
31. July 2019

Tick-tock, tick-tock. Accelerate Aircraft Inspection, Avoid Delays and Save Money

At the recent 2019 Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC), dentCHECK helped participating technicians complete an inspection task 8x faster, delivering higher efficiency when compared to using traditional manual methods. In addition,…
Case StudydentCHECKInsightsMake better decisions with measurements you can trust
5. July 2019

Make better decisions with measurements you can trust

Passersby couldn’t ignore the significance of data emerging from the recent 2019 Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) #AMCAero.  It is tough to ignore that traditional manual measurements have 18x poorer measurement…
Case StudydentCHECKfastCHECKInsightsHow Did 100 Different Manual Measurements Stack Up?
12. June 2019

How Did 100 Different Manual Measurements Stack Up?

What do you uncover by analyzing hundreds of manual measurements of the same surface? The Truth. 8tree conducted the world’s most comprehensive study of dent-mapping in the aviation sector, at…
Case StudyInsightsAircraft hail-damage: What tools will aircraft maintenance crews use for the job?
29. April 2019

Aircraft hail-damage: What tools will aircraft maintenance crews use for the job?

What does an aviation technician do when their aircraft is pummeled by hail? To contrast traditional methods vs. emerging technology, more than 150 engineers, technicians, and students participated in a…

Large Area Hail Damage Mapping with dentCHECK

By dentCHECK, Insights

What do the New Mexico desert, Elvis Presley’s 1962 Lockheed JetStar, and 8tree have in common?

In 2001, the Roswell International Air Center (RIAC) in New Mexico started to offer commercial aircraft parking. Up to 800 aircraft can be parked in a more than 5,000-acre fenced areas. American Airlines, United, Air Canada, and several others temporarily park their aircraft here. RIAC is also home to Evis Presley’s Lockheed Jetstar!

However, there is no roof over this giant open-air parking lot, which leaves the aircraft exposed to catastrophic weather events, such as hail storms.

One such extreme hail-event occurred last year. Numerous aircraft at RIAC were severely damaged. 8tree’s dentCHECK was called in to expedite damage-mapping of several wide-bodies.

Taking advantage of dentCHECK’s new large area panoramic mapping functionality (“panoLite”) it took just days to map and report each aircraft, compared to the weeks or months taken by traditional methods.

Large area damage mapping with panoLite.

How does it work?

To enable the powerful panoLite capability, specially-designed and reusable ‘smart-rulers’ (panoLite tapes) are applied to outline the hail-affected areas of interest.

Applications Engineer Keith applying panoLite tapes on stabilizer.

The purpose of the panoLite smart-ruler is two-fold. First, the idea of the smart-ruler is a familiar one to aviation technicians, who currently follow an established workflow of applying masking tape marked with measurement increments to define an area of interest. Secondly, the smart-ruler is ‘smart’ and easy, as it only takes seconds to apply and peel off for re-use. Once applied, it delivers an incredibly efficient and seamless alternative to the traditional hail-mapping workflow, since it automatically communicates with the dentCHECK tool to create accurate large area damage-maps.

Once the panoLite smart-ruler has been applied, the familiar dentCHECK point-and-shoot dent mapping process can begin.

As long as some portion of the panoLite smart-ruler is visible to the dentCHECK tool during a given scan, then the well-known 8tree Damage Reporting Tool (DRT) automatically stitches the successive scans resulting in one large-area panoramic scan.

panoLite tapes applied on stabilizer to enable large area mapping of the whole area.

A comprehensive digital damage-report is generated as part of this automatic panoramic scan. The report format – familiar to most existing dentCHECK users – tabulates and itemizes each dent alongwith its key metrics, such as depth, size and inter-dent distance.

Part of an hail damage report (B777 – Slat).

End-to-end digitalized hail-damage reporting

The entire end-to-end digital process takes only a couple minutes, and equips operators and technicians with instantly-actionable damage-reports that guide informed repair strategies.

Does your organization still use slow, inaccurate and error-prone traditional manual methods to map catastrophic hail-damage?

If so, consider exploring the end-to-end digitalized dent-mapping workflow enabled by dentCHECK – a tool trusted by the leading airlines/MROs across the global aviation maintenance industry.

As for Elvis’ JetStar, after being parked for 35 years, it might not need hail damage-mapping anymore.

 

Contact us to receive the complete example report.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Integrates 8tree’s dentCHECK

By dentCHECK, Newsroom, Press, Testimonial

As featured in

World-renowned aviation school is using dentCHECK at its Daytona Beach, Florida campus to improve student skills and employability.

This press release was published on PRWeb.

dentCHECK usage on an Embry-Riddle training aircraft.

dentCHECK usage on an Embry-Riddle training aircraft.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world’s premier accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, has begun integrating dentCHECK into its Aviation Maintenance Science (AMS) curriculum.

Embry-Riddle’s AMS department prides itself in preparing graduates to work in all sectors of aviation and aerospace maintenance. “Part of that preparation is incorporating cutting-edge technology in our curriculum, especially when that technology is already being used by leading aviation and aerospace maintenance facilities,” said Kris Hammer, associate chair of the AMS department. “Advanced aircraft require advanced inspection methods, and 8tree’s dentCHECK is a perfect example of this type of technology. Our students getting hands-on experience with the dentCHECK equipment gives them an additional edge over graduates from other Part 147 schools.”

“This is a major step in our journey to help prepare students for the technologies and practices that await them in the aviation maintenance workplace,” said Arun Chhabra, CEO, 8tree. “By engaging the technical curiosity of today’s students, tools like dentCHECK help increase their interest in aviation maintenance careers. This strengthens their employment prospects with airlines, MROs and OEMs who already use such technologies in increasing numbers. Additionally, it addresses the industry’s chronic shortage of maintenance technicians by creating a strong pipeline of qualified candidates. We are delighted to have Embry-Riddle as the launch partner for 8tree’s Academic Initiative in the aviation industry, and look forward to helping the industry navigate the ongoing generational transition in the workforce.”

dentCHECK is the world’s only handheld-portable, completely wireless 3D scanner tool with integrated AR that is purpose-built for the aviation maintenance industry. It is now used by the world’s leading commercial, cargo and defense MROs. Delivering real-time ‘go/no-go’ answers at the push of a single-button, the tool significantly reduces damage-mapping and reporting times, compared to traditional manual methods that use depth-gauges and straight-edges.

Approved and recognized by all major aerospace OEMs (Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer), dentCHECK is used by the world’s leading airlines/MROs for fast and accurate damage-mapping and SRM-compliant multi-dent reporting. When compared to traditional inspection methods, dentCHECK delivers a 90% gain in efficiency and 35x better measurement consistency.

OEM-acceptance has led to widespread adoption of dentCHECK amongst airlines/MROs. Detailed case-studies from easyJet, Delta TechOps and TAP-M&E, as well as news from Lufthansa Technik, Kalitta Air, Aeromexico, Airbus’ Flightline, DHL-Express and Zeppelin, demonstrate that dentCHECK drastically reduces inspection and reporting times by up to 90%. This shortens aircraft Turn-aroundTime (TaT), which further reduces lost revenues and very directly improves operational efficiency for airlines. dentCHECK enhances safety through an improved understanding of airframe reliability.

About 8tree

“Precision 3D measurement as simple as taking a photo”

With this vision in mind, 8tree makes 3D optical surface inspection tools that solve chronic problems for multiple industries. 8tree’s products empower every operator – from mechanics on the floor, to engineers in the lab – with instantly actionable precise measurements, portability and performance. With its patented usercentric product design, instant ‘go/no-go’ answers and zero-learning curve, 8tree is committed to making precision 3D scanning more broadly accessible – technically and commercially.

For recent news follow 8tree on LinkedIn.

About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Reporters worldwide contact Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for content experts in all aspects of aviation, aviation business, aerospace, engineering and STEM-related fields. Our faculty experts specialize in unmanned and autonomous systems, security and intelligence, air traffic and airport management, astronomy, human factors psychology, meteorology, spaceflight operations, urban air mobility and much more. Visit the Embry-Riddle Newsroom for story ideas.

Embry-Riddle educates 32,500+ students at its residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott, Arizona, at approximately 110 Worldwide Campus locations and
through online degree programs. U.S. News & World Report has named Embry-Riddle Worldwide the nation’s No. 1 provider of online bachelor’s degree programs.

For more information, visit https://erau.edu/
Aviation Maintenance Science information https://erau.edu/ams

KF Aerospace Adopts dentCHECK for its Commercial MRO Operations

By dentCHECK, Newsroom, Press, Testimonial

As featured in

Leading Canadian AMO, KF Aerospace successfully implements dentCHECK at its Kelowna headquarters maintenance facility for better inspection quality and time-savings.

This press release was published on PRWeb.

dentCHECK @KF Aerospace

KF Aerospace, a leading Canadian approved maintenance organization (AMO) has begun using 8tree’s dentCHECK to enhance the efficiency and quality of its dent-mapping activities.

“KF performs hundreds of structural repairs annually on a wide variety of commercial aircraft” says Gregg Evjen, Chief Operating Officer, “Implementation of dentCHECK has allowed KF to improve accuracy, accelerate the damage mapping processes, and produce a digital record for our Engineers to utilize as they develop the repairs.”

“We are absolutely thrilled that KF Aero decided on dentCHECK, when they embraced the tool after a rigorous evaluation a couple years ago”, said Arun Chhabra, CEO, 8tree. “They joined the global community of dentCHECK users as the first Canadian firm to do so. Several other Canadian operators have since followed in their footsteps. KF Aero joins the ranks of more than three dozen MROs, airlines and OEMs that use dentCHECK daily to disposition dent-damage on aircraft across the cargo, commercial, business and defense aviation sectors. We look forward to continuing to support KF Aero’s maintenance operations and having them experience 8tree’s exceptional customer service.”

dentCHECK is the world’s only handheld-portable, completely wireless 3D scanner tool with integrated AR that is purpose-built for the aviation maintenance industry. It is now used by the world’s leading commercial, cargo and defense MROs. Delivering real-time ‘go/no-go’ answers at the push of a single-button, the tool significantly reduces damage-mapping and reporting times, compared to traditional manual methods that use depth-gauges and straight-edges.
Approved and recognized by all major aerospace OEMs (Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer), dentCHECK is used by the world’s leading airlines/MROs for fast and accurate damage-mapping and SRM-compliant multi-dent reporting. When compared to traditional inspection methods, dentCHECK delivers a 90% gain in efficiency and 35x better measurement consistency.

OEM-acceptance has led to widespread adoption of dentCHECK amongst airlines/MROs. Detailed case-studies from easyJet, Delta TechOps and TAP-M&E, as well as news from Aeromexico, Airbus’ Flightline, DHL-Express and Zeppelin, demonstrate that dentCHECK drastically reduces inspection and reporting times by up to 90%. This shortens aircraft Turn-around-Time (TaT), which further reduces lost revenues and very directly improves operational efficiency for airlines. dentCHECK enhances safety through an improved understanding of airframe reliability.

About 8tree

“We make precision 3D measurement as simple as taking a photo”

With this vision in mind, 8tree makes 3D optical surface inspection tools that solve chronic problems for multiple industries. 8tree’s products empower every operator – from mechanics on the floor, to engineers in the lab – with instantly actionable precise measurements, portability and performance. With its patented user-centric product design, instant ‘go/no-go’ answers and zero-learning curve, 8tree is committed to making precision 3D scanning more broadly accessible – technically and commercially.

For recent news follow 8tree on LinkedIn.

About KF Aerospace

We’re all about THE CRAFT.
KF Aerospace celebrates 50 years of innovative aircraft solutions for corporate, commercial and military customers worldwide—including major airlines like WestJet, Air Canada, Icelandair and Condor. From our humble roots in the Okanagan Valley, KF has grown to specialize in aircraft maintenance and modifications, military aircrew training, air cargo operations and leasing—with the same commitment to quality and service established by our founder in 1970. With facilities across Canada, KF is home to around 1000 highly skilled employees.

To learn more visit http://www.kfaero.ca                                

Kalitta Air, LLC (“Kalitta Air”) Adopts dentCHECK to Enhance Cargo Aircraft Maintenance Operations

By dentCHECK, Newsroom, Press, Testimonial

US cargo airline Kalitta Air implements dentCHECK at its Oscoda MRO facility and CVG line operations, further expanding the tool’s adoption within the air cargo sector.

This press release was published on PRWeb.

Kalitta Air inspectors use dentCHECK at the company’s MRO facility in Oscoda, Michigan.

Kalitta Air inspectors use dentCHECK at the company’s MRO facility in Oscoda, Michigan.

Kalitta Air, a leading US cargo and special-missions airline has begun using 8tree’s dentCHECK to enhance the efficiency and quality of its dent-mapping activities. dentCHECK is the world’s only handheld-portable, completely wireless 3D scanner tool with integrated AR that is purpose-built for the aviation maintenance industry. It is now used by the world’s leading commercial, cargo and defense MROs. Delivering real-time ‘go/no-go’ answers at the push of a single-button, the tool significantly reduces damage-mapping and reporting times, compared to traditional manual methods that use depth-gauges and straight-edges.

“With the implementation of 8tree’s dentCHECK technology, Kalitta Air’s dent mapping program will be elevated to the next level. We look forward to working with 8tree in implementing this state-of-the-art technology”, said Zoltan Kocis, Vice President of Maintenance, Engineering and Procurement, Kalitta Air.

“We are delighted to welcome Kalitta Air to the rapidly growing global community of dentCHECK users”, said Arun Chhabra, CEO, 8tree. “Kalitta Air joins the ranks of more than three dozen MROs, airlines and OEMs that use dentCHECK daily to disposition dent-damage on aircraft across the cargo, commercial, business and defense aviation sectors. We look forward to supporting Kalitta Air’s maintenance operations and having them experience 8tree’s exceptional customer service.”

dentCHECK is approved and recognized by all major aerospace OEMs (Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer) and used by the world’s leading airlines/MROs for fast and accurate damage-mapping and SRM-compliant multi-dent reporting. When compared to traditional inspection methods, dentCHECK delivers a 90% gain in efficiency and 37x better measurement consistency.

OEM-acceptance has led to widespread adoption of dentCHECK amongst airlines/MROs. Detailed case-studies from easyJet, Delta TechOps and TAP-M&E, as well as news from Aeromexico, Airbus’ Flightline, DHL-Express and Zeppelin, demonstrate that dentCHECK drastically reduces inspection and reporting times by up to 90%. This shortens aircraft Turn-around-Time (TaT), which further reduces lost revenues and very directly improves operational efficiency for airlines. dentCHECK enhances safety through an improved understanding of airframe reliability.

About 8tree

“We make precision 3D measurement as simple as taking a photo”

With this vision in mind, 8tree makes 3D optical surface inspection tools that solve chronic problems for multiple industries. 8tree’s products empower every operator – from mechanics on the floor, to engineers in the lab – with instantly actionable precise measurements, portability and performance. With its patented user-centric product design, instant ‘go/no-go’ answers and zero-learning curve, 8tree is committed to making precision 3D scanning more broadly accessible – technically and commercially.

For recent news follow 8tree on LinkedIn.

About Kalitta Air

Kalitta Air is an FAR Part 121 Air Carrier and a leading provider of air cargo transportation, scheduled and on-demand charter service for customers in the United States and around the world. The company operates an all-Boeing fleet of 38 aircraft comprising the 747, 767 and 777 aircraft types. Kalitta Maintenance operates a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport in Michigan. Kalitta Air makes it happen – on time, anytime, anywhere.

Flying dentCHECK — Press Coverage by the French Ministry of Defense

By Automation, dentCHECK, Press

Automate non-destructive testing in aircraft maintenance

Aircraft maintenance requires regular inspection of the aircraft surfaces. We are speaking about non-destructive testing (NDT). These tasks are time-consuming and potentially dangerous for operators working at height. The Defense Innovation Agency (DIA) and other stakeholders called for projects to “automate non-destructive testing“. The project aims to develop solutions to reduce the duration and improve the quality of such maintenance operations.
8tree’s collaboration with Donecle and Dassault to develop a flying dentCHECK is part of this initiative. The French Ministry of Defense recently announced an article and a video about our drone project with Donecle and 8tree.

The article was published in French. Read below a segment about our project and have a look at the video, where you can see the drone flying around a Rafale aircraft.

DONECLE, in partnership with 8tree and Dassault provides an automatic 3D inspection of aircraft skin, thanks to a 100% automated drone. This technique allows to detect and measure surface defects such as dents, impacts, or perforations. Tested on metallic and composite surfaces, the solution also allows comparisons with the aircraft’s digital mapping and digital monitoring of the evolution of defects.
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