Morgan Ward NDT Ltd.

Ultrasonic bond-testing is a useful means of verifying that glued layers of a material are structurally and adhesively bonded together and fit for purpose.

Resonance testing is an effective method for verifying the structure of thin layers of metal or laminate that are bonded together.

A second variation, mechanical impedance analysis (MIA) helps us to detect defects between the skin and core-cells of sandwich structures

Lastly, pitch-catch technique is particularly useful for detecting skin to core disbands in honeycomb structures.

APPLICATIONS

Most aircraft structures consist of thin layers of aluminium bonded together. Bond testing can be a quick, inexpensive and highly accurate method of finding disbonded areas in aircraft structures (both at manufacturing stage and once in-service).

Helicopter blades, skin panels and many other aircraft contain sandwich structures made from aluminium, fiberglass, or carbon/graphite over a honeycomb core. Bond testing is a highly portable and cost-effective means of verifying structural integrity and ensuring the aircraft is ready for flight.

All our inspectors are level II or level III certified to EN4179 / NAS410.

Dye penetrant testing (also known as liquid penetrant inspection) is a non-destructive testing method for detecting surface-breaking flaws such as cracks, corrosion, porosity, laps and bursts in a variety of non-porous materials including metals, ceramics and plastics.

Whether used on-site or in one of our laboratories, penetrant inspection has, for many years, proven itself to be a highly efficient, cost effective, reliable and safe solution for detecting surface breaking flaws/faults.

Morgan Ward commonly use dye penetrant for inspections of non-ferrous components using specific penetrant dye lines in our laboratories and at customer locations worldwide. Typical inspections include aircraft structures and components, castings, forgings and welded fabrications.

Our technicians have expertise in all types of dye penetrant inspection methods including colour contrast (Red Dye), fluorescent, post-emulsifiable and water wash for larger complex geometrical components.

All our inspectors are level II or level III certified to EN4179/NAS410, PCN or ASNT where relevant.

Our trained inspection personnel use eddy current testing extensively in the aerospace sector during scheduled maintenance programmes and in non-routine inspection requests.

Morgan Ward also conduct eddy current testing throughout the engineering and industrial sectors, using a variety of up-to-date procedures and techniques.

Eddy Current uses electromagnetic induction to detect defects and flaws in electrically conductive materials. Eddy current testing can detect surface breaking and slightly sub-surface flaws and can be applied to coated surfaces with minimal to no preparation required.

Eddy Current testing can be carried out at high and low frequencies and with the use of rotary probes we are able to detect cracks in difficult geometrical features like fastener and rivet holes.

Whilst the Eddy Current inspection system is primarily used to detect the presence of very small cracks and corrosion pits it can also be used effectively when conductivity testing and/or coating thickness measuring is required.

Morgan Ward offer a quick and cost effective service to the airline industry on a worldwide basis. We have approved engineers ready to inspect any kind of aircraft, whether it be routine or non-routine inspection requirements.

All our eddy current inspectors are level II or level III certified to EN4179/NAS410, PCN and ASNT, where relevant.

Eddy Current Array (ECA) is a non-destructive testing technology that provides the ability to electronically drive multiple eddy current coils, which are placed side by side in the same probe assembly.

Eddy current array is used in both the aerospace and engineering sectors and offers several advantages:

• Complex shapes can be inspected using custom probes.
• Larger areas can be scanned at high resolutions, in a single-probe pass.
• Flaw detection/sizing improved via C-scan imaging.

Morgan Ward’s technicians commonly use eddy current array both on-site and in our labs to take comprehensive material thickness measurements and in accordance with Boeing aircraft scribe line inspections (NTM 53-30-25) ‘C Scan inspection of skin cracks at doubler edges’ to detect discontinuities such as cracks and corrosion.

Morgan Ward’s technicians are qualified to carry out and advise on eddy current array techniques and custom inspections and can conduct tests on-site globally or at any one of our UK laboratories.

All our inspectors are level II or level III certified to EN4179/NAS410 or PCN, where relevant.

ELCH, (Elasticity of Laminate Checker), is used on site to detect damage in fibre-reinforced and other laminated materials.

Damage to aircraft can often occur after collisions with bird, baggage handling equipment or water ingress. The damage caused is not always immediately visible. Delamination, ruptures and structural flaws may occur and can result in a loss of structural integrity.

ELCH can establish within seconds whether an aircraft can continue flying or if it needs to undergo repairs.

More specifically, ELCH inspections are used in accordance with Airbus rudder NTM task 55-40-09 ‘Inspection of the bonding layers between rudder side panel honeycomb structure and the external skins of the rudder side panels’.

Morgan Ward NDT can offer a quick and cost effective service to the airline industry on a worldwide basis. We have approved engineers and the ELCH kit ready to inspect any Airbus A318/319/320/321/330 or 340 aircraft.

Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) is a non-destructive test method used in various sectors for the detection of surface and near-surface discontinuities in ferrous materials such as carbon steel.

Morgan Ward’s laboratories have bench testing facilities for fluorescent magnetic particle inspection under ultraviolet light.

Commonly bench-tested components include aircraft landing gear, locomotive parts, bolts, nuts, springs, threaded bar, brackets and various crank/cam shafts.

On-site, our technicians routinely employ colour-contrast magnetic particle inspection using permanent and AC yokes to test welds, joints, bolt holes and all other areas of ferrous materials that are prone to cracking or surface-breaking defects.

Radiographic Testing (RT), is used in the general engineering, defence and aerospace sectors to inspect a variety of materials for hidden flaws via X-rays and gamma-ray exposure.

Radiographic testing offers many benefits, including the ability to detect both surface and sub-surface flaws, with minimal surface preparation, whilst providing a permanent record of the inspection and relevant indications.

Morgan Ward offer accredited laboratory radiographic capabilities. These services are available in our custom-built radiography bays (10Kv to 300Kv). Our inspection staff have substantial experience radiographing flight critical aerospace composites, aerospace structures, castings, welds and complex components for a varied selection of customers and industries.

Our X-ray services are also available on-site worldwide via our selection of portable radiographic systems. We have extensive knowledge and experience carrying out X-ray inspections at customer locations worldwide, in accordance with the manufacturers’ NTM references, including on the following airframes:

• Boeing 727, 737, 747, 757, 767 Aircraft
• Airbus A318/319/320/321, A330, A340, A300 Aircraft
• BAE 146RJ, ATR 42, ATR 72, ATP Aircraft
• SAAB 2000 & 340 Aircraft
• Hawker 125 Aircraft
• Learjet Aircraft

All our inspectors are level II/level III certified to EN4179/NAS410, PCN or ASNT where relevant.

Ultrasonic testing (UT) is the collective term for a variety of non-destructive testing techniques that use ultrasonic sound waves in materials to detect flaws or make accurate thickness measurements.

Morgan Ward offer ultrasonic testing to a variety of industries including aerospace, defence and across the general engineering and construction sectors.

Our UK laboratories have custom-built immersion tanks for ultrasonic semi-automatic testing of bar stock, billets, and tubes of various lengths, diameters and materials.

On-site, Morgan Ward’s technicians are equipped and experienced in carrying out ultrasonic inspection of aerospace components, welds, castings, forgings, phased array mapping and in thickness checking of aircraft, pipelines, pressure vessels and wrought products of all varieties.

Phased Array Ultrasonics (PAUT) is an advanced non-destructive method of ultrasonic testing that is used to locate flaws in materials across the industrial, defence, marine and aerospace sectors.

Phased array is widely used across industrial sectors such as oil and gas, nuclear and large-scale construction. PAUT is generally considered an advanced NDT method, commonly used to detect component failures but also used in the inspection of welds, corrosion mapping, and thickness measurements over larger areas.

In the aerospace industry, phased array is employed in the inspection of engine blades, scribe line inspections and in mapping areas of aircraft skins for remaining thicknesses and corrosion levels.

Morgan Ward’s technicians are qualified to carry out and advise on phased array techniques and custom inspections and can conduct tests on-site globally and at any one of our UK laboratories.

All our inspectors are level II or level III certified to EN4179/NAS410 or PCN, where relevant.

Our purpose-built semi-automatic test facility is available for ultrasonic immersion and/or eddy current examination of round bar, tube and extruded materials.

Both test units are calibrated using reference specimens of the same material and geometry as the items to be tested and containing artificial defects introduced in accordance with applicable test standards.

We have the privilege of working alongside Airbus and BAE approved suppliers, helping them to meet the prime specific material acceptance criteria requirements. We regularly work to the specifications listed below:

• AMS 2154 Class A/AA/AAA
• AMS 2631 D
• RO5-6104
• Airbus ABP 6-5232
• Siemens SAF2507

We are happy to work to any other customer specific specifications or procedures.

Devices are built into the test units to locate unacceptable discontinuities revealed during scanning, for sentencing in accordance with applicable standards. Comprehensive reports are issued with each batch of items tested.

Large Tank
Max length: 9.0 metres
Diameter: 12 – 600mm
Max weight: 2 tonnes per item

All our inspectors are level II or level III certified to EN4179/NAS410, PCN or ASNT, where relevant.

Thermography is a non-contact, non-destructive testing method used in the aerospace, defence and general engineering industries that utilises infrared imaging to detect flaws in a variety of structures.

Thermographic inspection can be used over a large area, without the need for direct contact with the component, and can detect a range of defects, including:

Voids, Moisture Ingress, Delaminations, Corrosion, Disbonds, Porosity, Crack Propagation, Impact Damage, Diffusivity and Systematic Wall Thinning.

Our technicians can advise on thermographic procedures and techniques for the inspection of various materials and can carry out testing on site globally or in one of our UK laboratories.

More specifically, thermography inspections (TT) are used in accordance with Airbus rudder task NTM 55-40-09 ‘inspection of the sandwich structure of the elevator panels using thermographic technique for trapped water inside the honeycomb core cells’ & Elevator task NTM 55-20-07 ‘Inspection of the bonding layers between rudder side panel honeycomb structure and external skins of the rudder side panels’.

Morgan Ward NDT can offer a quick and cost effective service to the airline industry on a worldwide basis. We have approved engineers and thermography inspection kits ready to inspect any customer specific aircraft applications.

All our inspectors are level II or level III certified to EN4179/NAS410 or ASNT, where relevant.

Pulse Thermography is a non-destructive technique used to find defects in aircraft and aerospace components. Pulse thermography allows materials to be inspected very quickly for near-surface defects and bonding weaknesses.

In pulse thermography the material to be inspected is heated up equally using a very short heat pulse. Defects, bonding faults and corrosion can be observed using a thermographic camera on the surface.

More specifically, pulse thermography inspections are used in accordance with Airbus AD 2014-0033 & AD 2013-0302. ‘Inspection of the rudder side shell sandwich repair inspection’.

Morgan Ward have now purchased a pulsed thermography inspection kit, specifically for the rudder side shell sandwich repair inspection, AD 2014-0033 & AD 2013-0302. This adds to our current scope of thermography inspections including the Elevators (55-20-07), Rudder (55-40-08) and ELCH inspections (55-40-09).

Morgan Ward NDT can offer a quick and cost effective service to the airline industry on a worldwide basis. We have approved engineers and pulse thermography kit ready to inspect any Airbus A318/319/320/321/330 or 340 aircraft.

All our inspectors are level II or level III certified to EN4179/NAS410 or ASNT, where relevant.

Visual inspection is a primary method of non-destructive testing that provides a means of detecting and examining a variety of flaws on a range of components either in-service or at various stages during manufacture.

Visual inspection is the most widely used method for detection and initial examination of surface discontinuities and their relationship to structural failure.

Visual testing is an excellent initial methodology to carry out prior to inspecting any component with a more time-intensive procedure such as magnetic particle inspection or dye penetrant testing.

All Morgan Ward technicians are regularly eye-tested and routinely use various magnification aids under powerful white light to discern and record flaws in materials across all industries and sectors.

Morgan Ward have been inspecting aircraft for almost fifty years. During that time, we’ve worked on light aircraft, business and executive jets, helicopters, military fighter jets, mainstream airlines and multinational carriers.Over more than half a century, we have had the privilege of working with various aircraft operators around the world. We have long-standing partnerships with maintenance and overhaul organisations (MROs) as well as working closely with a diverse range of approved suppliers to the international aircraft industry.

We work alongside BAE Systems to provide NDT services for the Royal Air Force Nimrod refurbishment programme, as well as their BAE Hawk and EADS Typhoon projects.

Aircraft on Ground

Morgan Ward have an excellent record of quick response NDT support in Aircraft On Ground (AOG) situations. We have always known that sudden circumstances require rapid response times. That’s why all of our offices can be contacted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We ensure that our technicians can be on-site and ready to undertake all inspections as quickly as possible, at all times. Our AOG inspection service is available internationally, at immediate notice.

Any and all of our NDT services are available to aircraft manufacturers and operators on a worldwide basis. Smaller sub-assemblies and transportable components can be submitted for test at any of our laboratories in Manchester, Prestwick and Stansted.

Approvals

Morgan Ward currently hold approvals for NDT inspections on all aircraft types as well as materials, composite/metallic components and structures under the approvals listed below:

• EASA Part 145 (European Aviation Safety Agency) – Approval Number: UK.145.00439
• FAA Part 145 (Federal Aviation Administration) – Approval Number: M9WY359X
• TCCA (Transport Canada Civil Aviation) – Approval Number: 808-33
• CESSNA – Approval Number C-230
• BAE – Approval Number BAE/AG/10316/MAA
• AIRBUS – Approval Number 183193
• GKN – Approval Number GKNAF00208NDT

Methods

Morgan Ward offer all the primary NDT methods and we are especially proud to provide expertise with any of the following advanced methods:

• Thermography inspection of Rudder Side Panels A318/319/320 & 321 (NTM 55-40-08)
• Pulse Thermography inspection of Rudder Side Panels (AD 2014-0033 & AD 2013-0302)
• Thermography inspection of A318/319/320 & 321 Elevators (NTM 55-20-07)
• Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing of Fuselage Scribe Lines
• Eddy Current Phased Array ‘C Scan inspection of skin cracks at doubler edges’ (NTM 53-30-25)
• Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing of Airbus rear spar skins (NTM 55-20-07)
• Bond Testing of metallic and composite structures
• ELCH inspections (NTM 55-40-09)

Morgan Ward employs all non-destructive testing methods to inspect welded structures, sub-assemblies and machined components used in the nuclear, petrochemical, defence and general engineering sectors.

We offer approved inspection services within our purpose-built NDT laboratories across the UK and many of our services can also be offered on site when products are too large or difficult to transport.

Our engineering NDT services include, but are not limited to:

• Manual ultrasonic examination of welded fabrications, forgings and castings.
• Semi-automated ultrasonic & eddy current inspection of bars, billet and tube products
• Radiographic inspection of welds, castings and composite structures.
• Condition monitoring of in-service items which include thickness testing, corrosion monitoring, conductivity, hardness testing, thermography and visual inspection (including the use of boroscopes and endoprobes).
• Fluorescent/black & white magnetic particle inspection using static bench machines or portable inspection equipment.
• Fluorescent/colour contrast dye penetrant inspection using static line systems or portable inspection equipment.
• Visual inspection of all engineering products.

Fully detailed and comprehensive reports are issued with each item/batch tested.

Any of our NDT services are available to manufacturers and operators on a world-wide basis. Smaller sub-assemblies and transportable components can be submitted for test at any of our laboratories in Manchester, Prestwick and Stansted.

All our inspectors are level II or level III certified to EN4179/NAS410, PCN or ASNT where relevant.

Phased Array Ultrasonics (PAUT) is an advanced non-destructive method of ultrasonic testing that is used to locate flaws in materials across the industrial, defence, marine and aerospace sectors.

Phased array is widely used across industrial sectors such as oil and gas, nuclear and large-scale construction. PAUT is generally considered an advanced NDT method, commonly used to detect component failures but also used in the inspection of welds, corrosion mapping, and thickness measurements over larger areas.

In the aerospace industry, phased array is employed in the inspection of engine blades, scribe line inspections and in mapping areas of aircraft skins for remaining thicknesses and corrosion levels.

Morgan Ward’s technicians are qualified to carry out and advise on phased array techniques and custom inspections and can conduct tests on-site globally and at any one of our UK laboratories.

All our inspectors are level II or level III certified to EN4179/NAS410 or PCN, where relevant.

Our purpose-built semi-automatic test facility is available for ultrasonic immersion and/or eddy current examination of round bar, tube and extruded materials.

Both test units are calibrated using reference specimens of the same material and geometry as the items to be tested and containing artificial defects introduced in accordance with applicable test standards.

We have the privilege of working alongside Airbus and BAE approved suppliers, helping them to meet the prime specific material acceptance criteria requirements. We regularly work to the specifications listed below:

• AMS 2154 Class A/AA/AAA
• AMS 2631 D
• RO5-6104
• Airbus ABP 6-5232
• Siemens SAF2507

We are happy to work to any other customer specific specifications or procedures.

Devices are built into the test units to locate unacceptable discontinuities revealed during scanning, for sentencing in accordance with applicable standards. Comprehensive reports are issued with each batch of items tested.

All our inspectors are level II or level III certified to EN4179/NAS410, PCN or ASNT, where relevant.