Vacuum bag leak checks for composite manufacturers

Acoustic images connect a composite vacuum bag with the staff checking it before further production work. Distran’s Ultra Composite Edition, or Ultra CE, is a handheld ultrasound camera with software for composite-manufacturing inspections. It combines acoustic measurements and optical images to show the position of a suspected leak directly on its rear screen.

An array of 124 microphones measures ultrasound, with processing reconstructing the origin of the sound. A wide-angle optical camera provides the image onto which the acoustic location is overlaid. Background-noise filtering separates relevant signals during production-hall checks. The acoustic view covers 180 degrees, and the operator records pictures or videos while examining the bag, including folds where the sound indicates a leak location.

Staff use the screen position to direct a closer check or repair. Audalytics, the digital reporting tool, combines inspection pictures, videos and notes into reports shared through a browser. Its functions also include dashboards, data trends and voice-note recording. These measurements and reports give the production team a common basis for discussing the affected part of the bag and organising the next inspection or repair action.