Field Applications for Multi-Frequency Microwave Imaging


The global composite materials market is expected to reach 128.82 billion by 2028. This leads to a 7.52% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) during the forecast period from 2021 to 2028. Composite materials are used to serve customers with a variety of highly complex engineered parts, design patterns, and structures. History shows the glass fiber and carbon fiber composites industry have been fueled by Japan, North America, and Europe. In recent years, there has been a shift toward Asia Pacific increasing the demand for glass and carbon fibers in the aerospace and wind energy sectors. 



With the rapidly expanding use of non-metallic materials for piping, vessels and aircraft, laminates, polyethylene, and composite materials often pose examination challenges not typical of metallics in the multiple industries. These range from physical damage to chemical attack and either could occur in the layup or construction or as service induced damage. In this paper, employing multi-frequency advanced microwave technology, proprietary antennas, and software, we discuss the process as applied to Polyethylene piping, Fiberglass Reinforced Plastics, Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastics, Fiberglass, Fiberglass overwrap repairs on steel pipe substrate, and other non-laboratory applications. Though field deployable microwave examination is just emerging as an NDT method, it has seen rapid development for materials where variations in dielectric constants can be imaged and displayed as A-, B-, and C-scan images then related to a change in condition of the material and its ability to perform as designed. Future work remains in improving the scanning apparatus for the vast variety of materials, deploying the technology on UAVs, and cataloging the MW responses to various materials and their specific deficiencies. 



Discussions will be made, and case studies will be covered to inform the audience of manufacturing and service-related defects and failures related to various types of composite materials. This paper will discuss the how, when, where, and why of FRP blistering, cracking, debonding, fiber fracture, wrinkles, voids, delaminations, etc.
