Sponsored by: Collins Aerospace
Project Summary
Before each flight, an inspection of the aircraft’s engines is conducted by the pilot. As part of the inspection, the engine blades are examined for any visible damage that may affect the safe operation of the engine. This project aims to automate the engine blade inspection, as well as produce a higher detection rate than a human inspection, to enhance the safety and reliability in pre-flight inspections.
Design Goal
The goal of this project is to design a system to identify damage to the fan blades on a jet engine.
Design Constraints
- Must fit within engine nacelle.
- Must be able to detect damage.
- Must operate during engine spool down.
- Must be able to operate in low and bright lighting conditions.
- Must not interfere with airflow through the engine.
Test image used for damage detection
Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine on an Airbus A320neo
Members of the Project Team
Student Team:
- Per Anderson - Major: Mechanical Engineering
- Adam King - Major: Computer Engineering
- Quintin Knuth - Major: Computer Engineering
- Ryan Lilly - Major: Mechanical Engineering
- Jack Schumaker - Major: Electrical Engineering
Industry Representative: Lindsey Falzone
Faculty Advisor: Andrew Barrett-Bettcher
Pictured left to right: Jack Schumaker, Quintin Knuth, Ryan Lilly, Adam King, Per Anderson.