The New Software Solution for Aircraft Transparencies Optical Quality Inspection

The most common causes of the transparency distortion are non-uniform thickness of transparency, excessive curvature of transparency, heat induced stress, structural stress generated during the installation of transparency into the canopy frame and the installation of a canopy on the aircraft. How can we reliably and easily detect distortion?

TOPINS is a stand-alone Windows application enabling high-precision automated and efficient distortion measurement across the entire visual field of the transparency.

A very powerful PDM system is included in TOPINS.

PDM provides full support to the quality assurance department purchase order / contract tracking, recording and monitoring of technical documents, and parameters of transparencies, search engine, certificate generation…

An intuitive and simple definition of the required distortion standard is the result of many years of experience working on aircraft transparencies optical quality inspection.

Standard Definition

PDM

TOPINS allows the implementation of various standard measuring levels of quality. Software features an implemented PDM system which manages measurement results and supporting documents.

Use of TOPINS software allows manufacturers to introduce an effective and reliable tool for measuring distortion - the grid line slope (GLS) method , compliant with any standard that may be specified by the end user. Implementation of this software does not require any modification of the existing system or any additional investment in equipment.

For more details, please watch the video.

Standardized grid board, digital camera with image resolution of more than 4000 X 2000 pixels and Windows operating computer configuration is sufficient to run TOPINS.

The method which is most often used to measure the degree of optical distortion in the transparency utilizes a double exposure photographic procedure.

That method is based on the international standards (e.g. ASTM)

SEE THE FULL SPECIFICATIONS

Major consideration when investing in TOPINS is the training requirement. Each new customer is trained individually, rather than in a group classroom environment. The training is organized at the trainee's place, thus ensuring that the tutorial based course content is completed with a good degree of understanding. Custom training courses can be arranged and are typically based around the customer's real-world job of distortion measurement.

„TOPINS software has been in use in MECAPLEX for more than 7 years now. From the beginning, this software has become an irreplaceable tool for measuring distortion according to ASTM F- 733 Standard (Grid Line Slope Method) in our company. By using TOPINS software, we have multiplied our accuracy and productivity while eliminating all subjectiveness in the process of quality control of aircraft and helicopter transparencies. When comparing TOPINS software to classic (manual) testing methods, we have now achieved huge time savings in processing results of testing. This software is easy to use, user-friendly and process-oriented. In addition to this, the software support team is professional, responsive and willing to help“.

Mr. Stefan Schneider, Quality
Department Manager at
MECAPLEX Ltd.