Patent ID: 7822258

Claim:
A system for evaluating the health of a component, the system comprising: a reinforced matrix; a plurality of piezoelectric transmitters coupled to the component configured to produce lamb waves in the component; a plurality of sensors coupled to the component, the sensors configured to receive the lamb waves transmitted through the component from the piezoelectric transmitters; and a circuit configured to collect and store the lamb waves received by the sensors, the circuit further configured to receive the lamb waves and process the lamb waves to form an image of a defect within the component; and a processor configured to perform an algebraic reconstruction tomography algorithm and wherein the algebraic reconstruction tomography algorithm functions to convert the lamb waves into a image of a defect within the component, wherein the component comprises a composite material structure having a plurality of reinforced polymer layers, and wherein the plurality of sensors are disposed in a layer disposed between at least two reinforced polymer layers.