经济学人46:老旧飞机的金属疲劳 飞行侦查兵

 　　Science and Technolgy

　　科技

　　Metal fatigue¹ in old aircraft

　　老旧飞机的金属疲劳

　　Flying rivets²

　　飞行侦查兵

　　A new technique that listens for cracks in ageing aircraft

　　一项侦听老化飞机断裂的新技术

　　WHEN they were built, no one thought they would fly for so long.

　　建造飞机的时候，没人认为它们会飞行这么久。

　　But fitted with new engines and avionics, aircraft can be kept going for a very long time.

　　但是装有新式引擎和航空电子设备的飞机能持续飞行很长一段时间。

　　The average age of the world's airliners³ is more than ten years, with some passenger jets 25 years old or more.

　　全世界飞机的平均机龄超过10年，有些客机的机龄超过了25年。

　　Military planes are more geriatric: the Sikorsky Black Hawk⁴ helicopter entered service 31 years ago and the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy⁵ 40 years back.

　　军用飞机更是超龄：西科斯基公司的黑鹰直升机31年前开始服役，洛克希德公司的C-5银河（运输机）早用到40年了。

　　Both are still going strong.

　　这两款飞机还都强劲地飞行着。

　　Some Boeing KC-135 aerial-refuelling planes, which are based on the venerable 707, have been flying for over 50 years.

　　波音707原型机上发展起来的波音KC－135空中加油机有些已经飞行50多年了。

　　Engineers reckon they could still be in the air when they are 80.

　　工程师们测算80机龄时它们仍然能飞上蓝天。

　　One thing that does ground old aircraft is the impending⁶ failure of their aluminium⁷ structure from metal fatigue.

　　让老旧飞机搁浅的一件事就是飞机铝构造因为金属疲劳产生的故障隐患。

　　This begins in parts that are subjected to repeated strains, such as where the wings join the fuselage.

　　这种故障始于承受反复拉紧的部位，象机翼与机身的连接处。

　　Constant flexing⁸ of the structure concentrates stress, which leads to microscopic⁹ cracks.

　　这些构造部位的频繁伸缩使应力集中，导致微裂纹的产生。

　　These cracks become more numerous and eventually large enough for the structure to fail.

　　这些微裂纹越来越多，最后多到足以使这些部位的构造断裂。

　　Aircraft engineers know a lot about how these cracks progress and keep an eye on them in routine overhauls¹⁰.

　　飞机工程师们对这些裂纹如何发展以及在例行检修中如何注意这些裂纹所知甚详。

　　Nevertheless, they can be difficult and costly¹¹ to find.

　　不过发现这些裂纹可能很难且费用高昂。

　　Apart from careful visual inspection¹², techniques like X-rays and ultrasonic¹³ probes are also used.

　　除了仔细地目视检查外，也使用象X射线和超声探头这样的技术。

　　Now a British company has come up with a low-cost way of monitoring cracks in aircraft, even while they are airborne.

　　目前一家英国公司提出了一种成本低廉的监测飞机裂纹方法，即使飞机在飞行中（也可进行监测）。

　　The trick that Ultra Electronics uses is to listen for them with a system called Asis.

　　超级电子公司采用的诀窍是侦听带有自动语音识别系统(Asis)的飞机。

　　It does this by fitting small piezoelectric acoustic¹⁴ sensors¹⁵ to parts of the structure to detect the particular frequency of noise caused by a crack in aircraft-grade aluminium.

　　把小型压电声传感器安装到这种构造部位上，检测由航空级铝材裂纹所致的特定频率的噪音，靠这样就能监测飞机裂纹。

　　When first set up, Asis is calibrated¹⁶ to the acoustic signature of the aircraft.

　　安装之初，Asis就按飞机的声波标记图进行了校准。

　　The system can point engineers to where cracks are occurring because the sensors also record the precise moment it is "heard".

　　这个系统能向工程师指明哪里正在出现裂纹，因为传感器也记录裂纹噪音被"听到"的精确时刻。

　　As the sound ripples¹⁷ through the structure it arrives at different sensors at different times, which can be used to work out the location and severity of the crack.

　　因为声音呈波形在飞机构造中传播，它在不同的时间到达不同的传感器，这点能用来算出裂纹的位置和严重程度。

　　Once on the ground, a touch-screen device a bit like an iPad is plugged into the system and shows where any cracks are on a three-dimensional image of the aircraft.

　　一经在地面上把有点象iPad的触摸屏设备用插头插入系统中，它就会在飞机的三维图像上显示所有裂纹。

　　Asis will be tried out later this year by America's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency.

　　Asis将由美国国防高级研究计划局在今年晚些时候进行试验。

　　A basic set-up to monitor the boom on a small helicopter (a particularly stress-prone¹⁸ part) starts at around $65,000, says Rob McDonald, Ultra Electronics' marketing¹⁹ director.

　　超级电子公司的营销总监罗伯?麦克唐纳说，监测小型直升机（特别是易受压力的部位）嗡嗡声的基本设备起价大约6.5万美元。

　　As to the future, he expects the company will explore how Asis might also monitor carbon-composite materials, which are being used increasingly in new aircraft.

　　至于未来，他期待公司会探究怎么让Asis也能监测碳复合材料，碳复合材料在新式飞机中的应用渐增。

　　Less is known about the long-term structural²⁰ integrity of carbon fibre, but it is not prone to corrosion²¹ and is extremely tough, so with a bit of care and attention it might allow aircraft to fly even longer.

　　虽然对碳纤维的长期结构完整性所知甚少，但是它不易腐蚀且极为坚硬，因此稍加关注它就可能让飞机飞行得更久。

1 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

2 rivets   

铆钉( rivet的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Straighten the rivets, please. 请把那铆钉铆直。
• Instead of rivets there came an invasion, an infliction, and a visitation. 但是铆钉并没有运来，来的却是骚扰、混乱和视察。

3 airliners   

n.客机，班机( airliner的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The fog grounded the airliners. 大雾迫使班机停飞。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They placed very stable and accurate atomic clocks on regularly scheduled jet airliners. 他们将非常稳定、准确的原子钟装在定期飞行的喷气式班机上。 来自辞典例句

4 hawk   

n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员

参考例句：

• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
• The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

5 galaxy   

n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物)

参考例句：

• The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
• The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。

6 impending   

a.imminent, about to come or happen

参考例句：

• Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时，严重的战乱爆发了。
• The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。

7 aluminium   

n.铝 (=aluminum)

参考例句：

• Aluminium looks heavy but actually it is very light.铝看起来很重，实际上却很轻。
• If necessary, we can use aluminium instead of steel.如果必要，我们可用铝代钢。

8 flexing   

n.挠曲，可挠性v.屈曲( flex的现在分词 )；弯曲；（为准备大干而）显示实力；摩拳擦掌

参考例句：

• Flexing particular muscles allows snakes to move in several ways. 可弯曲的特殊的肌肉使蛇可以用几种方式移动。 来自电影对白
• China has become an economic superpower and is flexing its muscles. 中国已经成为了一个经济巨人而且在展示他的肌肉。 来自互联网

9 microscopic   

adj.微小的，细微的，极小的，显微的

参考例句：

• It's impossible to read his microscopic handwriting.不可能看清他那极小的书写字迹。
• A plant's lungs are the microscopic pores in its leaves.植物的肺就是其叶片上微细的气孔。

10 overhauls   

v.彻底检查( overhaul的第三人称单数 )；大修；赶上；超越

参考例句：

• The plant overhauls 8 locomotive, manufactures and repairs 100 train vehicles annually. 年机车解体大修8部，修、制各类型铁路车辆百余辆。 来自互联网
• The wind turbine generator overhauls what is the standard flow? 风机检修的的标准流程是什么？ 来自互联网

11 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

12 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

13 ultrasonic   

adj.超声的；n.超声波

参考例句：

• It was very necessary for people to take type-B ultrasonic inspection regularly.定期进行B超检查是十分必要的。
• Sounds are classified into two kinds: sonic and ultrasonic.声波分为两类，即普通声波与超声波。

14 acoustic   

adj.听觉的，声音的；(乐器)原声的

参考例句：

• The hall has a fine acoustic.这个大厅的传音效果很好。
• Animals use a whole rang of acoustic, visual,and chemical signals in their systems of communication.动物利用各种各样的听觉、视觉和化学信号来进行交流。

15 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

16 calibrated   

v.校准( calibrate的过去式和过去分词 )；使标准化；使合标准；测量（枪的）口径

参考例句：

• Power pesticide dusters can be calibrated and used to apply pertilizer. 动力杀虫剂可以调整用来施肥。 来自辞典例句
• The flexible diaphragm is connected to a plat cantilever-calibrated spring. 柔韧的膜片一扁平的悬臂校正弹簧相连。 来自辞典例句

17 ripples   

逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The moon danced on the ripples. 月亮在涟漪上舞动。
• The sea leaves ripples on the sand. 海水在沙滩上留下了波痕。

18 prone   

adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的

参考例句：

• Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
• He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。

19 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

20 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

21 corrosion   

n.腐蚀，侵蚀；渐渐毁坏，渐衰

参考例句：

• Corrosion is not covered by the warranty.腐蚀不在保修范围之内。
• Zinc is used to protect other metals from corrosion.锌被用来保护其他金属不受腐蚀。