Why Bullfrog
Bullfrog is revolutionising quality control in composite manufacturing. Using cutting-edge thermography and AI, our system detects defects faster and earlier in the production process, saving manufacturers time, reducing waste, and improving product quality. We’re making Non-Destructive Testing scalable, efficient, and ready for the future of aerospace and beyond.
Bullfrog’s golden thread is its ability to seamlessly integrate innovative NDT technology into the heart of composite manufacturing workflows , transforming quality control from a bottleneck to an enabler of efficiency and sustainability. The system’s Active Thermography and AI capabilities allow for real-time, in-process defect detection, ensuring that issues are caught early before additional resources are wasted.
This ties directly to its overarching mission: reducing waste, improving product reliability, and driving scalable, sustainable manufacturing practices across industries like aerospace . Every feature and innovation in Bullfrog aligns with this central purpose, making it a cohesive and impactful solution.
How Bullfrog works
Bullfrog is an end-to-end automated NDT system installed into composite manufacturers’ processes, enabling high-rate production of composite materials while reducing waste.
Automated NDT of all raw materials - preventing waste of time and costs in subsequent value-adding steps
Automated NDT of all products after layup (where most defects occur) to prevent waste of time and costs in subsequent value-adding steps
Bullfrog integration (automated NDT inspection and analysis)
Currently manual
Benefits of Bullfrog
Charge up your processes with Bullfrog for high-rate low-waste composite manufacturing.
Fast, fully-automated inspections breaks the bottleneck and creates time savings.
Automated defect identification, characterisation and localisation create more capacity for your specialists.
Automated NDT categorisation and next steps decision support focus your specialists’ where it is needed - saving time, effort, and costs.
Integration into your process ensures that you have NDT capabilities where you need it, without disrupting the production line.
Affordable equipment makes it possible for you to conduct NDT at various points in your process on all components produced, increasing quality while saving costs.
Technology Roadmap
Bullfrog is currently in development, with the aim of launching in 2028.
2021
Developed fully automated AT inspection with 2 live demonstrations on an aircraft and a wind turbine
2023
Proof of concept for automated defect identification and localisation
2026
Integrated end-to-end automated system from inspection to analysis including defect categorisation and reporting
2027
Pilots with composite manufacturers
2028
Market launch
Team
The Bullfrog team is a consortium of organisations, both industry and academic, providing various specialist capabilities including innovation, entrepreneurship and product development, non-destructive testing and vehicle health management, robotics and automation, and composite manufacturing.
Brookhouse
Brookhouse is a build to print aerostructures and engineering specialist. Their expertise includes the manufacturing of aerospace composite components.
Easol
Easol specialises in supporting entrepreneurial individuals in developing and bringing their product to market.
Southampton University
TBC
Createc
Createc is a global leader in robotics, specialising in applying robotics and automation to industrial challenges to drive efficiency and safety.
Cranfield University
Cranfield University has been globally recognised for developing cutting-edge technology in vehicle health management and is leading UK’s research in digital aviation technology.
Key individuals
Dr Shakeb Deane (Technical Lead)
Shakeb is a certified expert in field of active thermography and aviation. He has contributed to the current state-of-the-art through research, mentoring, and lectures. He currently designs and trains AI models in automating decision support analyses. Bullfrog is built on Shakeb’s research and work.
Etienne Hocquard (Robotics Lead)
Etienne has over 12 years of experience in robotics from software development and integration, to electronic and mechanical design and robotics remote operations.
Sebastian Kitchin (Software & Automation Lead)
Sebastian has over 15 years of experience in software and systems engineering and has tackled complex projects across aerospace, nuclear, and automotive sectors.
Professor Nico Avdelidis (Active Thermography Lead)
Nico has done extensive research in non-destructive monitoring and diagnostics, advanced IR imaging and image fusion using non-invasive techniques, and more. He will be providing expertise in these areas.