8tree's dentCHECK tool, which is used for damage-mapping within the aviation sector, has been awarded the Volksbank & Raiffeisenbanken innovation prize. This is the 20th consecutive year that the Baden-Württemberg bank has awarded the prize.

dentCHECK is a handheld optical 3D surface inspection tool. It measures and documents structural damage on aircraft quickly and accurately. Every feature and capability of the tool is the result of input from aircraft technicians, mechanics and engineers.

Speed and accuracy matter because dent-damage can determine if an aircraft is airworthy. Taking too long to inspect the damage costs the operator money, as the aircraft stays grounded. However, producing uncertain measurement results can compromise safety and cost lives. dentCHECK was designed to help on both fronts by creating an end-to-end digitised workflow. In doing so, the tool produces accurate measurement reports while delivering time-savings of up to 90 per cent.

Leveraging integrated augmented-reality, the answers, or measurement results, are visually superimposed on the damaged aircraft surface, using an intuitive colour scheme and numerical annotations. Measurement analytics are directly accessible via the cloud for further reporting and auditing purposes.

Dozens of companies including Airbus, Lufthansa Technik, Delta Air Lines and Gulfstream are using dentCHECK, which was thought-up in Constance, Germany.