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Eddy Current Sensors for Failure Analysis
Navy SBIR FY2012.1
| Sol No.: |
Navy SBIR FY2012.1 |
| Topic No.: |
N121-019 |
| Topic Title: |
Eddy Current Sensors for Failure Analysis |
| Proposal No.: |
N121-019-0540 |
| Firm: |
Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc.
44 Hunt Street
Watertown, Massachusetts 02472-4699 |
| Contact: |
Timothy Tiernan |
| Phone: |
(617) 668-6800 |
| Web Site: |
http://www.rmdinc.com |
| Abstract: |
There is a need for a non-destructive, in-situ method to determine the root cause of cracking in aircraft components, and specifically to distinguish between fatigue cracks, cracks due to overload conditions, and cracks caused by corrosion. RMD proposes to develop a system based on an array of eddy current sensors which could be used to make a high resolution map of the electromagnetic properties of the part. We hypothesize that different failure mechanisms have a different signature of both the spatial extent of changes to the material properties of the part around the crack, and different patterns of evolution over time. Recording the evolution of these changes, either by periodic inspections or by permanently mounting a 2D sensor array for continuous monitoring, will both allow any damage to be detected early enough to be addressed before parts fail, and will provide essential diagnostic information to facilitate remedial action to prevent future failures. |
| Benefits: |
The proposed new eddy current sensor system and data analysis algorithms will, for the first time, permit the cause of part failure to be determined without removing the cracked component and cutting it apart to examine the surfaces of the failure. It will offer more rapid and less expensive determination of the stress conditions which led to the failure, and therefore allow corrective actions to be taken more promptly. Furthermore, the non-destructive nature of the inspection will, in some cases, allow parts to be repaired rather than replaced, reducing the cost of maintenance and minimizing the duration of the service interruption.
There is a potential commercial application for any high value asset that may fail due to unknown loads, including civilian and military transportation markets (aviation, rail, trucking), as well as some structural applications such as bridges.
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