Model-based Shaft-Coupling PHM using Accelerometers with GearModT-Shaft Processing Navy SBIR FY2005.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2005.1 Topic No.: N05-024 Topic Title: Model-based Shaft-Coupling PHM using Accelerometers with GearModT-Shaft Processing Proposal No.: N051-024-0703 Firm: Impact Technologies, LLC 200 Canal View Boulevard Rochester, New York 14623-2851 Contact: Carl Byington Phone: (814) 861-6273 Web Site: www.impact-tek.com Abstract: Mechanical transmission couplings and shafts are used to transmit power in rotorcraft, Short Take-off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft, land, and marine propulsion systems. These components are susceptible to degradation and failure caused by extreme loads and temperatures, misalignment, and other secondary effects. Due to the critical nature of these components, regular and frequent inspections are often used to compliment statistical time based removal and offset risk. This results in large life cycle costs and reduced system availability. An on-board, real-time prognostic and health management (PHM) approach is proposed that will enable continuous monitoring of mechanical couplings and shafts to offset the shortcomings of traditional health management approaches. The proposed approach will utilize existing on-board PHM sensors (primarily accelerometers) to facilitate transition and enable easy integration of coupling PHM with other vibration monitored drive train components, such as gears and bearings, and reduce hardware complexity, signal processing and computational needs. These algorithms will be packaged as an embedded software module that can be fused with gear and bearing modules to provide a comprehensive PHM system for helicopter, STOVL and marine propulsion drive trains. Benefits: The proposed technology will provide a number of substantial benefits to shaft-coupling systems, including increased mission assurance, improved availability and reduced life cycle costs. Availability improvements will be realized through the reduction of recurring and nonrecurring PHM actions. In addition, improved life cycle cost will be realized by preventing unscheduled maintenance, and reducing inspection intervals and ground support equipment. Because effective military operations require accurate knowledge of an asset's health and damage state, there exist numerous potential military applications for the proposed shaft coupling PHM system, including platforms in all branches of the U.S. DoD. Next generation Navy systems, such as the Joint Strike Fighter, which have goals to reduce development, production, and ownership costs, will benefit greatly from the proposed PHM algorithms. With the adaptable nature of the core analysis techniques, the developed approach and designed products could also be adapted for a variety commercial applications, including: commercial airlines, land and marine propulsion systems, industrial actuation systems, and power generation and processing industries. Return