Innovative Submersible Outboard Cable Failure Detection and Prediction Device Navy SBIR FY2010.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2010.1 Topic No.: N101-057 Topic Title: Innovative Submersible Outboard Cable Failure Detection and Prediction Device Proposal No.: N101-057-0700 Firm: Ridgetop Group, Inc. 6595 North Oracle Road Tucson, Arizona 85704-5645 Contact: James Hofmeister Phone: (520) 742-3300 Web Site: www.RidgetopGroup.com Abstract: Ridgetop Group will develop a non-destructive, ruggedized toolset consisting of a personal hand-held device that uses an innovative, compact Power Draw Correlation Technique to detect damage to multi-conductor Submersible High Data Rate (SubHDR) cables. The toolset also consists of an innovative adaptive time-to-failure (ATTF) prognostic algorithm to generate accurate remaining useful life (RUL) estimates for detected damaged cables, such as those in the sensor masts of Virginia class submarines. A hand-held device transmits pseudorandom bit sequences (PRBS) along the cable: in the presence of cable damage, the PRBS energy reflects along the cable and the scattered energy will not be random. Using auto-correlation (correlogram), non-random energy causes peaks in the correlation integral; a signal phase shift indicates the damage location. As the cable damage increases, the strength of the correlogram signal increases, and this signal characteristic is a fault-to-failure progression (FFP) signature that is input to the ATTF prognostic algorithm. Ridgetop will also investigate whether time-domain reflectometry (TDR) can determine damage locations. Benefits: An electronic-based, handheld device to detect degradation, such as a broken strand in a multi-strand conductor in submersible high-data rate (SubHDR) cables, greatly reduces maintenance costs and improves mission reliability. SubHDR cables, such as those used in the sensor masts on the Virginia class of submarines, are integral to the sensor masts, and physical inspection requires removal and disassembly of the large, heavy masts themselves. The addition of a prognostic algorithm to provide fast, accurate time-to-failure (TTF) or remaining useful life (RUL) estimates supports deferred maintenance paradigms: as opposed to the costly and time-consuming immediate removal and replacement of a mast that, although the SubHDR cable is damaged, its damage might not be large enough to cause cable failure before completion of the next mission. The new electronic-based detection method can readily be adapted for commercial use, including multi-strand cables that are not submersible or integrated in antennas. Cabling degradation represents a large part of complex system-maintenance budgets. In addition to submarines, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) use submersible cables: also, surface ships, aircraft, ground vehicles and industrial machines that encounter vibration or adverse environmental conditions can benefit from a tool such as this. Based on extensive research, Ridgetop has identified the total market value for the technology at approximately $300 million, growing at 4.5% annually, and anticipates capturing roughly $32 million over a five year period beyond phase II. Return