Aurora Sensors Will Allow Non-Destructive Evaluation In
Composite Parts
The Navy has awarded Aurora Flight Sciences a contract to
develop an innovative sensor system to perform damage detection and
evaluation. Aurora will utilize state-of-the-art structural health
monitoring (SHM) sensors developed by Metis Design Corporation to
create a system that can readily be added to airframes to perform
non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of composite parts. Such a system
would have potential to replace costly and complex manual
inspection techniques for composite airframes. These inspections
require physical and visual access to components, which is not
always available on complex air vehicle platforms.
SHM has the capability to detect small defects
in composites with high-resolution accuracy, including incipient
damage that is not easily detectable. Additionally, SHM systems
spot changes in the material over time, which can be used to
monitor airframes for damage incurred during routine operation.
This system can be used not only to perform NDE on components, but
also to monitor the airframe over its entire life. The knowledge
gained from the vehicle health management sensors decreases the
down-time of the vehicle while increasing the safety of the
crew.
According to the project's manager, David Kordonowy,
"Interpreting the sensor signal into meaningful information --
where the damage is and how extensive it is -- has been a major
challenge to structural health monitoring until now. Our NDE/SHM
concept addresses this difficulty by using calibrated sensors with
robust algorithms to detect damage that cannot be seen with the
naked eye."
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