SBIR Phase I: Nondestructive Inspection and Monitoring System for Curved Structures

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将探索、设计和实施一种新型的基于柔性超声换能器的无损检测和监测系统，以改进和简化曲面和非平面结构的检测。超声波非常适合于检测坚硬材料的内部缺陷，但现有系统仅限于平面或近平面表面。柔性超声换能器阵列是一种新兴技术，它可以在保持高角度覆盖、高分辨率和大视场的同时，潜在地实现对弯曲结构的快速检测。拟议的系统将以包裹并符合曲线结构的灵活换能器阵列为特色，以及一种新的损伤指数检测算法，这些算法一起将允许在灾难性故障之前及早检测和监测曲面材料中的缺陷。最初的开发将针对两个重要的应用：弯曲复合材料航空航天结构和钢质输油管道。最初的系统将是一种低成本、便携的手持设备，能够对非平面结构进行快速、准确的无损检测。该系统还将设计为适应恶劣环境中的远程监控。拟议的项目是一种创新的系统工程方法，满足了能源、航空航天和军事部门尚未满足的重大需求。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力主要集中在两个行业，特别是石油和航空航天行业。两者都将从一个能够快速、高效、准确地检查和监控曲面的系统中受益匪浅。复合材料在民用和军用航空航天工业，如导弹系统、新型波音787和许多空中客车机型中的应用迅速增加；然而，复合材料对隐藏的缺陷和与冲击相关的损伤非常敏感，有时会导致灾难性的故障。同样弯曲的钢质输油管道容易受到腐蚀和疲劳破坏，特别是在严酷的环境中，如冰冻、沙漠和水下环境。随着世界各地的管道基础设施继续老化，破裂的发生可能会更加频繁。基于柔性超声换能器的系统采用近乎自主的信号检测算法，可以共形缠绕在弯曲结构周围，将在航空航天、能源和军事领域拥有巨大的市场，并可能防止飞机和导弹系统的撞击相关故障，以及减少石油管道的井喷。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will explore, design, and implement a novel flexible ultrasound transducer-based nondestructive inspection and monitoring system to improve and simplify the inspection of curved and non-planar structures. Ultrasound is ideally suited to detection of internal flaws in hard materials, but existing systems are limited to planar or nearplanar surfaces. Flexible ultrasound transducer arrays are an emerging technology that can potentially enable rapid inspection of curved structures, while maintaining high angular coverage, high resolution and a large field of view. The proposed system will feature flexible transducer arrays that wrap and conform to curved structures as well as a novel damage index detection algorithm, which together will allow for early detection and monitoring of defects in curved materials before catastrophic failure. Initial development will target two important applications: curved composite aerospace structures and steel oil pipelines. The initial system will be a low cost, portable, handheld device capable of rapid, accurate non-destructive inspection of nonplanar structures. The system will also be designed for adaptation to remote monitoring in harsh environments. The proposed project is an innovative systems engineering approach that fills a significant unmet need in the energy, aerospace, and military sectors. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is focused on two industries in particular, the oil and aerospace industries. Both would significantly benefit from a system that could rapidly, efficiently, and accurately inspect and monitor curved surfaces. The application of composite materials has been increasing rapidly for contoured aero structures in the civilian and military aerospace industries, such missile systems, the new Boeing 787, and many Airbus models; however composite materials are highly susceptible to hidden flaws and impact-related damage sometimes resulting in catastrophic failure. Similarly curved steel oil pipelines are subject to corrosion and fatigue damage, especially in harsh environments such as frozen, desert, and underwater environments. The incidence of ruptures is likely to occur more frequently as pipeline infrastructure across the world continues to age. A flexible ultrasound transducer-based system featuring near autonomous signal detection algorithms that can wrap conformally around curved structures would have a large market in the aerospace, energy, and military sectors and may lead to a prevention of impact-related failure in aircraft and missile systems, as well as a reduction of blowouts in oil pipelines.