SBIR Phase II: Hardness Strength and Ductility Tester for Field Assessment of Structures

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目将支持第一台精确便携式仪器的技术改进和随之而来的商业化，该仪器可以在现场对现有基础设施的硬度，强度和延展性进行无损检测。测量的材料性能包括屈服强度、加工硬化指数和金属（特别是钢）的极限拉伸强度。由于基础设施老化、国家对能源的需求以及最近的爆炸和泄漏造成了生命损失和数十亿美元的补救措施，陆上石油和天然气管道输送行业迫切需要无损检测。虽然输送管道每英里资产的故障率较低，但管道运营商被要求在没有所有必要强度数据的情况下主动提高管道完整性。 因此，迫切需要在每年进行的80，000次挖掘中验证强度，以便通过识别和修复300，000英里管道扩展网络中的少数脆弱部分来延长这些昂贵资产的寿命。管道切断和静水压力测试是无损检测的替代方案，但两者都会损坏资产，并需要昂贵且复杂的服务中断。第二阶段工作的总体技术目标是进行必要的研究和开发，以实现工程规范的开发、系统集成和仪器的验证，从而成功地进行有价值的无损检测，提供精确和准确的材料性能数据。该研究和开发计划包括三个里程碑，每个里程碑都使研究能够实施到beta测试单元的设计和制造中。 里程碑1是在不利的现场环境（如振动、潮湿和极端温度）下实现完整的仪器功能。里程碑2是为设计加固型现场设备执行必要的工作。这一里程碑的完成将提高初始现场测试服务的能力。 里程碑3是开发知识，以全面可靠地集成系统，验证子系统，并将其打包用于制造。总体目标是使公司具备必要的知识和经验，通过租赁计划进入仪器市场，用于管道检测。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will support the technological refinement and concomitant commercialization of the first accurate and portable instrument that can perform in the field nondestructive test for hardness, strength and ductility of existing infrastructure. The material properties measured include yield strength, work hardening exponent and ultimate tensile strength of metals, specifically steel. The on-shore oil and gas pipeline transmission industry has pressing needs for non-destructive tests because of the aging infrastructure, national need for energy, and recent explosions and leaks that have cost lives and billions in remediation. Although transmission pipelines have low failure rate per mile of assets, pipeline operators are asked to proactively enhance pipeline integrity where they do not have all the necessary strength data. Therefore, there is an immediate need to verify strength during the 80,000 excavations done each year so that the life of these costly assets can be extended by identifying and remediating the few sections that are vulnerable within the extended network of 300,000 miles of pipelines. Pipe cut-outs and hydrostatic pressure tests are alternatives to nondestructive testing, but both damage the asset and require expensive and complex service interruption. The overall technical objective of the Phase II work is to perform the necessary research and development to enable the development of engineering specifications, system integration, and validation of the instrument to successfully perform valuable nondestructive testing to provide precise and accurate material property data. The research and development program includes three milestones, each enabling the implementation of the research into design and manufacturing of beta test units. Milestone 1 is to enable full instrument functionality under adverse field environments such as vibration, moisture, and extreme temperatures. Milestone 2 is to perform the necessary work for designing ruggedized field units. Completion of this milestone will enhance the capability for initial field testing services. Milestone 3 is to develop the knowledge to fully and reliably integrate the system, validate the sub-systems, and package it for manufacturing. The overall goal is to enable the company to have the necessary knowledge and experience to enter the instrument market with a leasing program for use in pipeline inspections.