Optical, Rotary, Intrinsic Encoder for Non-contact Torque measurement system (ORIENT)

Torque measurements on rotating drive shafts in aircraft are increasingly important for health monitoring, identifying failures before they occur, and predicting remaining life cycle. ChromoLogic LLC (CL) proposes to develop an Optical, Rotary, Intrinsic Encoder for Non-contact Torque measurement system (ORIENT) to provide accurate measurements of drive shaft displacement, rotation speed, and torque. Based on CLs proven non-contact optical inspection technology to identify and track surface features, CLs proprietary algorithms use the intrinsic microstructure of the shaft surface to unambiguously determine the drive shaft orientation at any instant, without the need to mark, etch, or modify the shaft. To date, this method has been demonstrated on black, painted, matte, and highly reflective surfaces, from plastic, metallic, ceramic, and hybrid materials. This capability permits characterization of drive shafts created from non-ferrous and carbon fiber reinforced composite materials. Finally, this method requires no modification to the drive shaft, is truly non-contact, and as such, can be applied as a drop-in solution to retrofit existing aircraft without the need to requalify components.