Wireless Eddy Current Testing Instrument

ABSTRACT: Recent innovations in wireless communication protocols have made practical the implementation of a wireless parallel architecture impedance instrument capable of maintaining high data rates with many parallel channels. The motivation for this Phase I is to meet the needs of the Air Force for wireless instrumentation used in Nondestructive Inspections (NDI) by adding a wireless capability to JENTEK's GridStation Eddy Current testing technology. This effort will be coordinated with ongoing miniaturization and instrumentation development, demonstrating a high performance, multiple channel, wireless eddy current testing instrument for aircraft NDI. The instrument will support a wide range of applications including bolt-hole inspection, landing gear inspection, wide-area composite inspection, special coating characterization, and embedded sensors for fatigue and corrosion monitoring. In addition to improving system performance by eliminating cabling and associated cable noise, the wireless system will increase the inspector's efficiency and provide easier access for tight quarters and wide area inspections. BENEFIT: Successful completion of this Phase I SBIR will provide the Air Force with a powerful wireless inspection tool that can support a wide range of applications including bolt-hole inspection, landing gear inspection, wide-area composite inspection, special coating characterization, and embedded sensors for fatigue and corrosion monitoring. The new tool is expected to improve performance compared to existing implementations by virtue of eliminating all cabling and associated cable noise and the wireless operation will increase inspectors'efficiency, reducing time and cost of each inspection.