In-situ Inlet and 1st Fan IBR Inspection for Advanced Aircraft

BDC’s SmartBlend® technologies provides a condition-based maintenance approach to warfighter engine IBR repairs for the AF Air Logistics Center (ALC, Oklahoma City repair depot) as well as support data-fusion with in-field, in-situ inlet inspections.A Phase II project would produce an inspection tool that performs both Geometric and Vibratory in-field inspections that link to in-depot SmartBlend inspections.  The anticipated inspection tool will have fully automated and objective defect detection (geometric inspection) that couples with an acoustic-based, vibration signature measurement that directly links in-situ F119/F135 inlet/1st fan IBR inspections to the depot-based SmartBlend inspections.  Implementation of the SmartBlend Inlet Inspection technology is expected to reduce the number of unnecessary F119/F135 engine removals due to 1st fan IBR damage issues.  Linking in-field, in-situ inlet/1st fan inspections with individual SmartBlend inspections on a serial number-by-serial number basis provides previously unavailable critical IBR health information to support rapid, real-time, in-field decision making (Go/No-Go) to support the F-22/F-35 war fighter with maximized availability and safety as well as creates a full lifecycle IBR digital thread to support future USAF engine analytics. Furthermore, by leveraging BDCs background pixel-mapping stereo photometry technology, the anticipated tool will provide rapid, objective and repeatable defect detection of the F119/F135 inlet/1st fan IBR and can potentially be used for future fighter aircraft like the F-47 and F/A-XX.