Wireless Sensors with Advanced Detection and Prognostic Capabilities for Corrosion Health Management

Corrosion Health Monitoring Systems (HMS) and Prognostics are key to maintaining the performance and reliability of high value, critical structures. Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Corrosion and Control Plan seeks to minimize life-cycle costs due to environmental degradation of nonmetallic materials and corrosion of metals by early detection, monitoring and prediction of corrosion using a HMS that meets critical size, weight, and power constraints, thereby requiring state-of-the-art in microsensor and electronic subsystem technologies. Combining its sensor products, Analatom proposes to develop a Wireless Corrosion Monitoring system for JSF consisting of a multiplexed system consisting of several nodes to obtain data from several low cost, microfabricated corrosion and MEMS strain gauge sensors, with real time intelligent algorithms to detect, monitor and predict corrosion rates; simple integrated electronic components for sensor interfacing, low cost, off-the-shelf microcontroller chips for data acquisition and processing; and a low-power, low-cost wireless network system for downloading the sensor network data to a central health management system. During Phase I, the architectural strategy will be developed along with feasibility demonstration of a wireless corrosion sensor system. Data collection and software protocols issues for data downloading will additionally be addressed during this effort.