Distributed Sensors for Monitoring of Actual Corrosion

Corrosion of aircraft poses many problems including safety risks, higher maintenance costs, and reduced, operational effectiveness. Detection of corrosion on aircraft is difficult because corrosion often occurs in hidden places, requiring extended maintenance periods for disassembly. A corrosion detection system is proposed utilizing self contained sensors affixed to the aircraft. Novel sensors are proposed to directly monitor the amount of corrosion within the aircraft structure. These sensors will monitor the actual corrosion as well as corrosive conditions and will transmit measurements at regular intervals to a central processor onboard the aircraft. Maintenance personnel need only link to the central processor to determine when corrosion levels reach a threshold requiring service, thereby reducing overall service time and cost. Several means of data transmission are explored. During Phase I we design and develop a prototype system using wireless transmission of data. Tests using Navy facilities are planned during Phase I.