Large Area Distributed Acoustic Emission Health Processor for Condition Based Maintenance, Diagnostics & Prognostics

The objective of this effort is to develop a system for monitoring structures and equipment with an innovative, miniature, independent multi-channel acoustic emission (AE) system and wireless transmitters. Additionally, it will be shown that the data canbe used with confidence for assessing component fitness-for-service and determining residual strength/lifetime. The Large Area Health Monitoring Processor (LAHMP) will perform AE acquisition, analysis, diagnostic, and prognostic functions so that acentral health monitoring system (HMS) can simply read a small digital file containing fully analyzed diagnostics and prognostics. Analysis of AE data is a proven technology to make diagnostic and prognostic decisions fitness for service and remaininguseful life (RUL). Software will be developed to automate these decisions so maintenance personnel do not have to interpret data. Phase I prognostics will address reinforced composites, e.g. PAC-3 casings, and aluminum corrosion. Future work willaddress more complex assemblies and geometries. LAHMP is a significant improvement over COTS AE equipment (large, heavy, extensive cabling, large amounts of raw data for operator interpretation), point measurement sensors, and sensors that monitor damageindirectly. LAHMP will initially be designed for Boeings Battery Operated Health Monitoring System (BOHMS). Future work will adapt LAHMP to other HUMS/RRAPDS systems. LAHMP will enable the strengths of acoustic emission monitoring to be used for largearea monitoring of virtually any metallic or composite structure. It can be added to existing HMS/HUMS/RRAPDS systems. This will be applicable to rotocraft (RAH-66, MH-53J/M), fixed wing aircraft (JSF, F-18E/F), munitions (PAC-3, 2.75