OPTICAL FIBER INSPECTION SYSTEM FOR COMPOSITE SHAFTING

THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE THE NAVY WITH A LOW-COST FIBER OPTIC ENHANCEMENT TO THE "STANDARD" COMPOSITE PROPULSION SHAFTS IT PROPOSES FOR FUTURE SHIPS. THIS ENHANCEMENT WILL PROVIDE THREE SPECIFIC ADVANTAGES. FIRST, IT WILL PROVIDE A MEANS OF QUALITY CONTROL THROUGH THE SCIENTIFIC MONITORING OF THE THICK WALL COMPOSITE DURING MANUFACTURE. SECOND, IT WILL PROVIDE A MEANS OF "REAL-TIME" MONITORING OF THE CONDITION OF THE SHAFT WHILE IT IS IN OPERATION AND UNDER LOAD. THIRD, IT WILL PROVIDE A MEANS OF LOCATING AND QUANTIFYING THE EXTEND OF ANY DAMAGE TO THE SHAFT. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE SELECTION OF SPECIFIC FIBER OPTICS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A THREE DIMENSIONAL SPACING (MATRIX) SYSTEM OF PLACING THE OPTICS WITHIN THE COMPOSITE. THE PROPOSED "SMART SKINS" CONCEPT WILL RESULT IN THE NAVY BEING ABLE TO MONITOR THE HISTORY AND CONDITION OF THE COMPOSITE SHAFT FROM ITS INITIAL MANUFACTURE THROUGH ITS OPERATION ABOARD A SHIP.