Digital Integrated Shearographic Camera for On-Wing Defect Inspection of Aircraft Components

High-performance high-strength aircraft components can suffer catastrophic failure as a result of fatigue at very small cracks. Detecting fatigue or creep at an early stage can eliminate loss or fatal damage to a multimillion dollar machine and savelives. Current maintenance techniques for inspecting components for creep or fatigue damage require disassembly of aircraft systems/subsystems contributing to operation and support (O&S) costs and maintenance downtime. Physical Optics Corporation (POC)proposes to develop a digital integrated shearographic camera (DISC) for real-time inspection of aircraft components, including turbine/compressor blades inside turbine engines, to detect both superficial and buried defects. DISC integrates several systemfunctions in an innovative single element. Digital processing of the shearograms extracts detailed quantitative measures of microstrain at each flaw location. The borescope-based handheld device will give the DISC access to perform measurements indifficult-to-reach areas. The system will be designed to address U.S. Army Operating and Support Cost Reduction (OSCR) initiatives. In Phase I, POC will procure and develop the essential hardware and software, and will demonstrate the capability todetect microstrains in aircraft components in situ. Transition from Phase I design to Phase II prototype development will be initiated in the option period.The proposed digital shearographic camera has wide potential in both military and civilianapplications, including in aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the Army, Air Force, Navy, and NASA, and in commercial engine and aircraft manufacturing. The instrument can also be used for defect measurement on automobile bodies and wheels,other machines, buildings, and infrastructure.