Open Call for Innovative Defense-Related Dual-Purpose Technologies/Solutions with a Clear Defense Stakeholder Need

The use of bonded polymer matrix composite structures in Air Force aircraft has been limited due to the lack of ability to confirm sufficient bond strength with nondestructive testing. The Boeing Company has developed a laser shock method to test joints, which is followed by an ultrasonic inspection to detect any weak bonds broken by the laser shock. For this SBIR program, TRI Austin, with Boeing support, proposes to apply a new Automated Defect Analysis (ADA) technology to the post-laser ultrasonic inspection to improve the speed and reliability of this necessary part of the process.  TRI Austin has recently developed this ADA technology to improve the speed and reliability of the ultrasonic inspections that are performed during manufacturing. Composite structures are required to undergo these ultrasonic inspections at the end of the manufacturing process, and the interpretation of the large data sets is a manual process. The ADA can use a selection of technologies including artificial intelligence (AI) to assist inspectors, with massive reductions in the data that must be reviewed by humans (over 90% reduction in trials on F-35 production parts). This reduces labor hours and flow time while improving reliability by providing consistent, algorithmic methods to the interpretation of large data sets.