Condition-Based Health Monitoring Utilizing Tip Timing Data

The United States Air Force at Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) has identified a need for long-term health monitoring software utilizing blade tip timing. This software will provide multiple benefits, including the potential to minimize $500,000 in time-based maintenance costs experienced by the Engine Test Facility at AEDC, improve maintenance and analyst personnel productivity, and improve system availability. As digital signal processing technology has improved, tip timing has become increasingly attractive for long-term health monitoring applications by reducing the cost in hardware and manpower to purchase and operate the tip timing hardware and software. This proposal is based on a clear Air Force stakeholder need provided by the attached letter of support. Commercially, this software can be expected to be used across several industries including aerospace, power generation, and oil/gas. This solution will also have the dual benefit of increasing test analyst productivity at Air Force Test Centers which utilize tip timing for turbine engine testing.