SBIR/STTR Award attributes
In this sequential Phase II (SPh2), Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to perform the engineering and preparatory manufacturing activities necessary to take a Phase II Paint-compatible, Non-Destructive Interrogation (PANDI) system from two conceptual prototypes demonstrated in the initial Phase II project to a more robust, more highly sensitive, and lower cost version that can be used for corrosion detection across a broad range of military/civilian aircraft. The new PANDI system will provide U.S. aviation - and various military helicopter platforms, the Apache, Chinook, and Black Hawk, particularly - with a hand-held, nondestructive interrogation device for detecting very early/insipient formation of corrosion in difficult-to-access areas (tanks, internal structures, etc.) without paint removal. The user-friendly PANDI software interface will allow intuitive operation for nondestructive inspection (NDI) technicians with minimum input parameters and for NDI engineers for tuning and calibration. With the development described herein, the TRL will be brought up to 7. Four PANDI units will be fabricated and distributed to potential users for independent evaluation of system performance. Feedback from field testing will be used in future production during a potential Phase III effort.
