D&W Enterprises, LTD in Conjunction with the (enter for Nondestructive Evaluation, Iowa State University proposes to develop basic research work in pulsed eddy current (PEC) technology and to transfer this technology to a commercial product for use in the detection and quantification of hidden corrosion conditions in aging aircraft structures. Proof of principle for the instrument and method has been demonstrated for corrosion detection. Development and application tasks remain in probe design and performance characterization (optimization) and in application to meet the requirements for aging aircraft systems. The proposed Phase I program will develop NDE modeling tools to characterize and predict signal response levels for the PEC system with interface to upgraded probability of detection (POD) models. These tools will provide a predictive analytical capability for NDE model -based optimization and predictive POD capabilities. Limited experimental data will be used for model validation. The Phase I program is essential to economic development of new probes, arrays and by scanning modes to enable demonstration on hardware components during a Phase II program. A Phase III effort will then commercialize the instrument I sensor software system for use by DOD, NASA, Commercial and Civil aircraft applications
