SBIR-STTR Award

Micro-calorimetry is a Nondestructive Test (NDT) capable of detecting heat characteristics that could identify improperly processed, counterfeit, substandard, nonconforming or fake raw material prior to materials introduction into end-product production cycles. Current calorimetric technology is an extremely sensitive, expensive and time consuming process, utilizing an adiabatic or semi-adiabatic chamber for specimen placement, which is typically performed in a laboratory environment. Using the measurable properties of this existing technology, and the physics of heat transfer, we have conceptually designed a new inspection device, capable of field inspections for product compliance. Organizations implementing this new technology as part of their receipt inspection process will realize rapid, cost effective detection and identification of substandard material prior to acceptance or use. This will allow industries such as shipbuilding yards, aviation and aerospace manufacturers, organizations using additive manufacturing processes, automotive manufacturers, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Supply Chain Centers, etc., to detect and reject nonconforming material immediately. This cost saving, innovative technology can be used on any and all materials, both metal and non-metal, capable of heat transfer.

Inspecting for and detecting counterfeit, unapproved material substitutions or substandard processed raw material using existing processes is difficult, time consuming and expensive.Ocean Bay, LLC and the Primary Investigator, Karen Bruer, formed a team consisting of Ocean Bay, LLC, Savanah River National Laboratory and Old Dominion University, to apply for DLA15C-001:Detecting Substandard, Nonconforming, Improperly Processed and Counterfeit Materiel solicitation.Using the measurable properties of existing technology, and the physics of nondestructive testing mythologies we have conceptually designed a new inspection device, capable of field inspections for product compliance.Organizations implementing this new technology as part of their receipt inspection process will realize rapid, cost effective detection and identification of substandard material prior to acceptance or use.This will allow industries such as shipbuilding yards, aviation and aerospace manufacturers, organizations using additive manufacturing processes, automotive manufacturers, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Supply Chain Centers, etc., to detect and reject nonconforming, improperly processed or counterfeit material immediately.This cost saving, innovative technology can be used on any and all materials, both metallic and non-metallic.The two materials used in this STTR for proof of process will be 7075 Aluminum and rubber.