Recent development of the diode laser doppler velo- cimeter (dldv) has revolutionized the uses of laser velocimetry. the development of a second-generation dldv that has directional sensing capabilities and can operate in a backscatter mode is planned. successful incorporation of these two features… More

The proposed project addresses the need for continuous hard rock excavation techniques which exploit the efficiency and versatility of explosive rock fragmentation while overcoming the delays and hazards associated with the use of chemical explosives. an evaluation will bemade of the feasibility of… More

The development of an optical method is proposed for the immediate application of investigating the effects of small particles on the evolution of a laminar boundary layer formed as flow passes the nose of an underwater vehicle. during phase i, we will demonstrate the feasibility of developing such… More

We propose to determine the feasibility of a soft landing, hydraulically-powered penetrator for deploying seismometers at depths of 30 to 100 meters beneath the surface of the deep ocean bottom. seismometers deployed at these depths will be better coupled to the sediment and will be isolated from… More

This proposal addresses the need to develop a method of remotely controlling the taper of the individual track sections at arnold engineering development center's g-range hypervelocity test track. a feasibility study will be conducted to determine the track tapering requirements, evaluate the most… More

Flow research, inc. (flow), proposes to develop a scanning laser-sheet technique as a sensing and topographic mapping display system for the measurement of water surface displacement. the proposed technique is an extension of proven optical methods developed at flow for measuring the displacement of… More

Isogrid structures are used in many missile because of their lightweight and stiffness characteristics. these structures are complex and require extensive manufacturing processes that, in many situations, are cost prohibitive, as in the case of small icbms. this proposal addresses novel concepts… More

Current peacekeeper and small icbm guidance systems require tolerances on sfir (specific force integrating receiver) and tgg (third generation gyro) bores of 5x10(-6) inch (125nm). currently, these bores are inspected using a manually loaded air gauge. it is possible for the operator to damage these… More

A deep drilling system for refractory metals such as tungsten (w) and molybdenum-30 wt percent w is being developed that uses an abrasive waterjet (awj) as the cutting tool. several conceptual designs of awj drills are being prepared during phase i, which includes experimental simulation and… More

Projectiles launched at hypervelocities at the ballistic ranges of arnold engineering development center are subject to extreme loads of over 100,000 g's and occasionally fail. the ultimate material strength, in practice, limits the maximum speed to which the projectile can be launched and still… More

A runway stiffness measurement system which applies a known force to the runway is proposed. this technique dynamically measures vertical ground displacements using an electro-optical height sensor to be prototyped in this work. the developed system will be composed of a tractor-driven rolling load,… More

This research evaluates the feasibility of using an integrated drillin/completion system for exploration, testing, and production of offshore natural gas hydrates. the drilling system is based on a low power hydraulically driven motor designed for drilling in homogeneous soft sediments and… More

Directional and extended-reach drilling in natural gas and oil fields are often employed for greater well yields, or incases where it is necessary to cross the natural fracture network, to maximize recovery. conventional downhole motorsfor directional drilling systems have many shortcomings… More

A fiber-optic pressure transducer (fopt) based on patented fiber-optic sensing methods will be developed for use in pressure chambers at pressures from 50,000 to 120,000 pounds per square inch. the fopt, operating in either the amplitudeor phase-modulation mode, will detect the displacement of a… More

An advanced gas turbine engine to power supersonic transportaircraft is currently under study. in addition to high combustion-efficiency requirements, environmental concerns have placed stringent restrictions on the pollutant emissions from these engines. a combustor design with the potential for… More

Particles in the air absorb and scatter electromagnetic waves, causing transmission loss and image obscuration. the patterns of scattering and extinction are functions of wavelength and particle size. in order to calculate the transmittance and extinction coefficients of multi-spectral, from visible… More

The development of a portable wind shear detection and warning system (wsdws) is proposed for improving the safety of aeronautical missions during takeoff and landing. the wsdws will be an upgraded version of an existing patented system with emphasis on rapid deployment for military operations. the… More

Advanced aerospace programs require materials capable of operating in temperature environments exceeding 2000of. to assess the thermal and structural performance of these materials, testing must be performed at high temperatures. new techniques are needed to monitor and assess material performance… More

The development of an instrument for mapping the infrared radiance field from interior surfaces of turbine engine exhaust cavities is proposed. The instrument will consist of a cooled, rotating optical head that will traverse along the axis of the engine exhaust, mapping the infrared radiance from… More

Projectiles launched at hypervelocities at the ballistic ranges of Arnold Enginering Development Center are subject to extreme loads of over 100,00 g's and occasionally fail. The ultimate material strength, in practice, limits the maximum speed to which the projectile can be launched and still… More

High-velocity waterjets and abrasive waterjets have become viable precision cutting tools for awide range of applications. this project addresses the use of argon liquid or gas cutting jets for fabricating the metal fuel pins used in the pyrometallurgical fuel cycle of advanced reactor concepts.… More

The proposed study will evaluate the feasibility of adapting medium format metric camera systems for aerial photogrammetry from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform. The new generation of UAVs have the capacity to carry medium format (up to 5 cm x 7 cm) metric cameras suitable for precision… More

To enhance characterization of the propagation path of assorted Army electro-optical and electro-acoustic devices, a detailed understanding of atmospheric conditions near the ground surface is needed. This proposal concentrates on the effects due to the presence of airborne particles. The… More

Microbilogically influenced corrosion (MIC) has been shown to be a leading cause of internal corrosion and failures in marine tubing and piping systems. A technique is proposed to identify and characterize MIC-affected tubing and piping through the use of advancced and cost-effective NDE methods.… More

In Phase I of this project, we will investigate the feasibility of adding a "real-time" or "near real-time " stereoscopic imaging capability to the armaments radiographic inspection system already in place at Yuma Proving Ground. We will determine the best way to implement rapid, accurate, and… More

Traditional rock cutting, coring, and metal cutting methods have serious technical, environmental, and safety limitations for underwater applications. high-pressure abrasive-waterjet (awj) cutting is demonstrated as a revolutionary technique for cutting any material at ocean depths up to 20,000… More

Polycrystalline diamond films in an as-deposited condition do not provide the required optical quality to reduce scatter sufficiently for many applications. a research investigation will be conducted to determine the feasibility of achieving an optical-quality surface finish by using… More

Recent advancements in machine vision technology and knowledge-based expert systems have resulted in powerful, commercially available systems for image analysis and interpretation. composite materials research has demonstrated the effectiveness of employing image processing techniques to provide… More

The rapid and accurate measurement of internally threaded holes is one of today's more difficult measurement problems. this is particularly true in light of the recently adopted fastener quality act (pl 101-595/hr3000) and mil-spec 7742d for class 3 safety-critical fasteners. quest has previously… More

Acoustic lens design is proposed for the fabrication of underwater sonar systems for target acquisition. Building upon the vast knowledge of earlier acoustic lens research, the proposed study emphasizes the system integration with the objectives of compactness - both in size and weight, high… More

The high-speed rotary handpiece is used for drilling, cutting, and grinding in modern dentaltreatment. Emergence of HIV and AIDS has highlighted deficiencies in the current handpiece design,bringing recognition of its potential role in the transmission of infectious diseases. Current… More

Aluminum nitride (AlN), an electronic substrate material, is a promising ceramic for high-temperature structural applications. The self-reinforced AlN to be developed in this project will have room-temperature properties of 1000 MPa flexural strength and 7 to 8 MPa.m 1/2 fracture toughness. The… More

The rigid-flex printed wiring board (PWB) is the state-of-the-art in electronics circuitry development. It offers the most in board configuration flexibility for making optimal use of space in electronic packaging, improving performance of electronics packages, and reducing maintenance. However,… More

QUEST Integrated, Inc. proposes the development of a laser-based inspection instrument for the assessment of the condition of solid propellant in a solid rocket motor. The device will consist of an intrinsically safe, noncontacting rotating head that will employ laser triangulation techniques to… More

A fast response aerodynamic balance will be developed for force and moment measurements under non-steady-state flight conditions. A cylindrical balance 2 inches in diameter and 6 inches long that uses a set of X-flexures will be considered as a candidate design. To satisfy the requirement for… More

Bubbles within a cloud can undergo collective oscillations and produce large acoustic emissions at low frequencies (20 to 2 kHz). Using the collective oscillation properties, relatively small targets can be developed for underwater acoustics research and other applications. This proposal presents… More

QUEST Integrated, Inc. (formerly Flow Research) proposes to develop and fabricate compliant coatings synthesizing dolphin skin/blubber for use on underwater vehicles to achieve drag and flow noise reduction. Guided by the theory of the hydrodynamic response of viscoelastic materials, the design of… More

A programmable, pulse code modulation (PCM) encoder for telemetry applications is proposed. Existing encoders do not provide for on-board processing of signals and, in general, are not very sophisticated as compared to current available technology. We propose development of a modular digital signal… More

Current IR systems are extremely susceptible to electromagnetic and radio frequency interference (EMI/RFI) because they possess large apertures that present ideal front-door entry paths for EM radiation. Significant amounts of EM radiation (400 MHz - 18 GHz) can penetrate and couple to the IR sensor… More

This Phase I study will show the feasibility of ultrahigh-pressure wagerer coke removal and laser-optic inspection for the renewal of jet engine fuel tubes and manifolds. Ultrahigh-pressure, 55,000 psi, pure waterjets offer significant advantages as the basis for a new coke removal method for… More

This proposal addresses the development of a versatile, low-cost tool and techniques for its application to the repair of composite materials in jet engine components. This tool will consist of a waterjet, abrasive-waterjet, or an abrasive suspension jet. The repair process may include several… More

Stereoscopic imaging is a powerful technique that can provide (1) 3D visual inspections (for both surface and interior features), (2) 3D measurements, and (3) 3D defect algorithms. We propose a PC-based microelectronics inspection system that takes advantage of not only stereo imaging, but also… More

Rapid Metal Fabrication (RAMFAB) is a technique in urgent need of development. Since the introduction of rapid prototyping (RP) systems such as StereoLithography and Fused Deposition Modeling for creating non-metallic prototype parts of arbitrary geometry, manufacturing industries have been waiting… More

This project will investigate the feasibility of alloying MoSi, to improve its low temperature ductility and fracture toughness without degrading its oxidation resistance and creep strength while maintaining a similar density. The project objective is to lower the brittle-ductile transition… More

The U.S. Army uses millions of threaded components in its weapon systems, many of which are nonstandard or Class III Safety Critical and therefore must undergo rigorous dimensional quality control. The inspection of threaded parts using conventional surface-contacting gauges is costly,… More

The proposed study will evaluate the feasibility of using an optical sensor (structured lighting/image processing) to detect gap and tape/tow widths for automated composites fabrication processes such as tape laying, tow placement, and filament winding. The sensor will serve as a real-time,… More

Researchers are developing direct micromechanical simulation technique to model damage accumulation in composite materials. composite material technology allows the engineer to tailor the material properties for the specific design requirements of a mechanical system, such as a propulsion system.… More

Current IR systems are extremely susceptible to electromagnetic and radio frequency interference (EMI/RFI) because they possess large apertures that present ideal front-door entry paths for EM radiation. Significant amounts of EM radiation (400 MHz - 18 GHz) can penetrate and couple to the IR… More

In situ bioremediation would significantly reduce the costs and risks associatedwith the cleanup of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbon (CAH) solvent contaminationin the vadose zone and in groundwater. CAH remediation requires controlledaccess to the subsurface for delivery and mixing of a variety of… More

Dense, high-performance electronic systems employ advanced substrate materials, such as ceramics, for maximum heat dissipation. During the fabrication of these ceramic packages various thick-film and thin-film materials are bonded to the substrate and subsequently serve as circuit paths and… More

This project will advance the state of the art of ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) jet machining technology. Existing technology uses water as the working fluid that accelerates abrasive particles in high-velocity, highly coherent jets. Despite successful demonstration and industrial utilization of the… More

The proposed study will evaluate the effectiveness of combining polishing and doping to reduce twin nucleation sites and to prevent twin boundary movement in sapphire to improve its thermal shock resistance. Doped and undoped single-crystal sapphire will be grown by the Czochralski method. The… More

The development of an intelligent shearography optical inspection system with an innovative and robust excitation technique for detecting weak bonds, delamination, and disbonds in composite materials and structures is proposed. This development will be conducted with the collaboration of Sandia… More

A one degree of freedom high-frequency aerodynamic bearing-balance will be developed for force, moment, and orientation measurements under non-steady-state flight conditions. A cylindrical bearing-balance three inches in diameter using displacement sensing will be considered as the best candidate… More

41076 November 20, 1996 Quest Integrated, Inc. Hard rock drilling is a difficult and expensive process that limits our ability to develop geothermal resources. This project will investigate methods of fatigue weakening the rock to increase the… More

This project addresses experimental and theoretical studies on the use of abrasive-waterjets (AWJs) to drill precise small-diameter holes in advanced materials. AWJs have been demonstrated for the precision drilling of small-diameter holes (0.5-2.5 mm [0.02-1.0 inch]) in metals, glass, composites,… More

114 In-Situ Ultrahigh-Pressure Waterjet Peening of Nuclear Reactor Internals for the Prevention of Stress Corrosion Cracking--Waterjet Technology, Inc., 21414 68th Avenue South, Kent, WA 98032-2439; (206) 872-1925 Mr. David Monserud, Principal Investigator Ms. Diana Suzuki, Business… More

50360-98-I Development of an Underwater Cutting Process for Dismantlement and Size Reduction--Waterjet Technology, Inc., 21414 68th Avenue South, Kent, WA 98032-2416; (253) 872-1925 Mr. Pete Miles, Principal Investigator Mr. David Lierman, Business Official DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-98ER82711 Amount: … More

50359-98-I A Cost-Effective and Mobile Ultrahigh-Pressure Cryogenic System for Decontamination and Decommisioning--Waterjet Technology, Inc., 21414 68th Avenue South, Kent, WA 98032-2416; (253) 872-1925 Dr. Peter H. T. Liu, Principal Investigator Mr. David Lierman, Business Official DOE Grant No.… More