Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Metco, Inc.

John Douglas Weir

Donald DiMarzio

Steven Chu

Robert Silberstein

Joanne Swiderski McLaughlin

Dennis John Leyble

Nils J Fonneland

John H Harrington

Ronald Gary Pirich

Richard T Smyth

Don DiMarzio

John Abraham Crawford

Ferdinand J Dittrich

Kevin H Cook

William H Pember

Chris Famighetti

Robert D Fidnarick

Kevin L Boyd

John Munyak

A phased array transducer for inspecting a fastener hole and adjacent structure to identify defects and determine hole integrity without removing the fastener from the hole. The phased array transducer includes a plurality of transducer elements, where one of the transducer elements is used to align the transducer to the hole, one group of the remaining transducer elements inspects the entire thickness of the structure at one side of the fastener and another group of the remaining transducer elements inspects the entire thickness of the structure at an opposite side of the fastener.

Specially designed phased array transducer for the inspection of fastener holes and adjacent structure without the removal of the fastener

An apparatus includes a first steel component having a first surface, a second steel component having a second surface, a corrosion resistant coating on at least one of the first and second surfaces, and an adhesive bonding the first and second components together. The corrosion resistant coating can be electrically conductive.

Coatings for protection against corrosion in adhesively bonded steel joints

UV resistant inorganic coatings which exhibit photochemical activity that destroys toxic biological and chemical agents are disclosed. The inorganic coatings include semiconductor metal oxide nanoparticles that are photo-chemically active dispersed in an inorganic binder. In one embodiment, anatase titanium dioxide nanoparticles are dispersed in a silicon dioxide or silicate binder. Applications may include spacecraft, aircraft, ships, military vehicles, high value equipment and buildings such as subway stations, hospitals, railroad stations and stadiums.

Self-decontaminating inorganic coatings containing semiconductor metal oxide nanoparticles

An improved system for visual inspection of substrates coated with paints and polymers is disclosed. Painted substrates can be inspected for environmental and physical damage such as corrosion and cracks without removing the paint. The present invention provides the ability to maximize paint thickness penetration. This is accomplished with a spectral bandpass filter that rejects reflected light from the coating opaque bands, while allowing light in the paint window to pass to an IR detector such as an IR camera focal plane. The narrow bandpass range enhances the ability for IR imaging to see through thicker paint layers and improves the contrast over standard commercial IR mid-wave cameras. The bandpass may be adjusted to coincide with the full spectral window of the paint, consistent with the ability of the imaging focal plane to detect light in the spectral region.

Spectral filter system for infrared imaging of substrates through coatings

The present invention relates to a system for imaging the surface of a substrate through a coating on the substrate. The system includes an infrared light source positioned to cast an infrared light upon the substrate to thereby create reflected light. A focal plane array may be positioned to receive the reflected light and generate an image therefrom. At least one optical filter may be disposed between the substrate and the focal plane array so as to pass only coating transparent wavelengths of the reflected light along an optical path between the infrared light source and the focal plane array thereby visually revealing irregular structural features of the substrate as at least one image.

System and method for imaging of coated substrates

A system is disclosed which utilizes the substantially steady-state temperature of a coated object, in conjunction with an optical detection system, to selectively view defects and features of the object below the coating without the necessity of transient heating or IR illumination and reflectance imaging. The optical detector, such as an IR camera, may be tailored for the wavelengths at which the coating material is substantially transparent, thereby maximizing the viewing clarity of the defects and features under the coating, and distinguishing them from any spurious features on the top surface of the coating. The present system enables the inspection of small or large areas in real time, without requiring complex image acquisition, storage and image processing equipment and software.

System for detecting structural defects and features utilizing blackbody self-illumination

Silane type polyfunctional coupling agents and adhesion promoters are added to major amounts by volume of environmentally-safe organic wipe solvents generally having a low vapor pressure to form novel wipe solvent compositions for cleaning and priming the surface of a substrate such as that of metal, composite, glass, plastic or other material prior to the application of coatings of paint, adhesive and/or similar layers and/or prior to the lamination of such substrates to each other or to support structures such as honeycomb bodies, while simultaneously depositing and bonding the coupling agent and adhesion promoter to the cleaned surface of the substrate.

Environmental wipe solvent compositions and processes

A system and method for producing a corrosion-resistant article includes a metal substrate and a multi-layer resistant coating disposed over the metal substrate. The coating is operable to resist corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement of the metal substrate. The coating includes a first layer comprising a material galvanically similar to the metal substrate. The coating also includes a second layer disposed over the first layer. The second layer comprises a metal anodic to the metal substrate. The corrosion resistant article may also include a corrosion resistant interface layer at the boundary of the first and second layers. The interface layer may be formed by diffusing a portion of the second layer into the first layer.

Corrosion resistant coating system and method

A non-chrome process for the pretreatment of substrate surfaces to simultaneously clean them and improve their bonding strength for organic coatings such as adhesives, protective primers, sealants, paints, composites and similar materials conventionally bonded to such substrates, including non-chromated or chromated curable organic resin protective coatings applied directly to bare aluminum substrates. The invention involves the use of novel wipe solvent compositions containing a major volume of an environmentally-safe volatile organic solvent which has a low composite vapor pressure or is otherwise exempt from federal, state or local regulations, and a minor volume of a polyfunctional coupling agent, preferably of the silane type.

Environmental wipe solvent processes

Method for applying an aqueous benzyl alcohol paint strippling composition to the surface of a high strength steel substrate or of an assembly containing high strength steel components, such as steel fasteners on the surface of aircraft assemblies, while minimizing the effect of hydrogen-induced embrittlement, hydrogen-induced cracking and corrosion normally caused by aqueous benzyl alcohol. The invention comprises applying a liquid silane to the surface of the steel substrate or components immediately before and/or as an ingredient of a novel aqueous benzyl alcohol composition of the present invention which contains from about 1% to 10% by volume of the liquid silane.

Method for protecting steel alloys from embrittling effects of benzyl

Method and apparatus for plasma flame-spraying coating material onto a substrate by means of passing a plasma-forming gas through a nozzle electrode, passing an arc-forming current between said nozzle electrode and a rear electrode to form a plasma effluent, introducing spray coating material into the plasma effluent, passing the plasma effluent axially through a wall shroud extending from the exit of said nozzle electrode and forming a hot gas shroud for the plasma effluent at least within the wall shroud.

Method and apparatus for shielding the effluent from plasma spray gun

A flame-sprayable flexible wire comprising a mineral powder having a particle size of less than about 140 mesh and about 5 to 70% by volume of the wire of a polyurethane or epoxy polymer. Advantageously the wire is produced by forming the requisite mixture plus a curing agent, effecting a partial cure in a sheet form, crumbling the sheet to coarse granules and extruding the granules to form the wire. The mineral powder particles may first be coated with a surface active resin such as a silicone which promotes adhesion to the polymer and which protects the polymer from the degradative effect of the mineral. The preferred surface active resins are silicones. The wire retains its strength and flexibility over long periods of time and produces high quality flame sprayed surfaces.

Growing community of inventors

Huntington, NY, United States of America

John Douglas Weir