Thiokol Corporation

Alliant Techsystems Inc.

Orbital Atk, Inc.

Lee H Pearson

Robert L Graham

John L Shipley

Mont A Johnson

Timothy E Doyle

Mary Knighton

Kendall B Johnson

John K Hartman

John Stover

Brett Swimley

A method for detecting defects in an object of interest comprises applying an ultrasonic signal including a tone burst having a predetermined frequency and number of cycles into an object of interest, receiving a return signal reflected from the object of interest, and processing the return signal to detect defects in at least one inner material. The object may have an outer material and the at least one inner material that have different acoustic impedances. An ultrasonic sensor system includes an ultrasonic sensor configured to generate an ultrasonic signal having a tone burst at a predetermined frequency corresponding to a resonant frequency of an outer material of an object of interest.

Methods and apparatus for detecting defects in an object of interest

A sensor for measuring material properties such as the relaxation modulus of a material in situ and a method of measuring material properties of a material are disclosed. The sensor may be substantially embedded in the material, and includes a deformable driver. When actuated, the deformable driver may create a stress in the adjacent material. The movement or deformation of the driver may be measured with a sensing device, for example a strain gage mounted on a surface thereof. The stress in the adjacent material may be measured with a second sensing device, for example a pressure sensor. The measured movement and stress over a predetermined period of time may he used to determine the relaxation modulus of the material.

Relaxation modulus sensor, structure incorporating same, and method for use of same

Acousto-optic tunable filter-based surface scanning system and process

A system and process for obtaining near real time, non-destructive inspection and characterization of surfaces. The system includes an infrared light source which is directed on a surface to be inspected. A portion of the reflected light is gathered and directed through an optical filter arrangement which separates the light into a plurality of sets of wavelengths which correspond to particular physical properties of the thin film, such as absorbance. The intensity of each set of wavelengths is detected by optical detectors and the resulting signals analyzed to characterize the surface.

Surface inspection and characterization system and process

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Bear River City, UT, United States of America

Lee H Pearson