SBIR-STTR Award

The feasibility of developing a PC based, pulsedultrasonic test system for the economical and reliable testing ofaluminum cylinders for sustained load cracking is addressed. Asystem consisting of a host PC, ultrasonic pulser/receiver anddata acquisition hardware, control and analysis software, andtransducer fixture for accurate positioning is proposed. Inaddition to the system development, specific testing protocolwill be established which will aid in identifying specific areaswhich Phase II development would focus on.Specific problems which will be addressed include theestablishment of test specifics to assure repeatable, 1005 crackdetection of the suspect area, accurate defect sizing techniquesto be used in establishing accept/reject limits and lastly, acontrollable inspection process which will ultimately lend itselfto widescale commercialization.All development will be performed with the ultimate outcome beingthat of a rapid, inexpensive, highly reliable test, suitable forwide scale use at cylinder re-test facilities throughout thegaited States (Phase III).Potential commercial application of the research:The impact of aviable, commercially available technique to detect the presenceof sustained load cracking conditions in aluminum cylinder necksis well founded. Such an available system would improve the needof removing several million seamless aluminum cylinders presentlyin service in such applications as self-contained breathingapparatus and specialty gas transportation.