99--TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY NON-INVASIVE HANDHELD PROBE FOR DETECTINGDEEP FLAWS IN STRUCTURES. LAR-16116

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use. NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses. THE TECHNOLOGY: Scientists at NASA Langley Research Center have developed a new nondestructive evaluation probe to detect small fatigue cracks prior to the onset of widespread fatigue damage. The detection of deeply buried fatigue cracks in thick multilayer structures, like airplane wings, continues to be a challenge for the nondestructive evaluation community. This new technology leverages the low frequency magnetic field sensitivity of giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensors to identify subsurface cracks up to 1 cm deep. The handheld GMR flux focusing eddy current probe detects deep flaws in thick multilayered conductive materials. The probe uses an excitation coil to induce eddy currents in the material. A GMR sensor, surrounded by the excitation coil, is used to detect generated fields. A highly permeable, flux-focusing lens is located between and separates the coil and the GMR sensor, producing a high flux density at the outer edge of the GMR sensor. By adjusting the drive frequency, and knowing certain material properties of the test specimen, one can calculate the magnetic field depth. The magnetic field changes in the proximity of subsurface cracks. A prototype of the GMR probe has been developed and thoroughly tested jointly by NASA and the Department of Defense as part of an anti-aging aircraft program. The GMR sensor has been tested against other probes on wing spar joint fasteners and found to outperform the others, particularly at low frequencies. U.S. Patent 6,888,346. To express interest in this opportunity, please respond to [email protected] with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this FBO notice and your preferred contact information. Please also provide the nature of your interest in the technology along with a brief background of your company. For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at http://technology.nasa.gov/ . These responses are provided to members of NASA Langleys Office of Strategic Analysis and Business Development OSACB for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. If direct licensing interest results from this posting, OSACB will follow the required formal licensing process of posting in the Federal Register. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.