The results, however, will be applicable to other polymers used in aircraft wire, which will be targets of study later in the project. Brinson and her team will work to demonstrate that the technique has potential for meeting the needs of the commercial aircraft industry. This is important because the influence of different problems, such as pinholes, cracks and degradation, will show up in different frequency ranges. A key part of the research will be defining each defect's signature. Ideally, the monitoring system will be able to indicate the type of problem and its location.
Technology transfer lies at the heart of the research.
Throughout the project, the Northwestern team will be working closely with the FAA, Boeing and the airline companies. Aircraft engineers will share wiring and wiring problems with the researchers who in turn will ask the engineers to try out tests developed at Northwestern. The Northwestern team is optimistic about the work. The goal is to make airplanes safer to fly.