Abstract: A system and method as disclosed herein develops a predicted current remaining useful life (RUL) of a component through a generalized fault and usage model that is designed through a process of simplifying Paris' Law (or other power law) in conjunction with a Kalman Smoother (or other filtering technique). One of the many advantages of this state observer technique is that the backward/forward filtering technique employed by the Kalman Smoother has no phase delay, which allows for the development of a generalized, zero tuning model that provides an improved component health trend, and therefore a better estimate of the predicted current RUL.

Abstract: A system and method as disclosed herein develops a predicted current remaining useful life (RUL) of a component through a generalized fault and usage model that is designed through a process of simplifying Paris' Law (or other power law) in conjunction with a Kalman Smoother (or other filtering technique). One of the many advantages of this state observer technique is that the backward/forward filtering technique employed by the Kalman Smoother has no phase delay, which allows for the development of a generalized, zero tuning model that provides an improved component health trend, and therefore a better estimate of the predicted current RUL.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a tachometer signal from a vibration sensor is disclosed in which an approximately idealized band pass filter is used along with a fast Fourier transform (FFT) to create a sufficient analytic signal to derive the tachometer signal for a shaft or other rotating component. In addition, jitter in the generated tachometer signal, or any tachometer signal, can be reduced by using an approximately idealized low pass filter and then transforming the filtered signal using a real FFT. These processes can be performed using a smart vibration sensor, which facilitates improved vibration analysis on rotating equipment where in the past the addition of a tachometer would be prohibitive due to cost, weight, certification requirements, or physical impracticality.

Abstract: An integrated hanger bearing monitor is provided for reducing installation time and added weight that includes a sensor and an interconnect on a mounting bracket that is sized and configured to be attached to a hanger bearing mounting bracket via connectors that mount the hanger bearing mounting bracket to the helicopter.

Abstract: Assessing and removing jitter from tachometer signals enhances the performance of condition monitoring systems where accurate tachometer signals are needed. A system as disclosed herein can be designed and configured to have a low order of operations, so as to allow for implementation on low cost microcontrollers, which can be important for bused, distributed monitoring systems in which the tachometer zero crossing data is collected at a tachometer sensor and then broadcast to other remote sensors needing that information for vibration or other advanced analysis. Moreover, for monolithic architecture systems (e.g., a centralized processing and control architecture), the low order of operation and small software code base allows the system to be a simple/low cost addition to existing monitoring systems.

Abstract: A system is provided for aircraft that automates the download of flight data in the event of a hard landing or mishap that can increase the likelihood that the flight data is preserved so the flight data could be used to facilitate the reconstruction of events leading up to the flight mishap. An aircraft regime recognition technique is provided in which measured parameters are used to determine a likely regime based on a noise tolerant algorithm that is both scalable and has a low computational complexity.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a tachometer signal from a vibration sensor is disclosed in which an approximately idealized band pass filter is used along with a fast Fourier transform (FFT) to create a sufficient analytic signal to derive the tachometer signal for a shaft or other rotating component. In addition, jitter in the generated tachometer signal, or any tachometer signal, can be reduced by using an approximately idealized low pass filter and then transforming the filtered signal using a real FFT. These processes can be performed using a smart vibration sensor, which facilitates improved vibration analysis on rotating equipment where in the past the addition of a tachometer would be prohibitive due to cost, weight, certification requirements, or physical impracticality.

Abstract: Assessing and removing jitter from tachometer signals enhances the performance of condition monitoring systems where accurate tachometer signals are needed. A system as disclosed herein can be designed and configured to have a low order of operations, so as to allow for implementation on low cost microcontrollers, which can be important for bused, distributed monitoring systems in which the tachometer zero crossing data is collected at a tachometer sensor and then broadcast to other remote sensors needing that information for vibration or other advanced analysis. Moreover, for monolithic architecture systems (e.g., a centralized processing and control architecture), the low order of operation and small software code base allows the system to be a simple/low cost addition to existing monitoring systems.

Abstract: A suspension system for a health and usage monitoring system including an inertial measurement unit is provided that includes a plurality of elastomer standoffs coupled between an enclosure of the health and usage monitoring system and an electronics board of the health and usage monitoring system thereby allowing for hysteretic damping to reduce vibration and shock experienced by the electronics board and inertial measurement unit.

Abstract: An integrated hanger bearing monitor is provided for reducing installation time and added weight that includes a sensor and an interconnect on a mounting bracket that is sized and configured to be attached to a hanger bearing mounting bracket via connectors that mount the hanger bearing mounting bracket to the helicopter.

Abstract: A helicopter rotor blade performance system (BPS) allows for accurate determination of blade track height and blade track phase while reducing size, weight, and complexity of the system. The BPS uses sensing technology that is scalable to adapt to a variety of helicopters and is readily and unobtrusively installed. The BPS includes a bused smart system methodology that can directly measure track height, while phase can be estimated using the time synchronous average of the magnitude or range of the return signal from a radar wave. The BPS includes a rotation monitor, radar tracker, and control unit, that allows for a determination of the track errors and consequentially whether a track rebalancing should occur.

Abstract: Assessing and removing jitter from tachometer signals enhances the performance of condition monitoring systems where accurate tachometer signals are needed. A system as disclosed herein can be designed and configured to have a low order of operations, so as to allow for implementation on low cost microcontrollers, which can be important for bused, distributed monitoring systems in which the tachometer zero crossing data is collected at a tachometer sensor and then broadcast to other remote sensors needing that information for vibration or other advanced analysis. Moreover, for monolithic architecture systems (e.g., a centralized processing and control architecture), the low order of operation and small software code base allows the system to be a simple/low cost addition to existing monitoring systems.

Abstract: A system and method as disclosed herein develops a predicted current remaining useful life (RUL) of a component through a generalized fault and usage model that is designed through a process of simplifying Paris' Law (or other power law) in conjunction with a Kalman Smoother (or other filtering technique). One of the many advantages of this state observer technique is that the backward/forward filtering technique employed by the Kalman Smoother has no phase delay, which allows for the development of a generalized, zero tuning model that provides an improved component health trend, and therefore a better estimate of the predicted current RUL.

Abstract: A helicopter rotor blade performance system (BPS) allows for accurate determination of blade track height and blade track phase while reducing size, weight, and complexity of the system. The BPS uses sensing technology that is scalable to adapt to a variety of helicopters and is readily and unobtrusively installed. The BPS includes a bused smart system methodology that can directly measure track height, while phase can be estimated using the time synchronous average of the magnitude or range of the return signal from a radar wave. The BPS includes a rotation monitor, radar tracker, and control unit, that allows for a determination of the track errors and consequentially whether a track rebalancing should occur.

Abstract: A monitoring system of the present disclosure reduces the sampling and processing requirements for on-line/in-flight monitoring of structural components and thus facilitates detection of high cycle/low amplitude fatigue damage. Moreover, the monitoring system can develop a physical failure model based on information received from monitoring sensors that can be used to determine the remaining useful life (RUL) of structural components. In an exemplary embodiment, the incorporation of low cost, light weight, bused sensors would facilitate in-flight load tracking and detection of high cycle/low amplitude fatigue damage. In this embodiment, a model based on the physical degradation process of the material under analysis (e.g., a physical failure model based on cumulative damage estimation, i.e., based on an AE events count) can be generated using measurable and quantifiable parameters from these sensors and accordingly the RUL of structural components can be determined.

Abstract: Described are techniques for selecting options used with current sensor data characterizing vibration caused by rotating blades. Sets of other sensor data are evaluated to determine a first of the sets of other sensor data that is a best match for said current sensor data. Each of the sets of other sensor data is associated with one of a plurality of option sets. Each option set includes options used in determining one or more adjustments that may be applied to the blades to reduce vibration. The one or more sets of other sensor data are evaluated to determine a first of the sets of other sensor data that is a best match for said current sensor data. A first of the plurality of option sets associated with said first set of sensor data is used in determining adjustment(s) that may be applied to the blades.

Abstract: A health and usage monitoring system for use in monitoring health and usage of one or more components of a vehicle. In various embodiments, the present invention uses at least one roving wireless sensor that can be temporarily placed in a first position to monitor one or more components of the vehicle and then moved to another position to monitor one or more other components of the vehicle, thus reducing the total number of sensors used to monitor the vehicle. In some embodiments, a system according to the present invention may comprise at least one or more roving wireless sensors. Other embodiments may comprise one or more roving wireless sensors used in conjunction with one or more wired sensors. The present invention also provides similar embodiments for a method of monitoring the health and usage of one or more components of a vehicle.

Abstract: Determining health of a component includes using at least one processor to perform processes including acquiring a plurality of measured values corresponding to the condition indicators. Synchronous noise components are removed from the measured values to provide revised measured values, and the revised measured values are used to determine noise-filtered condition indicator values. The noise-filtered condition indicator values may be used in algorithms to determine the health of the component. Removing synchronous noise components may include determining a predicted value thereof using covariance and autocovariance of the measured values. The component may be a split torque gearbox.

Abstract: In vibration based mechanical diagnostics, algorithms may extract some feature of a component which may be used as a statistic of the components' health. A measured condition indicator corresponding to the analysis of the components' health may be a function of transmission error (TE). Because there exists a relationship between TE and the CI for a component that is faulted, the CI is correlated with power transmitted. In drive train components, power may be proportional to measured torque. In terms of diagnostics or trending of a component, it is desirable to reduce the scatter in the measured CI and account for this torque. The relationship between measured CI and torque may be captured over time. An increase in the correlation of torque with the CI would indicate an increase of TE which indicates the propagation of a fault.

Abstract: A health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) and method for monitoring the health and/or usage of one or more components of a vehicle. In various embodiments, the present invention uses a plurality of wireless sensors configured, when activated by a vibration of the vehicle, to monitor one or more components of the vehicle and to communicate health and/or usage data of the one or more components of the vehicle to a data access point. The data access point may relay real-time health and/or usage data to an operator of the vehicle, or the health and/or usage data may accessed later. Such a system allows critical components of the vehicle to be monitored so as to reduce failures, and so that repairs to, or replacements of, the critical components of the vehicle may be planned, thus reducing unscheduled downtime.