Abstract: A method of predicting thermal or chemical effect in a painted or coated composite material includes generating a calibration model, providing a composite material having a coating layer, irradiating the coating layer with infrared energy, detecting infrared energy reflected from the coating layer and predicting a thermal or chemical history of the coating layer using the calibration model and the infrared energy reflected from the coating layer.

Abstract: A stabilizing device for a handheld measurement device. An illustrative embodiment of the stabilizing device includes a device harness adapted to receive the handheld measurement device and having a handle opening and a nose opening and at least one harness attachment device carried by the device harness. A method for taking surface measurements with a handheld measurement device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of determining degree of aging of an incompletely cured polymer resin material collecting IR spectra on a series of standards with carefully controlled aging time and data collected at appropriate time intervals with the standard LC method for determining cure condition of the material, using said spectra and LC data to make a multivariate calibration model and using said model to predict the cure condition of uncured samples of interest.

Abstract: A method of determining moisture content of a composite material includes providing composite material standards with moisture content, collecting infrared spectra on the composite material standards, calibrating the infrared spectra to the moisture content, providing a composite material and predicting moisture content of the composite material based on the infrared spectra and the composite material standards.

Abstract: A method of determining a coating weight and/or amount of a conversion coating on a metallic substrate including making near-IR spectra of a series of coating weight standards on an appropriate substrate material to match sample material in question, pre-processing the data to prepare it for multivariate calibration methods, performing the multivariate calibration, saving the calibration model in the hand-held near-IR device in an appropriate format, and using the calibration model to predict sample material in question from their near IR spectra.

Abstract: A method of determining a film coating thickness on a substrate including making near-IR spectra of a series of coating thickness or coating weight standards on an appropriate substrate material to match sample material in question, pre-processing the data to prepare it for multivariate calibration methods, performing the multivariate calibration, saving the calibration model in the hand-held near-IR device in an appropriate format, and using the calibration model to predict sample material thickness in question from their near IR spectra.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of classifying a polymer containing surface is provided including collecting one or more spectra of infrared energy reflected from the surface over a spectrum of wavelengths; performing multivariate processing at one or more wavelengths; comparing results of the multivariate processing with one or more predetermined material classification models derived from model material infrared energy spectra collected from one or more model material surfaces, the one or more model material surfaces each having a known polymer material composition; and, sorting the polymer containing surface into the proper class based on a similarity of the results of the multivariate processing at one or more wavelengths with the predetermined material classification models.

Abstract: A method of determining moisture content of a composite material includes providing composite material standards with moisture content, collecting infrared spectra on the composite material standards, calibrating the infrared spectra to the moisture content, providing a composite material and predicting moisture content of the composite material based on the infrared spectra and the composite material standards.

Abstract: A method of determining a physical property of a composite material includes providing a series of composite materials/surfacing films, which are subjected to increasing thermal experience to create a set of thermal effect standards, collecting mid-IR spectra on those standards, performing data pre-processing and then multivariate calibration on the spectra of the composite materials/surfacing films, and using that calibration to predict the thermal effect for samples in question.

Abstract: A method of determining a film coating thickness on a substrate and/or amount one or more compositional ingredients of said film coating including making mid-IR spectra of a series of coating thickness or coating weight standards (and/or composition standards) on an appropriate substrate material to match sample material in question, pre-processing the data to prepare it for multivariate calibration methods, performing the multivariate calibration, saving the calibration model in the hand-held mid-IR device in an appropriate format, and using the calibration model to predict sample material in question from their mid IR spectra.

Abstract: A method of determining a film coating thickness on a substrate including making near-IR spectra of a series of coating thickness or coating weight standards on an appropriate substrate material to match sample material in question, pre-processing the data to prepare it for multivariate calibration methods, performing the multivariate calibration, saving the calibration model in the hand-held near-IR device in an appropriate format, and using the calibration model to predict sample material thickness in question from their near IR spectra.

Abstract: A method of determining a coating weight and/or amount of a conversion coating on a metallic substrate including making near-IR spectra of a series of coating weight standards on an appropriate substrate material to match sample material in question, pre-processing the data to prepare it for multivariate calibration methods, performing the multivariate calibration, saving the calibration model in the hand-held near-IR device in an appropriate format, and using the calibration model to predict sample material in question from their near IR spectra.

Abstract: An IR spectroscopic method of determining the presence or absence of metallic material embedded in polymer material including irradiating a surface of said polymer material and collecting at least one spectrum of reflected infrared energy from said surface of said over a spectrum of wavelengths including the near-infrared wherein said metallic material is at least partially absent in a affected condition; performing a multivariate comparison of said at least one spectrum with at least one reference spectrum to determine a change in reflectance of said at least one spectrum with respect to at least one reference spectrum wherein said metallic material is present in an unaffected condition; and, correlating the amount of said change in reflectance with the presence or absence of said metallic material embedded in said polymer material.

Abstract: A stabilizing device for a handheld measurement device. An illustrative embodiment of the stabilizing device includes a device harness adapted to receive the handheld measurement device and having a handle opening and a nose opening and at least one harness attachment device carried by the device harness. A method for taking surface measurements with a handheld measurement device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring coating thickness upon a substrate is disclosed. A near infrared light is directed upon the coating and reflected near infrated light is collected to determine the coating thickness. A diffuser is placed between the coating and the reflected near infrared light collector to improve the accuracy of the measurement, especially for coating thickness of less than about 2 mils and for coatings with shiny surfaces. The diffuser is formed of a low density polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer film.

Abstract: A process using environmentally friendly materials for restoring a surface of an epoxy graphite composite material that has been degraded by exposure to ultraviolet radiation. An example process includes steps of providing a gelled solvent composition, applying the gelled solvent composition to a degraded surface of an epoxy graphite composite material, and thereafter removing the gelled solvent composition to produce a restored surface. The process uses a novel gelled solvent composition comprising one or more non-halogenated organic solvents, a thickening agent, an abrasive agent, and water; wherein the gelled solvent composition has an evaporative weight loss that is lower than the evaporative weight loss of the one or more non-halogenated solvents.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring coating thickness upon a substrate containing directionally oriented elements is disclosed. A near infrared light is directed upon the coating and reflected near infrared light is collected to determine the coating thickness. A pair of stacked and crossed diffuser elements is placed between the light source and the sample, and between the sample and the reflected near infrared light collector to improve the accuracy of the measurement, especially for coating thickness of less than about 2 mils and for coatings on substrates containing directionally oriented components. Each diffuser element is formed of a polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer (PTFE) film.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring coating thickness upon a substrate is disclosed. A near infrared light is directed upon the coating and reflected near infrated light is collected to determine the coating thickness. A diffuser is placed between the coating and the reflected near infrared light collector to improve the accuracy of the measurement, especially for coating thickness of less than about 2 mils and for coatings with shiny surfaces. The diffuser is formed of a low density polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer film.