Advancement of CryoUltrasonic Testing for Inspection of Aerospace Components

The Department of Defense, specifically the United States Air Force, is seeking proposals for the advancement of CryoUltrasonic Testing technology aimed at the nondestructive evaluation of complex-shaped aerospace components. The objective is to enhance this innovative testing method to demonstrate its feasibility on representative aerospace components, particularly focusing on the ability to freeze and test components with surrogate flaws as small as a 1 Flat Bottom Hole, while achieving ultrasonic testing frequencies of at least 2 Megahertz, with a goal of 10 Megahertz. This technology is crucial for improving inspection capabilities for both conventional and Additively Manufactured components that are challenging to evaluate using existing nondestructive methods. The solicitation is currently in the pre-release phase, with proposals due by February 5, 2025, and further details can be found at the official DOD SBIR website.