Straight Lines Consultancy


ASX Release 3rd March 2016


WORLD-LEADING INAUGURAL HELICOPTER PROGRAMME

Structural Monitoring Systems plc ("SMS" or "the Company") (ASX: SMN) is pleased to provide material information regarding the Company's pioneering test programme ("the Programme"). The long-term goal of the Programme is to validate, demonstrate, and utilize CVMTM as a technology component addressing the critically important issue of increasing the functionality of rotorcraft Health and Usage Monitoring Systems ("HUMS") to include direct monitoring of structural health.


While "usage"-related systems have been routinely integrated into rotorcraft systems for many years, to date rotorcraft "health" monitoring has primarily focused on vibration monitoring of mechanical drivetrain components. Methods that directly pertain to data collation and analysis related to rotorcraft usage and drive system health have been relatively well developed, however such methods related to structural health monitoring of rotorcraft have been more difficult to develop and deploy in a "real world" operational framework. Given the exhaustive testing and validation of CVMTM in numerous civilian and military applications, and noting the importance of the commercial programs utilizing CVMTM that are currently underway, it is envisioned that CVMTM may play a "first-leader" role in addressing the current shortfalls, and lack of "real world" deployment, associated with structural health monitoring methodologies. The Company's world-leading CVMTM technology is being deployed through the Programme in order to address this material technology gap.


Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation ("Sikorsky"), SMS and the FAA Airworthiness Assurance Center within Sandia Laboratories ("Sandia") in New Mexico have collaborated to select a representative "hotspot" application on a Sikorsky rotorcraft and design/manufacture a sensor to monitor for fatigue cracking. The application was chosen for several reasons:


  1. The area is highly-loaded and geometrically complex with multiple structural components;

  2. Accessibility for visual inspection is difficult;

  3. The application area demonstrates known crack behaviour; and

  4. The thickness/materials are common on multiple aircraft and there is a natural extrapolation to other high-interest locations for structural health monitoring on other areas of this, and other, rotorcraft models.


The FAA Airworthiness Assurance Center, under the direction of Dr Dennis Roach, has now installed the Company's newly designed CVMTM sensors on specifically constructed test specimens. Monitoring is underway and the testing regime includes both crack promulgation detection and durability assessments. Upon successful completion of the Programme sufficient data and methods should be available to include CVMTM into a rotorcraft OEM Standard Practice Manual or modification of Service Bulletins addressing maintenance applications similar to that tested in the Programme.


Dr. Dennis Roach commented: "This important Programme is intended to begin the key process of incorporating on-board structural health monitoring sensors into routine use on rotorcraft and to determine how best to integrate this technology into the existing, overall HUMS that are a critical component of rotorcraft operations,"


SMS Managing Director, Toby Chandler, further noted: "SMS is pleased to see CVMTM now directly utilized in two ground-breaking helicopter Programmes, in both the military and civilian fields, designed to bring a real-world level of commercial applicability to the critical issues addressing the structural health integrity of rotorcraft systems. With the near-term evolvement, and subsequent completion of these Programmes, we look forward to addressing and formalising the key opportunities that will develop in the rotorcraft industry, in a similar vein to the Company's successful, and ongoing, progression in the fixed-wing aircraft sector. "


United Kingdom

4 Elwick Road,

Ashford, Kent TN23 1PF, United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 1233 666795

Fax: + 44 (0) 1233 646840

Australia

Suite 39, 1 Freshwater Parade Claremont WA 6010 Australia

Tel: +61 8 6364 0899

Fax: +61 8 9467 6111

United States

1999 Avenue of the Stars Suite 1100

Century City, CA 90067 United States

Tel: +1 424 253 1277

Structural Monitoring Systems plc issued this content on 03 March 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 03 March 2016 04:14:15 UTC

Original Document: http://www.smsystems.com.au/_content/documents/941.pdf