Air Force technology for detecting critical wiring problems

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TechLink facilitated a licensing agreement between the Air Force Research Laboratory and Northeastern Electronics (NECI) for innovative technology to detect problems in aircraft wiring. NECI, based in Elbridge, New York, is an industry leader in wiring harnesses for civilian and military aircraft.

Corrosion and chafing in aircraft wiring systems are significant safety concerns. Maintenance personnel have traditionally relied on tedious, time-consuming manual inspection of aircraft electrical systems. Failure to detect problems by this method has led to highly publicized aircraft disasters.

The technology developed by the AFRL Information Directorate greatly improves the inspection process. It uses electronic signals to continuously and accurately detect problems in aircraft wiring systems, including those in aircraft engines. It is highly reliable and detects problems at an early stage.

TechLink helped NECI develop a strong commercialization plan and marketing strategy for the Air Force technology. NECI will rapidly commercialize the technology for military and commercial applications. Besides aircraft wiring, other important applications include difficult-to-access wiring systems in ships, subways, and power plants, and telephone and power lines.