iSurface Unveils Live and Intelligent Composites Material for Structural Health Monitoring of Critical Aircraft Structures

iSurface, a project led by Munro Technology, Z Prime, Axalp Technologies AG and researchers from Swiss university of applied sciences FHNW (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz), today unveiled a new intelligent composites material for Enhanced Robustness and Real-Time Structural Health Monitoring of aerospace structures. Its immediate impact is on early warning systems as well as the reduction in inspection-detection-evaluation time, frequency and human errors. iSurface unlocks significant savings in maintenance and upkeep costs whilst improving the reliability and performance of aircraft and wind turbines.

Composites are prone to damage by low velocity impacts that can cause hard to detect, barely visible impact damage (BVID). iSurface enables embedded early warning system significantly reduces risk of catastrophic failure of aviation parts such as wings’ leading edges, propeller blades and other structures close to the ground and subject to Foreign Object Debris (FOD) impact.

The new iSurface material is functionalised and has electric properties that not only strengthens composite structures but also generates clean, classifiable and interpretable signals. These sensed signals can declare the sum of energy and its location of the surface upon impact, bending and shearing events. The generated signals are linked to an advanced and novel material state AI-driven modelling diagnostics and prognostics.