NDT Tracker: Automating UT Grid Inspections to Accelerate Sustainment Readiness and Strengthen Logistics Deterrence

Enhanced Inspection

Problem Statement:

In an era of global competition and contested logistics, ultrasonic (UT) grid inspections essential for aircraft sustainment at Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities remain a major bottleneck to materiel availability. These slow, manual processes map corrosion and verify blended-area thickness using hand-drawn 0.25-0.5″ grids, requiring two coordinated inspectors for readings and recording. Numerical results lack visual context, relying on imprecise sketches that cause miscommunication, re-inspections, and delays. This inefficiency erodes warfighter readiness, inflates costs, and constrains expeditionary sustainment as a key logistics deterrent.

Solution:

Developed by the U.S. Air Force and Cybernet Systems Corporation, the NDT Tracker is a camera-based, mobile tool that automates UT grid mapping and recording. Patent-pending AutoClick Combo-Filtering enables automated thickness selection and visual data fusion, cutting labor by 2 to 1 while boosting speed up to 10x (from ~20 to 2 seconds/cell). Real-time, color-mapped C-Scan overlays correlate UT data directly to the inspection area, eliminating ambiguity and rework. The result: faster, higher-quality sustainment decisions and throughput across both organic and industrial partners.

Benefits to the DoD Sustainment Enterprise:

The Tracker boosts readiness and industrial base resilience by accelerating materiel availability and expeditionary sustainment at best cost:

1. Enhanced Efficiency: Streamlines NDT inspections, reducing cycle time and labor to increase aircraft availability across depots and field units.
2. Improved Training & Coverage: Real-time visual feedback elevates inspector proficiency and Probability of Inspection (POI), vital for high-tempo sustainment in austere environments.
3. Superior Communication & Risk Reduction: Digital PDF/Excel outputs with intuitive color maps prevent manual errors, ensuring data continuity under pressure.

Innovation Challenges Overcome:

• Expeditionary Portability: Lightweight (28 lb) system deployable from a rolling case in 5-10 minutes delivers a rugged, intuitive tool for field use.
• Balanced Automation: Preserves inspector judgment with accountable speed and precision.
• Transition Readiness: Overcame adoption barriers via Air Force depot validation, bridging R&D to scalable field deployment.

Technical Maturity & Cross-Service Applicability:

Now deployed at Tinker and Robins AFBs, with adoption by global MROs (Aeroman, ST Engineering) confirming reliability and ROI. Boeing, Airbus, and Gulfstream are also pursuing integration, demonstrating scalability to Air Force, Navy, Army, Marine Corps, Space Force, and DLA platforms. Winner of the 2025 CTMA Technology Award, 2024 A4A/SAE International NDT Innovation Award, and 2024 ASNT Cool New Ideas Award, the NDT Tracker modernizes UT gridding to fortify sustainment agility, showing any adversary that the U.S. can sustain the fight, anywhere, anytime.