12/13/2019 Advanced Machine Learning for Non-Destructive Testing
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Army
Program | Phase | Year: SBIR | BOTH | 2019
Solicitation: DoD 2019.2 SBIR Solicitation
Topic Number: A19-126
NOTE: The Solicitations and topics listed on this site are copies from the various SBIR agency
solicitations and are not necessarily the latest and most up-to-date. For this reason, you should use
the agency link listed below which will take you directly to the appropriate agency server where you
can read the official version of this solicitation and download the appropriate forms and rules.
The official link for this solicitation is: [Link]
Release Date: May 02, 2019
Open Date: May 31, 2019
Application Due Date: July 01, 2019
Close Date: July 01, 2019
Description:
TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Weapons
OBJECTIVE: Apply Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence to aid in interpretation of radiography inspection
results during non-destructive testing.
DESCRIPTION: The Army relies on radiography inspection (e.g. x-ray and neutron) for non-destructive testing of
munitions during production and special investigations. Interpreting the visual results of the inspections is a
challenge and requires highly trained individuals (Level III Radiographers) to determine what, if any, problems
actually exist. This topic will apply advanced and innovative machine learning and/or artificial intelligence to
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12/13/2019 Advanced Machine Learning for Non-Destructive Testing
current and future non-destructive radiography inspection methods that use electronic imaging to identify defects
and aid the operator in proper and timely interpretation of the results. As this technology is meant to be
incorporated in a production line, the expectation is that it will support three dimensional inspection and
interpretation of defects at a production rate of up to 1 unit per minute, and items up to 6.5 inches in diameter.
Defects include cavities, porosity, piping, voids, gaps, low density, annular rings, cracks and inclusions ranging
from 0.002" to 0.020". The technology must reside on a standard computer system linked to the inspection
equipment and receive the electronic images from the radiography system. Specific interface requirements will
be provided after contract award. This topic will also develop and deliver the output screens that provide the
proper data and information that a Level II radiographer is trained to understand.
PHASE I: Phase I will consist of development of prototype algorithms on representative hardware (to be defined
prior to contract award)demonstrated in laboratory simulated environments. The government may also provide
actual images obtained during prior government testing. A final report will document testing results and present
the top level plan to continue development in Phase II.
PHASE II: Phase II will continue the success of Phase I and integrate the hardware/software/firmware solution
into a representative radiography system at a government facility (to be defined prior to Phase II contract award).
The result of Phase II will be a prototype design, including applicable technical data, which will be integrated into
current and future radiography inspection systems at multiple government locations.
PHASE III: Upon success of Phase II, these technologies would be qualified and transitioned to inspection
equipment at multiple government ammunition production and R&D facilities. Commercial applications could
include medical imaging and inspection of high value and/or safety critical items.
REFERENCES:
1: "Automated Defect Recognition and Identification in Digital Radiography", P. Baniukiewicz, Journal of
Nondestructive Evaluation, September 2014, Volume 33, Issue 3, pp 327–334
[Link]
Baniukiewicz/ee0271ebf15a2c2724700aea2372942c8415b037
2: " Automatic Detection of Welding Defects using Deep Neural Network," Wenhui Hou et al, 2018 J. Phys.:
Conf. Ser. 933 012006. [Link]
3: "Automatic Defect Recognition in X-Ray Testing Using Computer Vision," D. Mery and C. Arteta, 2017 IEEE
Winter Conference on Applications of Computer Vision (WACV), Santa Rosa, CA, 2017, pp. 1026-1035.
[Link]
4: "Multiclass classification of weld defects in radiographic images based on support vector machines", Mekhalfa
Faiza, and Nafaa Nacereddine. Signal-Image Technology and Internet-Based Systems (SITIS), 2014 Tenth
International Conference on. IEEE, 2014. [Link]
5: "Intelligent Segmentation Of Industrial Radiographic Images Using Neural Networks", Lawson, Shaun &
Parker, Graham, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering. 10.1117/12.188736,
1994. [Link]
industrial-radiographic-images-using-neural-networks/10.1117/[Link]?SSO=1
6: - NAS410 NAS Certification & Qualification of Nondestructive Test Personnel
KEYWORDS: Non-destructive Test, Radiography, X-ray, N-ray, Munitions, Testing, Machine Learning, Artificial
Intelligence, Inspection
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