Sounding out vehicle defects

Mechanical engineers at

have teamed up with the US Army to design a portable test system to ensure the safety and readiness of the eight-wheel Stryker vehicle, a ground combat vehicle deployed in

.

The system uses sound waves to detect damage to a key component in the vehicles' wheel assemblies.

"Excess dynamic forces can cause cracks to form in a critical component of each wheel assembly, called the spindle, which supports the wheel," said Douglas E. Adams, an associate professor of mechanical engineering. "The cracks can grow large enough to cause the spindles to break apart. As with any wheeled vehicle, if the supporting spindle fails, the wheel might fall off. The inspection system looks for these cracks so that damaged wheels can be replaced."

The testing, which is expected to be introduced later this summer, will be part of routine maintenance procedures.

"The Army has worked with Purdue to develop a proactive approach to manage the health of spindles in the field," Adams said. "Although this work has resulted in some important research findings, this is more than a research project. This is an opportunity to keep vehicles in service and reduce the costs of operating a tremendously important asset in the Army's arsenal.