Lalita Udpa Receives FAA-ATA “Better Way” Award

Lalita Udpa was among the winners of the FAA-ATA 2005 Nondestructive Testing “Better Way” Award, which was presented September 21 at the ATA Nondestructive Testing (NDT) Forum in Orlando, Florida. Udpa's team was recognized for their work on the "Turbo Magneto-Optic Imaging (MOI) for Inspection of Alodine fasteners," a sensitive system to detect surface and subsurface cracks in the lower row of rivets in aircraft lap splices. The existing eddy current technique requires inspection of each rivet individually. The MOI system is quicker and more reliable than the existing methods as determined by the tests at the FAA Airworthiness Assurance Nondestructive Inspection Validation Center (AANC). The Better Way Award annually recognizes a government-industry team that has developed and applied a technology, technique, process, or policy resulting in a more sensitive, reliable, or cost effective process for inspecting and testing of aircraft, aircraft components, or aircraft systems.