Market Development




Construction Services

Used in construction for over 2,000 years, concrete is one of the world`s oldest composite materials. Much of the nation`s concrete infrastructure is over 40 years old, and the demand for accurate and reliable means of testing the structural integrity of concrete has never been greater.

The testing of concrete, however, presents numerous problems. Widely-used conventional methods such as pulse-echo and pitch and catch are of limited effectiveness. The aggregates contained in concrete cause scattering of sound waves and multiple reflections that greatly reduce the effectiveness of conventional tests. The use of reinforcing bar (rebar) in concrete structures can also cause severe problems for conventional testing methods.

NLA testing methodology avoids these problems entirely by evaluating the overall mechanical properties of concrete over a given region, instead of attempting to determine the location of single defects. To NLA methodology, reflections from aggregates become irrelevant and rebar effectively invisible.

Wind and Motor Sports

Wind Sports

At the leading edge of boatbuilding, we are now seeing increased use of carbon fiber to strengthen key areas of sailboats, such as the bows and keel sections. Additionally, carbon fiber masts are increasingly common, as they offer major performance and vessel stability benefits. ORACLE TEAM USA is a prime example of the benefits of composite materials to allow a lighter, simpler structure, which increases efficiency, and does not fatigue or corrode. NLAD sees a significant opportunity to partner with existing manufacturers and teams to deliver deployable evaluation services.

Motor Sports

Presently, less than 4% of all materials used in the transportation industry are composite based.  However, the industry has signaled composite materials that are significantly lighter, may be the most cost effective method to achieving productivity targets. Several projects are currently funded that will re-shape the industry, including a large German manufacturer whose stated goal is to significantly reduce the weight of its automobiles.  Additionally, USCAR, a consortium of the Big Three, is designing, and has recently been awarded the patent, a prototype composite underbody for a full-size, rear-wheel-drive passenger car.  In each of these instances, the manufacturers will need to ensure new designs meet current and future crash test standards.

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