The  project focuses on the development of a system for automatic monitoring of the actual state of airframe (SHM 'Structure Health Monitoring'), which is based on analysis of acoustic surface waves in the Primary Structure Elements (PSE), and its integration into the system ensuring the continued airworthiness of a small transport aircraft, which is designed in 'Damage Tolerance' philosophy.

The  project aims at applying SHM system on the real aircraft structure, so that the in the SHM system concept used procedures and methodologies are certifiable and result in the expected benefits. The SIGMA project will deal with the overall concept of SHM system and its implementation on the airframe. With regard to the selected concept, measurement hardware with the potential for permanent installation in the aircraft will be developed and software to control the measuring cycle, digitizing and storing data and an interface for data transfer will be created. Furthermore, algorithms to assess the current status of selected nodes of aircraft structures and forecasting its evolution into the future will be developed. The project will research the simulation of surface acoustic waves, which will enable the creation of tools for optimization of sensor design for a given node and quantitative evaluation of the proposed SHM system capabilities. In the course of development, a number of elementary tests on samples, samples of structural nodes and large assemblies will be executed.

This project builds on results of ENTIS project, which is co-funded by Framework Programme TIP and whose solution is in the years 2009 - 2012. ENTIS project deals with the comparison of SHM methods for monitoring of fatigue and corrosion damage of metal components.