Karen Bruer, NDT Level III, Ocean Bay LLC

Bio: Ms. Karen Bruer has been involved in Quality Control and Nondestructive Testing (NDT) for the past 29 years, achieving Level III certifications in Visual Testing (VT), Liquid Penetrant Testing (PT), Magnetic Particle Testing (MT), Radiographic Testing (RT) and Ultrasonic Testing (UT) in 1993; and Nuclear Level III in VT, PT, MT and RT in 1994.  Upon retirement from 23 ½ years of active Naval service, she became the Corporate Quality Assurance Manager and NDT Level III for Amee Bay, LLC and later NDT Level III for Ocean Bay, LLC.  She is responsible for all facets of the Quality Control, NDT and Welding programs for ship's hull, mechanical and electrical modernization, maintenance and repair.   She is the Principle Investigator for a Defense Logistics Agency STTR focusing on the development of an NDT method for detecting counterfeit/misprocessed raw material. Currently a member of American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT), American Society of Quality (ASQ), ASTM International and American Welding Society (AWS).  She has served on the TC-1A Certification Committee, Penetrating Radiation Committee, was a contributing author for the RT Classroom Textbook and the RT Handbook for American Society for Nondestructive Testing.  Coordinated the development of two training sessions related to Digital Radiography given for ASNT members at the Annual Conference.  Is a technical contributor and registrar for the NAVSEA NDT Working Group, focusing on standards development and updating for Naval applications, is the Executive Secretary Treasurer for the Defense Working Group on Nondestructive Testing; an organization dedicated to problem solving and advancing technology in support of all branches of the Department of Defense. Additionally, she supports the Federal Working Group on Industrial Digital Radiography by serving on the Leadership Committee and Assistant Training Task Team coordinator.  She has co-written and published several White Papers and has co-authored an article on Phased Array Ultrasonic Simulations for NDT Magazine.  Karen serves on the Board of Directors of American Maritime Modernization Association (AMMA) and The Board of Directors for the Literacy Volunteers of Gloucester.  She has received multiple personal awards both during military service and in her civilian career.  Karen earned a B.S. in Industrial Technology from Old Dominion University, Virginia.

Abstract: Counterfeit, deficient or non-conforming raw material entering the United States’ supply chain has become epidemic in recent years. This substandard material affects thousands of components made from all materials. Of specific concern is raw material which is used to fabricate critical components used as repair or replacement parts in existing systems in the country’s land and air-based weapons and defense systems. With the Department of Defense (DoD) working to keep our ageing fleet, aircraft and weapons systems in top working order, it has become critical that parts and components, that are no longer available from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), be designed and manufactured by the thousands of contractors supporting the DoD. Replacement parts, components and assemblies made from substandard, non-conforming, fake or counterfeit raw material may lead to catastrophic failure; endangering personnel and adversely affecting mission readiness and homeland defense. This problem is not exclusive to the DoD; private industries such as shipbuilding yards, aviation and aerospace manufacturers, organizations using additive manufacturing processes, automotive manufacturers, Department of Energy, Supply Chain Centers, etc., are wasting already constrained resources struggling with risks and failure rates caused by unacceptable material entering the supply chain undetected. Ocean Bay, LLC and the Primary Investigator, Karen Bruer, formed a team consisting of Ocean Bay, LLC, Savanah River National Laboratory and Old Dominion University, to support a DLA STTR issued to combat this problem. Using the measurable properties of existing technology, and the physics of nondestructive testing mythologies we have conceptually designed a new inspection device, capable of field inspections for product compliance. The team has proven the concept and transitioned to Phase II of the STTR. We are currently in the process of optimization experiments to determine the final design characteristics for production and use of a new NDT apparatus to detect counterfeit raw material.