Abstract:
A sensor is disclosed specifically for detecting stress waves for use in a stress wave analysis system. The stress waves are preferably detected in a narrow frequency range of 35-40 KHz. At this range, stress waves from friction and impact sources typically propagate through machine structures at detectable amplitudes. In order to maximize the signal to noise ratio of stress waves, relative to background noise and vibration, the sensor of the present invention is designed and calibrated with a frequency response and damping features that are specifically tailored for stress wave analysis. The sensor preferably satisfies the following three criteria: (a) has a resonant gain of approximately 30 db, at its primary resonant frequency, to assure adequate selective amplification of stress waves; (b) provide a total energy content of the Resonant Energy Integral within a specified tolerance band and which can be measurable using standard test equipment and fixtures to produce calibration data that is traceable to recognized standards; and (c) have its resonant peak amplitude output decay to half amplitude by five cycles, and be down to no more than twenty percent of the initial response in the number of cycles that occur during the time period that corresponds to the corner frequency of a low pass filter.
Abstract:
A force sensor having a substrate, on which a first path and a second path for acoustic surface waves are arranged. The two paths are arranged essentially parallel to one another and their lengths are different.
Abstract:
A method of recertifying a load on a bearing member using a pulsed phase locked loop (P2L2) system. A first tone burst signal with a corresponding first phase signal is generated in the bearing member in a first load condition. The sample/hold of the P2L2 is adjusted to a determined phase point on the first phase signal and then the P2L2 is locked at this phase period to determine a first load measurement. Next, the phase sample point is correlated with a corresponding position w on the first tone burst signal. A second tone burst with a corresponding second phase signal is then generated at some later time in the bearing member in a second load condition. The sample/hold is adjusted to the same sample/hold phase point as before and then the output frequency of the P2L2 is adjusted until the sample/hold is positioned at the previously determined phase point corresponding to position w on the second tone burst signal. The P2L2 is then locked at this phase point to determine a frequency indicative of the load of the second loading condition.
Abstract:
A load measuring system comprising an acoustic transmitting transducer for injecting an acoustic signal into a load bearing portion of a sucker rod, and receiving transducer for detecting the signal after it passes through a known length of a sucker rod, and a time delay detector for determining the travel time and in turn, the velocity of the acoustic signal. The acoustic velocity is measured in an unloaded portion of the sucket rod to provide a zero load reference. Measurements are then taken in the loaded portion of the rod and used to indicate dynamic load on the sucker rod string.
Abstract:
An apparatus and process for detecting and quantifying force-torque components applied to a loadable means. The apparatus includes a plurality of signal-transmission means, a plurality of signal-reflection means, a plurality of signal-detection means and a deformable means which is deformable in response to the application of force-torque components to the loadable means. Application of a force-torque component to the loadable means results in the alteration of the distance traveled by a signal from signal-transmission means to signal detection means. The apparatus further includes a means for utilizing the detected signals to determine force-torque components.
Abstract:
This disclosure is directed to an acoustic Barkhausen stress detector apparatus and a method of obtaining measurements of stress in or determination of the microstructure of ferromagnetic materials. In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, stress or microstructure information in a ferromagnetic specimen is tested and measured through application of a variable magnetic field. A sensitive acoustic detecting device including an input transducer(s) and amplifier(s) forms a signal based on Barkhausen acoustic phenomena which arise from a change in the magnetic field strength. Barkhausen acoustic information is in the form of vibrations produced within the material which occur as magnetic domain walls shift. The domain wall shifts occur at various locations within the material of interest, and the acoustic vibrations are propagated through the material and are observable at the surface by one or more transducers. The transducer and amplifier system forms output signals dependent on the stress levels and influenced by the microstructure in the material. After amplification and display on a suitable recording device, the signals are scaled to relate the stress and microstructure within the specimen. An array of transducers and associated amplifiers enables spatial resolution of stress distribution in a specimen.
Abstract:
Apparatus and method for determining the tensile load on a mine roof bolt, which is indicative of the support provided by the bolt. The device comprises a hammer for striking a roof bolt to produce a sound pulse, a microphone for picking up the sound pulse, and a sound comparator having a recorded sound or sounds whereby an operator can match the induced sound pulse with a recorded sound pulse to provide an indication of the tensile load on the roof bolt. The comparator may include a range of sounds, or may incorporate a variable speed function whereby the pitch of the recorded sound may be varied until the induced sound is matched. Comparison of the induced sound with the recorded sound provides an indication of the tensile load on the roof bolt.
Abstract:
This invention is a CW ultrasonic device for measuring frequency shifts of the peak of a mechanical resonance in a body. One application of the device is measuring the strain in a bolt. It also has other applications such, for example, as measuring the thickness of a body, measuring the depth of a flaw in a body, measuring the elongation of body and measuring changes in velocity of sound in a body. The body is connected, by means of a CW transducer, to electrical circuit means including a narrow band RF amplifier to form a closed loop feedback marginal oscillator that frequency locks the device to the peak of a mechanical resonance in the body. Thereafter, when the frequency of this peak changes, because of a physical change in the body, the frequency of the oscillator changes. The device includes an automatic frequency resonant peak tracker that produces a voltage that is related to a change in frequency of the oscillator. This voltage is applied to the RF amplifier to change the center of its frequency band to include the frequency of the peak and is a measure of the frequency shift. The device also includes a special transducer which requires contact to only one side of the body and provides high electrical isolation between its parts.
Abstract:
A device for measuring the biaxial strain of a test specimen is provided, utilizing a coaxial resonant cavity, made to resonate in at least two different modes by electromagnetic energy supplied to the cavity. A first mode is dependent upon the diametric dimensions of the cavity and a second mode is dependent upon the axial and diametric dimensions of the cavity. The cavity is formed of a hollow, sensor body whose electrically conductive inner walls, one of which is movable, function as the outer conductor of the coaxial cavity, and which is adapted to receive the test specimen through the movable wall which is rigidly coupled to the test specimen. The outer surface of the test specimen, being electrically conductive, functions as the inner conductor of the coaxial resonator. Dimensional variations in the test specimen result in a variation in the dimensions of the coaxial cavity and therefore in the frequency at which the cavity will resonate in each of the modes. These frequency variations can be monitored to provide a measure of biaxial strain associated with the object.