Abstract: Methods and apparatus for performing Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) using fiber optics with increased acoustic sensitivity are provided. Acoustic sensing of a wellbore, pipeline, or other conduit/tube based on DAS may have increased acoustic sensitivity through fiber optic cable design and/or increasing the Rayleigh backscatter property of a fiber's optical core. Some embodiments may utilize a resonant sensor mechanism with a high Q coupled to the DAS device for increased acoustic sensitivity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for determining cracked eggs by driving vibrations without hitting eggs. The apparatus for determining cracked eggs comprises an integral type sensor and actuator which carries out applying a vibration to an egg in the state of contacting with the egg and detecting a vibration response signal corresponding to the vibration from the egg at the same time; a determination unit for determining whether or not the egg is cracked based on at least one of a resonance frequency and a quality factor of the vibration response signal detected from the integral type sensor and actuator; and a transport unit for moving the integral type sensor and actuator or the egg relatively to each other.

Abstract: This sensor system includes: a sensor that is provided with a sensor cover having an opening formed on one end and a sensor main body which is detachably disposed on an inner portion of the sensor cover; and a detachment tool used to detach the sensor main body from the sensor cover, wherein the sensor includes an attachment structure used to attach the sensor main body to the inner portion of the sensor cover, the detachment tool includes a detachment structure used to detach the sensor main body from the inner portion of the sensor cover, and in the detachment structure, by pushing the detachment tool into the sensor main body from the opening of the sensor cover, the sensor main body is detached from the inner portion of the sensor cover.

Abstract: A radial rolling-bearing testing device includes a housing, a lubricant reservoir provided inside the housing and configured so as to retain lubricant in which a portion of a radial rolling bearing is immersed, a rotary shaft which is supported so as to freely rotate inside the housing and which an inner ring of the radial rolling bearing is fitted outside, a rotational driving section which is configured so as to rotate the rotary shaft, a load applying section which has a pressurizing device and is configured so as to apply a load to the radial rolling bearing, and a vibration sensor configured so as to detect a vibration in the radial rolling bearing. The vibration sensor is provided on an outside of the housing, and between the pressurizing device and the radial rolling bearing in a direction in which the load applies.

Abstract: In some implementations, a control system for a resonating element comprises: a resonating element being driven by an oscillating drive signal and configured to generate a sense signal proportional to an amplitude of motion; a phase comparator coupled to the resonating element and to an oscillating drive signal, the phase comparator configured to compare the sense signal and the oscillating drive signal and to generate an error signal proportional to the phase difference; an oscillator coupled to the phase comparator and configured for generating the oscillating drive signal, the oscillator configured to receive the error signal and to adjust a phase of the oscillating signal based on the error signal; and an automatic gain control coupled to the resonating element and the oscillator, the automatic gain control configured to adjust the gain of the oscillating drive signal based on the signal generated by the resonating element.

Abstract: A through-transmission ultrasonic (TTU) inspection system for ultrasonic inspection of a part and for determining alignment calibration data for increased alignment accuracy. The TTU inspection system may include first and second end effectors located on opposite sides of the part, each having at least one transducer for transmitting or receiving ultrasonic or sound waves through the part. The TTU inspection system may also include actuators and a system controller. The system controller may command the actuators to actuate the first end effector according to one or more scanning patterns, while the transducers send and/or receive signals to or from each other through the part. The system controller may use signal strength measurements received along these scanning patterns to determine alignment calibration data for applying to the first end effector and/or its associated actuators.

Abstract: A vibration sensor includes a mass block supported with the aid of at least one spring in a manner allowing movement relative to a frame in a measuring direction, a displacement of the mass block in the measuring direction relative to the frame being detectable by a position-measuring device. The position-measuring device includes a measuring standard and a scanning head aligned with the measuring standard. One of these two components is secured on the mass block, and the other is secured on the frame.

Abstract: A device for inspection of a tubular piece includes a cart including plural elemental ultrasound transducers distributed along at least a first direction and a guide which cooperates with an exterior surface of the piece to position the cart such that the first direction essentially corresponds to a direction transverse to the tubular piece. A control electronics, connected to the electroacoustic transducers, includes a memory storing the timed excitation laws and a controller that applies in succession a respective timed excitation law to subsets of mutually adjacent elemental transducers along the first direction. The timed excitation laws are designed so that the elemental transducers of the respective subsets jointly produce incident beams of ultrasonic waves propagating along respective directions inclined relative to a direction normal to the exterior surface of the tubular piece.

Abstract: The present invention provides a defect analysis device including: an excitation unit (107) that imparts vibrations of a plurality of frequencies to a fluid (110) flowing through a pipe (108); a first detector (106) that, when the excitation part (107) is imparting vibrations, detects vibrations emanating from the pipe (108); and a signal processing unit (101) that extracts a feature quantity from a vibration waveform acquired by the first detector (106), and uses the extracted feature quantity to estimate the extent of a defect formed in the pipe (108).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for identifying material types of spatial objects characterized in that the method comprising obtaining an acoustic signal from each identified object by deforming the objects mechanically, recording said acoustic signal and comparing it to an acoustic model being obtained on the basis of analysis of reference objects of multiple material types. The present invention also relates to a device for identifying material types of spatial objects, comprising a deformation chamber (K), a mechanical deformation system (F), at least one electro-acoustic transducer (1), an acoustic signal recording assembly (2) and a data processing unit (3) with installed acoustic model being obtained on the basis of analysis of reference objects of multiple material types.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting an empty crate that is transported on a transport device includes an inspection device having a pulse generator, a processor, a sensor, and an uncoupling device. Prior to inspection, the uncoupling device uncouples the empty crate from the transport device. The pulse generator then excites vibrations in the empty crate, which the sensor receives and passes to a processor for analysis.

Abstract: An ultrasound scanning assembly is configured to inspect a structure, such as a composite winglet of an aircraft. The ultrasound scanning assembly may include an outer ultrasound probe configured to be positioned on an outer surface of the structure. The outer ultrasound probe may include a phased array transducer having a plurality of transducer elements. An inner ultrasound probe may be configured to be positioned within the structure opposite from the outer surface. The inner ultrasound probe may include a single element transducer configured to receive ultrasound signals transmitted by the phased array transducer.

Abstract: A natural-frequency measurement device for measuring the natural frequency of a belt includes: an acceleration sensor attached to a portion of the belt between an adjacent pair of pulleys to sense acceleration resulting from the vibration of the belt; and a measuring instrument configured to measure the natural frequency of the belt based on the acceleration sensed by the acceleration sensor.

Abstract: A module for detecting a vibrational behavior of a mechanical component includes an attachment component configured to be rigidly mechanically connected to the mechanical component in order to absorb a mechanical vibration of the mechanical component, a circuit board including a circuit, the circuit board being configured to detect the mechanical vibration of the mechanical component and, based on the detected vibration, to wirelessly transmit a signal indicative of the vibrational behavior, and at least one spacer mechanically connecting the circuit board to the attachment component such that the mechanical vibration is transferable from the attachment component to the circuit board.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor which includes a substrate where an opening section is formed, a vibration plate that is provided on the substrate so as to close the opening section, and a piezoelectric element that is layered on a surface of the vibration plate on an opposite side to the opening section and includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric element, and a second electrode, includes a reflection layer that is provided in a space around the piezoelectric element on the surface of the vibration plate on an opposite side to the opening section, to reflect other ultrasonic waves which are transmitted in a different direction from a transmitted ultrasonic wave transmitted to a measuring target side on an interface between the piezoelectric element and the reflection layer, and has a thickness so as to superimpose other ultrasonic waves on the transmitted ultrasonic wave.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a safety diagnosis method for a structure using a nonlinear ultrasonic wave modulation technique. The safety diagnosis method includes: making the structure vibrate by applying signals of different ultrasonic frequencies; converting the responses of the structure generated by the vibration into digital signals; extracting first modulation signals by subtracting the harmonic responses and the linear responses of the signals of different ultrasonic frequencies from the digital signals and synchronously demodulating the digital signals; constructing a first sideband spectrogram by combining the first modulation signals generated by continuously changing at least frequency among the signals of different ultrasonic frequencies; and deciding whether the structure is cracked based on the first sideband spectrogram.

Abstract: A switched resonant power amplifier system for ultrasonic transducers is disclosed. The system includes an amplifier that receives and processes a driver output signal for generating a drive signal that is provided to an ultrasonic device for controlling output of the ultrasonic device. An output control circuit receives and processes a signal related to a feedback signal generated by the ultrasonic device and a divider reference signal, and generates a compensated clock signal that is adjusted for at least one of phase and frequency differences between the received feedback signal and the divider reference signal. A compensated drive circuit receives and processes the compensated clock signal for generating the divider reference signal, and for generating the driver output signal.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe for contact measurement of an object and its manufacturing process. The ultrasonic probe has ultrasonic sensors securely fastened to a first face of a substrate. The opposite face of the substrate defines a measurement surface having a shape that is the imprint of the surface of the object to be measured to closely follow the latter when the surface of the object is brought into contact with the measurement surface.

Abstract: A rotating machine valve health monitor. Aspects of the valve monitor include instrumenting each valve of a reciprocating compressor, or other rotating machine, with a sensor capable of detecting at least vibration and instrumenting the crank shaft with a sensor capable of detecting at least rotation. A controller directly monitors the operation and condition of each valve to precisely identify any individual valve exhibiting leakage issues rather than only identifying the region of the leakage. The valve monitor uses a relatively high frequency stress wave analysis technique to provide a good signal-to-noise ratio to identify impact events indicative of leakage. The valve monitor uses circular waveforms of vibration data for individual valves to identify leakage by pattern recognition or visual identification. The valve monitor provides ongoing data collection to give warning of predicted valve failure and scheduling of preventative maintenance for failing valves.

Abstract: A phased array ultrasonic inspection system configured for weld inspection includes a data analysis process with automated and optimized gating to take into account the actual distance between a phased array probe and a weld line. The system embodies a weld tracking module and a dynamic gating module. The tracking module produces dynamically corrected overlays of the weld line based on the echo signals, the dynamically corrected overlays having a series of offsets from the corresponding initial overlays. The dynamic gating module purposefully positions a plurality of data analysis gates to filter out noise signals caused by sources unrelated to the weld, and to provide dynamic target gating adjusted by at least part of the offset.