Abstract: The testing apparatus facilitates the testing of surfaces for contaminants such as soluble salts prior to applying a protective coating. The testing apparatus includes an air-permeable water-resistant membrane, an overlay, and a test chamber. When assembled, the testing apparatus provides an easily removable and testing apparatus that encloses a void into which a solvent may be injected to determine the level of contamination of the surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for characterizing a replica tape which has been embossed, compressed or cast on a surface of a material to be measured to replicate that surface. The replica tape is secured between first and second holding components such that a compressible surface of the replica tape is secured against the first holding component. A light source transmits light through the second holding component, the replica tape and the first holding component. An image sensor measures intensity of the light respectively transmitted through at least two measurement points of the compressible surface of the replica tape. A processing unit converts the measured light intensity transmitted through the at least two measurement points into at least two data values each respectively relating to a measurement statistic of the replica tape at a corresponding one of the at least two measurement points, respectively.

Abstract: An ultrasonic measuring gauge includes a probe configured to be moved along a surface of a material to be measured, transmit ultrasonic waves to the material, and receive ultrasonic waves reflected from the material. The gauge also includes a processing unit and an input unit. The processing unit is configured to operate according to one of two different modes of operation based on an input received by the input unit. In a first mode of operation, the probe determines the thickness at portions between the first and second locations on the surface of the material at which the probe is coupled to the material regardless of whether the probe is continuously physically coupled between the two locations. In a second mode of operation, the processing unit determines a corresponding thickness of the material at each portion between two locations when the probe is continuously physically coupled between the two locations.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for characterizing a replica tape which has been embossed, compressed or cast on a surface of a material to be measured to replicate that surface. The replica tape is secured between first and second holding components such that a compressible surface of the replica tape is secured against the first holding component. A light source transmits light through the second holding component, the replica tape and the first holding component. An image sensor measures intensity of the light respectively transmitted through at least two measurement points of the compressible surface of the replica tape. A processing unit converts the measured light intensity transmitted through the at least two measurement points into at least two data values each respectively relating to a measurement statistic of the replica tape at a corresponding one of the at least two measurement points, respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for characterizing a replica tape which has been embossed, compressed or cast on a surface of a material to be measured to replicate that surface. The replica tape is secured between first and second holding components such that a compressible surface of the replica tape is secured against the first holding component. A light source transmits light through the second holding component, the replica tape and the first holding component. An image sensor measures intensity of the light respectively transmitted through at least two measurement points of the compressible surface of the replica tape. A processing unit converts the measured light intensity transmitted through the at least two measurement points into at least two data values each respectively relating to a measurement statistic of the replica tape at a corresponding one of the at least two measurement points, respectively.

Abstract: A probe communications module interfaces with an interchangeable digital probe to transmit measurements to a computing device so that the operator may conveniently gather measurements using the interchangeable digital probe and, using the computing device, display, annotate, compare, and analyze the measurements.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for characterizing a replica tape which has been embossed, compressed or cast on a surface of a material to be measured to replicate that surface. The replica tape is secured between first and second holding components such that a compressible surface of the replica tape is secured against the first holding component. A light source transmits light through the second holding component, the replica tape and the first holding component. An image sensor measures intensity of the light respectively transmitted through at least two measurement points of the compressible surface of the replica tape. A processing unit converts the measured light intensity transmitted through the at least two measurement points into at least two data values each respectively relating to a measurement statistic of the replica tape at a corresponding one of the at least two measurement points, respectively.

Abstract: An ultrasonic measuring gauge includes a probe configured to be moved along a surface of a material to be measured, transmit ultrasonic waves to the material, and receive ultrasonic waves reflected from the material. The gauge also includes a processing unit and an input unit. The processing unit is configured to operate according to one of two different modes of operation based on an input received by the input unit. In a first mode of operation, the probe determines the thickness at portions between the first and second locations on the surface of the material at which the probe is coupled to the material regardless of whether the probe is continuously physically coupled between the two locations. In a second mode of operation, the processing unit determines a corresponding thickness of the material at each portion between two locations when the probe is continuously physically coupled between the two locations.

Abstract: A wall fastener includes a nut having a major planar structure having a hole for receiving a screw, the major planar structure having a first end with two staggered knife edges on opposite sides of the major planar structure and a second end; and a string, wherein the string is detachably connected to the major planar structure.

Abstract: A wall fastener includes a nut having a major planar structure having a hole for receiving a screw, the major planar structure having a first end with two staggered knife edges on opposite sides of the major planar structure and a second end; and a string, wherein the string is detachably connected to the major planar structure.

Abstract: A gauge for determining a thickness of a coating on a substrate includes a transducer for emitting ultrasonic signals into the coating and for generating electrical signals proportional to the ultrasonic signals received by the transducer, the received signals include first signals reflected from a transducer/coating interface and second signals reflected from a coating/substrate interface; a pulser for sending pulses to the transducer to trigger the emission of the ultrasonic signals; a sampler for sampling the electrical transducer signals and generating sampled data; a timer for controlling the pulser and the sampler so as to perform an equivalent time sampling of the signals received by the sampler; and a controller for calculating a thickness of the coating based on the sampled data, the controller includes the ability to subject the sampled data to a deconvolution analysis so as to distinguish sampled data corresponding to the first signals from sampled data corresponding to the second signals when the

Abstract: A gauge for determining a thickness of a coating on a substrate includes a transducer for emitting ultrasonic signals into the coating and for generating electrical signals proportional to the ultrasonic signals received by said transducer, said received signals include first signals reflected from a transducer/coating interface and second signals reflected from a coating/substrate interface; a pulser for sending pulses to the transducer to trigger the emission of said ultrasonic signals; a sampler for sampling the electrical transducer signals and generating sampled data; a timer for controlling the pulser and the sampler so as to perform an equivalent time sampling of the signals received by the sampler; and a controller for calculating a thickness of the coating based on said sampled data, said controller includes the ability to subject said sampled data to a deconvolution analysis so as to distinguish sampled data corresponding to said first signals from sampled data corresponding to said second signals w

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes an ultrasonic transducer; a delay line acoustically coupled to said transducer so that ultrasonic vibrations may be transmitted into said delay line from said ultrasonic transducer in a first direction, said delay line includes a first section and a second section; the first and second sections forming an interface that is substantially perpendicular to said first direction; and the second section including a surface for coupling with a material to be investigated. The probe can be used to measure a thickness of a coating on a substrate by transmitting a signal in a first direction from the transducer into the delay line; measuring a time t.sub.1 for a first portion of the signal to travel round trip from the transducer and the interface; using the measured time t.sub.1 to calculate an expected time t.sub.2 for a second portion of the signal to travel round trip from the transducer to an opposite face of the delay line; measuring a time t.sub.

Abstract: An adhesion tester includes a dolly to be adhered to a coating to be tested; the dolly including at least a portion of a spherical surface; a frame having a hollow portion in a region thereof, in which region the dolly fits; a hydraulic piston within the frame; and a quick connect coupler for connecting the hydraulic piston to the dolly; the coupler including a plurality of ball bearings aligned so as to engage with a lower half of the spherical surface of the dolly so as to connect the dolly with the coupler.

Abstract: A detector for measuring a thickness of a powder on a surface includes a body; a device extending from the body for facilitating holding the body on the surface; and a plurality of teeth extending from the body and spaced from each other along the plane, each of the teeth being defined by two walls extending from the body so as to form a distinct line of intersection extending perpendicular to the plane at a point remote from the body, each of the teeth being of a different length.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes an ultrasonic transducer; a delay line acoustically coupled to the transducer so that ultrasonic vibrations may be transmitted into the delay line from the ultrasonic transducer in a first direction, the delay line includes a first section and a second section; the first and second sections forming an interface that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and the second section including a surface for coupling with a material to be investigated. The probe can be used to measure a thickness of a coating on a substrate by transmitting a signal in a first direction from the transducer into the delay line; measuring a time t.sub.1 for a first portion of the signal to travel round trip from the transducer and the interface; using the measured time t.sub.1 to calculate an expected time t.sub.2 for a second portion of the signal to travel round trip from the transducer to an opposite face of the delay line; measuring a time t.sub.

Abstract: A modular coating thickness gauge includes a probe which generates a signal representative of coating thickness, a PCMCIA card connected to the probe for converting the signal into a standard PCMCIA output format, and a portable computing unit for receiving the signal via the PCMCIA card. The gauge allows the on-site user to alternately record coating thickness measurement data and descriptive textual or graphical data relating to each coating thickness measurement.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes an ultrasonic transducer; a delay line acoustically coupled to said transducer so that ultrasonic vibrations may be transmitted into said delay line from said ultrasonic transducer in a first direction, said delay line includes a first section and a second section; the first and second sections forming an interface that is substantially perpendicular to said first direction; and the second section including a surface for coupling with a material to be investigated. The probe can be used to measure a thickness of a coating on a substrate by transmitting a signal in a first direction from the transducer into the delay line; measuring a time t.sub.1 for a first portion of the signal to travel round trip from the transducer and the interface; using the measured time t.sub.1 to calculate an expected time t.sub.2 for a second portion of the signal to travel round trip from the transducer to an opposite face of the delay line; measuring a time t.sub.

Abstract: A modular coating thickness gauge includes a probe which generates a signal representative of coating thickness, a PCMCIA card connected to the probe for converting the signal into a standard PCMCIA output format, and a portable computing unit for receiving the signal via the PCMCIA card. The gauge allows the on-site user to alternately record coating thickness measurement data and descriptive textual or graphical data relating to each coating thickness measurement.

Abstract: A modular coating thickness gauge includes a probe which generates a signal representative of coating thickness, a PCMCIA card connected to the probe for converting the signal into a standard PCMCIA output format, and a portable computing unit for receiving the signal via the PCMCIA card. The gauge allows the on-site user to alternately record coating thickness measurement data and descriptive textual or graphical data relating to each coating thickness measurement.