Abstract: A plate changer includes a casing that stores a sample plate and one or a plurality of first rack plates that each support the sample plate. One or a plurality of plate supporters that respectively support the one or plurality of first rack plates at different heights are provided in the casing. Each first rack plate is configured to be supportable on and removable from any of the one or plurality of plate supporters. The plate changer further includes a detector that detects whether the first rack plate is supported on each plate supporter.

Abstract: The package dimensioning device is configured for ascertaining measurements of cuboidal and boxed items to provide data to computer-implemented package management processes. The device has a base and a vertical support member. The base is configured to receive a package thereon and includes a weight sensor. There are multiple space-apart contactless sensors including a top sensor carried by the vertical support member, and side sensors positioned adjacent sides of the base which output dimensional data signals related to a height, length and width of the package. A control unit is communicatively coupled to the weight sensor and multiple spaced apart sensors and configured to calculate weight, height, length and width measurements of the package based upon the weight data signal and dimensional data signals.

Abstract: A food inventory tracking system within a refrigerated food storage compartment includes cameras configured for capturing images of food, load cell sensors for taking weight measurements of food and a computing system for reading images from the cameras and weight measurements from the load cell sensors, generating a three-dimensional location map of an interior of the refrigerated food storage compartment, mapping the images and weight measurements to segments of the three-dimensional location map, such that each segment of the three-dimensional location map is associated with images and weight measurements, identifying a type of food item within said segments based on the images and weight measurements associated with said segment, calculating a current amount of said food item based reporting to a user the type of said food item and the amount of said food item.

Abstract: An opening portion that is formed so as to pass-through an opening/closing plate portion of a gate, can be disposed at a region overlapping a lower end opening of a hopper. The opening portion is structured by a first pass-through portion, and a second pass-through portion that is formed so as to be continuous with the first pass-through portion. A width, in a direction orthogonal to a lined-up direction in which the first pass-through portion and the second pass-through portion are lined up, is narrower than the first pass-through portion. Further, a driving mechanism moves the gate such that the opening/closing plate portion moves in the lined-up direction as seen in a plan view. Based on a preset target value of weight of sand, a control section controls the driving mechanism so as to decrease an amount of overlap of the opening portion of the gate and the lower end opening of the hopper in a stepwise manner in accordance with an increase in the weight of the sand measured by a scale.

Abstract: A measurement probe edge guide tool includes an edge follower comprising two edge contact pins that spin around the outside of the measurement probe using a ball bearing. The edge contact pins hug the corner of a contoured edge of the workpiece or in-service part to provide a consistent distance of the center of the probe from the edge. The edge follower enables the tool to inspect the marginal portion bounded by a contoured (machined) edge of a workpiece or part. The edge follower is removable so that the tool may also be adapted for use in general acreage inspection. The tool features a spring-loaded mechanism with a positive probe protrusion relative to a roller-supported cage. The tool has either a handle which is coupled to the cage by means of a universal joint or a hand grip that is affixed to the cage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a semi-automatic scanner for ultrasonic inspection of a branch pipe weld that has a small size and is able to perform an inspection while moving in a state of being attached to a test object by a magnetic force, thereby being applied to fittings having various shapes, such as a branch pipe and an elbow.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for predicting surface quality of a burnishing workpiece. The method includes the steps: using vibration sensors and signal acquisition instrument to acquire vibration signals generated on a surface of the burnishing workpiece during machining, evaluating the surface quality of the burnishing workpiece based on a coupling coordination degree model, processing signals by using an ensemble empirical mode decomposition method, identifying power spectral density, kurtosis and form factor as signal characteristics, identifying a support vector machine as a decision-making model, optimizing penalty parameters and kernel function parameters by using the Bayesian optimization method, and establishing the relationship between the signal characteristics and the surface quality.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for detecting wafer defects. Example techniques include exciting a wafer using an acoustic signal to cause the wafer to exhibit vibrations, measuring one or more of linear frequency response metrics or nonlinear frequency responses metrics associated with the vibrations, and identifying any defects in the wafer based at least in part on one or more of the linear frequency response metrics or nonlinear frequency responses metrics. In embodiments, the wafer includes bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3).

Abstract: There are described a system and method for performing ultrasound testing of a component comprising a first material layer and a second material layer bonded by an adhesive layer. The method comprises applying input ultrasound to the component to cause longitudinal propagation of ultrasonic guided waves through the first material layer and the adhesive layer; acquiring acoustic waves from the component, wherein the acoustic waves produced by the longitudinal propagation of the ultrasonic guided waves; generating a signal representation of the acoustic waves; comparing the signal representation of the acoustic waves to a plurality of reference signals to identify a characteristic of the adhesive layer; and outputting an output signal indicative of the characteristic of the adhesive layer.

Abstract: A railway track defect detection system may include a mobile defect detection platform and a modal parameter analyzer. The platform may include an excitation mechanism (e.g., an excitation hammer or wheels that are in contact with a railway track) to apply multiple impact forces to the railway track while the platform travels along the railway track, and a laser Doppler vibrometer to capture, while the platform travels along the railway track, vibration data representing vibrations of the railway track caused by application of the multiple impact forces by the excitation mechanism. The modal parameter analyzer may be configured to detect, based on the vibration data captured by the laser Doppler vibrometer, a defect in the railway track. For example, changes in vibration amplitudes, mode shapes, damping ratios, or a natural frequency derived from the received vibration data may indicate the presence of a defect in the railway track.

Abstract: A precision measurement device includes a housing and a rotor. A feed inlet is provided at an upper side of the housing. A discharge outlet is provided at a lower side of the housing. The rotor is connected to a motor. Three rings of measurement recesses are formed on the outer wall of the rotor in correspondence with the feed inlet and the discharge outlet. An upper end of the feed inlet has a trapezoid shape which is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. The discharge outlet is disposed off-center at an ascending position of the rotation cylinder, achieving an accurate measurement effect.

Abstract: A method for determining an axle load and a suspension system are configured for a vehicle having at least one leaf spring connected at its ends in spring holders of a vehicle body and connected in its central region to a chassis of the vehicle. The following steps are performed: measuring a measurement distance of the vehicle body relative to the chassis; determining whether there is currently a loading or unloading process of the vehicle, determining a relevant hysteresis curve of a pre-stored hysteresis field depending on the determination of a loading or unloading process, and determining a current axle load projection value from the measurement distance and the relevant hysteresis curve. A loading process criterion and an unloading process criterion may be considered. The determined axle load projection value thus serves as a projected or estimated axle load. Furthermore, the hysteresis field can be updated.

Abstract: A mobile weighing apparatus includes a base tubing, a column extending from the base tubing, a handle extending from the column, a plurality of wheels, a weighing platform, and a plurality of load cells coupled to or between the base tubing and the weighing platform. The weighting platform may be suspended from the load cells, such as with wire rope bolts, such that a force applied to the column does not affect weighment of an object on the weighing platform. The apparatus may include a kingpin-less swivel rear wheel, a rear wheel brake to preclude rotation of the rear wheel about an axle of the rear wheel, and an actuator to actuate the rear brake when the rear wheel is in any position over a 360-degree range. The wheels may be positioned adjacent respective corners of a triangularly shaped base tubing, and the apparatus may further include a clinometer.

Abstract: A system, comprising: (i) an interposer layer; (ii) a circuit layer positioned on the interposer layer and comprising a plurality of sonically-enabled pads; and (iii) an interrogator layer positioned on the circuit layer and comprising a plurality of ultrasonic transducers configured to sonically interrogate the circuit layer; wherein the sonically-enabled pads are configured to generate an electrical signal in response to sonic interrogation from the interrogator layer, if the sonically-enabled pad is functional.

Abstract: An acoustic system and method is disclosed for providing spatial and temporal classification of a range of different types of sound producing targets in a geographical area. The system includes an optical signal transmitter arrangement for repeatedly transmitting, at multiple instants, interrogating optical signals into each of one or more optical fibres distributed across the geographical area and forming at least part of an installed fibre-optic communications network. An optical signal detector arrangement receives, during an observation period following each of the multiple instants, returning optical signals scattered in a distributed manner over distance along the one or more of optical fibres.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inspection system includes a probe and a controller. The probe includes a plurality of ultrasonic sensors arranged in a first direction. The probe contacts a weld portion by moving in a second direction crossing the first direction. Each of the plurality of ultrasonic sensors transmits an ultrasonic wave toward the weld portion and receives a reflected wave. The controller detects a joint and a non-joint at a plurality of points along the first direction of the weld portion based on the plurality of reflected waves. The controller adjusts an angle of the probe around a third direction based on a number of the joints or the non-joints detected for the plurality of points. The third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and crosses the second direction.

Abstract: A method for detecting a tension force defect of a steel cable includes the following steps: step S10: providing an excitation sensor on a first position of a steel cable to be detected and providing a detection sensor on a second position of the steel cable; step S20: obtaining a value of a tension force on the steel cable and obtaining a first display diagram corresponding to the value of the tension force; step S30: loading a white noise signal on the excitation sensor through a power amplifier; step S40: acquiring a detection signal collected by the detection sensor; step S50: uploading the detection signal to a personal computer (PC) and performing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) process on the detection signal; step S60: determining whether there is a defect in the steel cable, and if so, performing step S70; step S70: determining a defect position of the steel cable.

Abstract: Inspection robots with configurable interface plates are described. An example inspection robot may have a housing with at least three removable interface plates, each removable interface plate having a coupling interface for an electronic component on a first side, and coupled to at least one of a plurality of electronic boards on a second side. The example inspection robot may further include a drive module configured to couple to at least one of the removable interface plates, and a payload configured to couple to at least one of the removable interface plates. The example inspection robot may further include a means for operating the inspection robot in response to the drive module coupled to one of the removable interface plates, and the payload coupled to any other one of the removable interface plates.

Abstract: A system for evaluating a bond includes a first electrode and a second electrode that are spaced apart from one another. The system also includes a sacrificial material layer positioned proximate to a surface of a bonded structure that includes the bond. The system also includes a power source configured to cause the first and second electrodes to generate an electrical arc that at least partially ablates the sacrificial material layer as part of a non-destructive inspection of the bond.

Abstract: A dual element time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD) transducer assembly (10) for use in detecting an anomaly (78) in a test piece (70), the transducer assembly (10) comprising: a first transducer element (35) a configured to transmit ultrasonic signals (85a) to the test piece (70), and a second transducer element (35b) configured to receive diffracted ultrasonic signals (85b) from the test piece, wherein the first and second transducer elements (35a, 35b) are housed within a common housing (15), the housing (15) also forming part of the transducer assembly (10).