Abstract: In a method and system for inspecting the condition of a structure, the structure is scanned with a three-dimensional (3D) scanner. The 3D scanner includes a sensing system having one of a radar sensing device or an ultrasonic detection device. The sensing system detects 3D information about a subsurface of the structure, and the 3D scanner generates 3D data points based on the information detected by one or more of the radar sensing device and the ultrasonic detection device. A 3D model is constructed from the 3D data and is then analyzed to determine the condition of the subsurface of the structure.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus comprising a housing having an inner perimeter which defines an area through which gas may flow, the housing being provided with a first chamber which extends around the area through which gas may flow, an entrance being distributed around the first chamber, and a second chamber which extends around the area through which gas may flow, an exit being distributed around the second chamber, the first chamber being arranged to be upstream of the second chamber in use, wherein the sensor apparatus further comprises one or more sensors arranged to measure a pressure difference between pressure in the first chamber and pressure in the second chamber. Corresponding turbocharger and method of measuring a mass flow rate are also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved acoustic energy generating apparatus that includes an improved backing structure. The improved backing structure employs protrusions that are not located in a uniform pattern along a forward side surface of the backing structure, to realize improved re-direction of acoustic energy towards a forward direction relative to the acoustic energy generating apparatus.

Abstract: A vibration sensor includes a piezoelectric crystal; and a base having an upper surface and a lower surface, the piezoelectric crystal attached to the upper surface of the base, the base defining a notch in at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface. Another embodiment of a vibration sensor includes a first piezoelectric crystal; a second piezoelectric crystal; a base attached to the first piezoelectric crystal on first side of the base and attached to the second piezoelectric crystal on a second side of the base opposite the first side of the base; a voltage amplifier in electrical communication to the first piezoelectric crystal; and a charge amplifier in electrical communication to the second piezoelectric crystal.

Abstract: Shear thinning fluids may be useful as calibration fluids for calibrating rheometers with bob/rotor eccentricity and at lower shear rates, which may be particularly useful for calibrating rheometers at well sites that are used for measuring the rheological properties of complex fluids (e.g., wellbore fluids like drilling fluids, cementing fluids, fracturing fluids, completion fluids, and workover fluids). Additionally, high shear rate calibrations may also be performed with shear thinning calibration fluids. Newtonian fluids may be used for high shear rate calibrations in alternate of or in addition to the shear thinning calibration fluid.

Abstract: A hydraulic pressure source includes an oil tank for storing hydraulic oil, a hydraulic pump, a motor for driving this hydraulic pump, and an inverter for changing a rotational frequency of the motor. A pipe line for drawing the hydraulic oil from the oil tank by operation of the hydraulic pump branches to a supply pipe line for supplying the hydraulic oil to the hydraulic cylinder, and a release pipe line for releasing superfluous hydraulic oil into the oil tank. The release pipe line has arranged thereon a pressure regulating mechanism and a flowmeter which measures a flow rate of the hydraulic oil flowing into the release pipe line. Based on a measurement value of the flowmeter, the inverter is operable to change the rotational frequency of the motor to become a necessary minimum rotational frequency.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a pressure sensor includes a substrate, a support part, a flexible membrane part, and a magnetoresistive element. The support part is adhered on the substrate by using a first adhesive material with a first Young's modulus and a second adhesive material with a second Young's modulus different from the first Young's modulus. The membrane part is supported by the support part. The magnetoresistive element is provided on the membrane part, and includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a spacer layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.

Abstract: A radar liquid level measuring apparatus (10) includes a first oscillation module (102), a second oscillation module (104), a frequency comparator (106) and a control module (107). The first oscillation module (102) has a first oscillation frequency. The first oscillation module (102) generates a first pulse signal (10202). The second oscillation module (104) has a second oscillation frequency. The second oscillation module (104) generates a second pulse signal (10402). The frequency comparator (106) converts the first pulse signal (10202) and the second pulse signal (10402) into an adjusted signal (10602). The control module (107) compares the adjusted signal (10602) with an expectation value (10818) to obtain a comparative result signal. According to the comparative result signal, the control module (107) adjusts the second oscillation frequency, so that the second oscillation frequency and the first oscillation frequency have a constant frequency difference.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods related to low cycle fatigue testing are described. For example, some embodiments may contain a control box, two fitting connections, a pressure gauge, a plurality of clamps, a plurality of hydraulic cylinders, a plurality of control cables, and a strain gauge, for testing the low cycle fatigue properties of a testing specimen, for example, a steel tube umbilical.

Abstract: A method of detecting a vibration node between a non-collocated sensor-actuator pair of a rotatable component includes applying an excitation signal to an actuator of the sensor actuator pair. The method also includes obtaining frequency response data from the sensor-actuator pair. The method further includes analyzing the frequency response data to ascertain a resonant frequency of the rotatable component. The method includes identifying a resonance/anti-resonance peak pair in the frequency response data for the non-collocated sensor-actuator pair. Furthermore, the method includes determining whether the vibration node is located between a sensor and the actuator of the non-collocated sensor-actuator pair based on the resonance/anti-resonance peak pair.

Abstract: A capacitive ultrasonic transducer includes a sensor head having a back plate, the structured front side of which is provided with an insulation layer, and the back side of which is provided with an electrode. In order to achieve an improved construction by means of which increased temperature resistance up to several hundred degrees Celsius can be achieved even in strongly oxidizing and reducing media, the membrane provided as a sound generator is subjected to tensile stress in a planar direction.

Abstract: A device and a method for assessing a gasket pressure of a gasket arrangement between two adjacent heat transfer plates of a plate heat exchanger is provided. The gasket arrangement seals between adjacent heat transfer plates to define a flow channel between adjacent heat transfer plates, and the gasket arrangement is arranged to be exposed to a fluid passing through the flow channel. The device comprises a test object and a holder which are adapted to be arranged in a flow path of the fluid. The holder is arranged to hold the test object and the test object is arranged to be exposed to the fluid. The device is adapted to be arranged outside a space delimited by the adjacent heat transfer plates. The test object is arranged to be evaluated for an indirect assessment of the gasket pressure of the gasket arrangement.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a time-based optical pickoff for MEMS sensors are provided. In one embodiment, a method for an integrated waveguide time-based optical-pickoff sensor comprises: launching a light beam generated by a light source into an integrated waveguide optical-pickoff monolithically fabricated within a first substrate, the integrated waveguide optical-pickoff including an optical input port, a coupling port, and an optical output port; and detecting changes in an area of overlap between the coupling port and a moving sensor component separated from the coupling port by a gap by measuring an attenuation of the light beam at the optical output port, wherein the moving sensor component is moving in-plane with respect a surface of the first substrate comprising the coupling port and the coupling port is positioned to detect movement of an edge of the moving sensor component.

Abstract: The electromagnetic ultrasonic transducer includes a detection bottom surface and a stopper connected to a sidewall of the electromagnetic ultrasonic transducer; wherein the stopper extends towards the detection bottom surface; a bottom surface of the stopper is lower than the detection bottom surface; a distance “d” between the bottom surface of the stopper and the detection bottom surface is in a range 0 mm<d?1 mm; the bottom surface of the stopper contacts a surface of an object to be detected in a working state of the electromagnetic ultrasonic transducer.

Abstract: A system for measuring change in length and/or deformation force on a sample in a longitudinal direction. The system is useful in thermomechanical analysis and/or dynamic-mechanical analysis, and comprises a pushrod extending in the longitudinal direction which exerts force on the sample, and a device measuring movement of the pushrod resulting from the change in length or deformation of the sample in the longitudinal direction. The measuring device includes: a pushrod base mounted on a stationary base with a guide so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction; a controllable drive for moving the pushrod; a detector measuring the force exerted by the pushrod on the sample; and a path sensor for measuring the movement of the pushrod.

Abstract: A measuring device for non-mechanical-contact measurement of a layer, the measuring device including a light source operative to generate a pulse adapted to interact with the layer so as to generate a thermal wave in a gas medium present adjacent the layer. The thermal wave causes an acoustic signal to be generated. The measuring device further includes a detector adapted to detect a first signal responsive to the acoustic signal, the detector not being in mechanical contact with the layer. The first signal is representative of the measured layer.

Abstract: A sensing device is provided that has satisfactory sensing accuracy when a crystal unit where an excitation electrode is formed on both upper and lower surfaces of a piezoelectric piece is used to sense a sensing object. Adsorption regions are arranged in two places so as to intersect a direction of flow of a fluid, thus each of the adsorption regions senses the sensing object and reference regions are individually provided in these adsorption regions. A difference ?f1 between the oscillation frequencies of the regions and a difference ?f2 between the oscillation frequencies of the regions are added, and based on the result of the addition, whether the sensing object is present or not and its concentration are detected.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a probe device includes a portion having a curved surface and a plurality of tiles variously coupled to the curved surface. The tiles each include a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements and a base adjoining and supporting the plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements. The probe device further comprises curved lens portions each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of tiles, wherein for each of the tiles, the plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements of the tile are to propagate a wave toward the respective curved lens portion. In another embodiment, the probe device further comprises a sheath material surrounding the curved lens portions.

Abstract: A micromechanical sensor is provided having a substrate having a main plane of extension and having a movable element, the movable element being pivotable about an axis of rotation that is essentially parallel to the main plane of extension, from a rest position into a deflected position, the movable element having an asymmetrical mass distribution relative to the axis of rotation, so that, as a function of a force exerted on the movable element oriented essentially perpendicular to the main plane of extension, a deflection movement of the movable element is produced in the form of a pivot movement about the axis of rotation, the micromechanical sensor having a damping element, the damping element being pivotable about the axis of rotation, the damping element being connected to the movable element so as to be capable of rotational movement, or the damping element being integrated with the movable element.

Abstract: There is described a method for checking a value document of a specified type for the suspected presence of a forgery, in particular of a pieced-together forgery, wherein at least one ultrasonic property of the value document is captured in a spatially resolved manner so as to form location-dependent measuring data, wherein while employing the location-dependent measuring data it is checked whether there are present in a specified checking region of the value document two areal regions whose ultrasonic properties deviate from each other according to a specified difference criterion, and wherein there is formed an authenticity signal which represents the result of the check. Further, a corresponding checking device is described.