Abstract: A system 10 and associated method for detecting a material discontinuity in a magnetisable article 12 has a sensor unit 16 which includes a magnet 18 and at least one magnetic field coupling sensor S. The magnet 18 is supported a distance above the rail 12 so that the lines of magnetic flux 22 loop through the rail 12. The magnetic field of the magnet 18 causes the surface 14 of the rail 12 directly below the magnet 18 to become polarised opposite to the facing pole of the magnet 18 and the regions distant from the magnet 18 to become inversely polarised. The coupling sensor S is placed and held at a fixed position relative to and in the active magnetic field of the magnet 18. The coupling sensor S measures the flux coupling between the rail 12 and the magnet 18.

Abstract: A system 10 and associated method for detecting a material discontinuity in a magnetisable article 12 has a sensor unit 16 which includes a magnet 18 and at least one magnetic field coupling sensor S. The magnet 18 is supported a distance above the rail 12 so that the lines of magnetic flux 22 loop through the rail 12. The magnetic field of the magnet 18 causes the surface 14 of the rail 12 directly below the magnet 18 to become polarised opposite to the facing pole of the magnet 18 and the regions distant from the magnet 18 to become inversely polarised. The coupling sensor S is placed and held at a fixed position relative to and in the active magnetic field of the magnet 18. The coupling sensor S measures the flux coupling between the rail 12 and the magnet 18.

Abstract: A method of magnetic crack depth prediction for a magnetisable component of a first geometry comprising determining a measure of remnant magnetic flux leakage for a section of the component and, converting the remnant magnetic flux leakage to a predicted crack depth for that section of the component using an empirically determined relationship between remnant magnetic flux leakage and crack depth for a previously tested in service component of the first geometry.

Abstract: A method (20) is described for optically measuring the three-dimensional location of one or more wires W, in a group of wires W1-Wn, such a overhead power cables in an electric rail system. A first step (22) comprises obtaining stereoscopic image data for each of the wires W from the first and second spaced apart stereoscopic camera pairs 10a and 10b which lie in the common plane P1. At step (24), image data from the first and second stereoscopic camera pairs 10a and 10b is processed to identify each of the wires W in the region of interest (12). At step (26), a determination is made of the location in 3D space of selected identified wires W using image data from one of the cameras C1 or C2; and, C3 or C4 in each of the first and second camera pairs 10a and 10b.

Abstract: A method (20) is described for optically measuring the three-dimensional location of one or more wires W, in a group of wires W1-Wn, such a overhead power cables in an electric rail system. A first step (22) comprises obtaining stereoscopic image data for each of the wires W from the first and second spaced apart stereoscopic camera pairs 10a and 10b which lie in the common plane P1. At step (24), image data from the first and second stereoscopic camera pairs 10a and 10b is processed to identify each of the wires W in the region of interest (12). At step (26), a determination is made of the location in 3D space of selected identified wires W using image data from one of the cameras C1 or C2; and, C3 or C4 in each of the first and second camera pairs 10a and 10b.

Abstract: A method of magnetic crack depth prediction for a magnetisable component of a first geometry comprising determining a measure of remnant magnetic flux leakage for a section of the component and, converting the remnant magnetic flux leakage to a predicted crack depth for that section of the component using an empirically determined relationship between remnant magnetic flux leakage and crack depth for a previously tested in service component of the first geometry.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of manufacturing polymer particles. The method includes providing an oil in water emulsion, wherein the oil phase comprises a volatile solvent and at least one water insoluble polymer. The volatile solvent has a solubility of not more than 10% in water and the water insoluble polymer has a weight average molecular weight of at least 2000. The water insoluble polymer is soluble in the volatile solvent. The emulsion is supplied to a rotating surface of a rotating surface reactor. The temperature of the rotating surface is maintained at the boiling point of said solvent or greater. The rotating surface of the reactor spins at a speed sufficient to cause the emulsion to spread over the rotating surface as a continuously flowing thin film wherein a vapor phase containing the volatile solvent is removed. The water insoluble polymer particles are then collected as a slurry of polymer particles and water.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for surface treating particulate material (M) with surface treatment particles (S) includes a substantially cylindrical body (12) having a top (18), bottom (16) and sidewall (14). A mixing chamber (42) is defined within the body (12). At least one injector inlet (36) and at least one process air inlet (32) are in communication with the mixing chamber (42). At least one outlet (34) is in fluid communication with the mixing chamber (42).

Abstract: An apparatus (10, 100) for reducing the particle size of a bulk particulate or powder material includes one or more first particle-size reducing stages (12, 120) and a final particle-size reducing stage (14, 140). The first particle-size reducing stage (12, 120) receives the bulk material and reduces the particle size thereof to an intermediate particle size. The final particle-size reducing stage (14, 140) receives the bulk material having the intermediate particle size and further reduces the particle size thereof from the intermediate particle size to a desired particle size.