MONITOR ROLLER GAPS AND PARALLELISM
Easy Roller Gap Measurement Ensures Calendering Success Many roll-to-roll finishing processes typically use a calender, or series of hard pressure rollers, to deliver smooth, high-quality products of plastic, textile, or paper (Fig 1). Ensuring a consistent material thickness, however, depends on the ability to monitor, and maintain, a precise gap between rollers. This application note describes a quick and easy means for roller gap measurement. Problem Establishing a roller gap and checking for parallelism across roller width can be a slow and cumbersome procedure. Manual measurement requires multiple sized feeler gauges which can introduce errors. Misinterpreting feeler gauge drag, [...]
ADDING A DIGITAL PANEL METER TO MTI ANALOG OUTPUT PRODUCTS
How To Use Digital Displays with Analog OutputsMTI Microtrak 3 Lasers and some of our Accumeasure amplifiers such as the Accumeasure 9000 only have analog outputs. If you wish to add a digital display, then the Lascar Panel pilot © makes a nice cost effective (~ $110) addition – Fig 1. These Digital panel meters have both 1 & 2 channel display capability and the user can customize the display with a variety of interesting formats. The meter can operate off 4-30VDC which is compatible with the MT-3 power supply and the panel meter inputs can handle 0-10V which is compatible with [...]
PRECISION LASER MEASURING TOOLS
If you are looking for high quality, reliable precision laser measurement tools and devices then you are in the right place. MTI Instruments is a manufacturer of precision tools, systems and solutions for clients requiring the precise measurement and control of products and processes, and for the development and implementation of automated manufacturing, assembly, and complex machinery operation. Our product solutions are used in: Engine vibration analysis systems for military and commercial aircraft applications Industrial manufacturing/production markets Research, design and process development market. Non-Contact Measurement Turbine Balancing & Vibration Analysis Semiconductor/Solar Metrology Systems Signal Generator Applications When it comes [...]
Application Note: Wafer & Thin-Film Stress Characterization Using the Proforma 300iSA
Introduction Thin films are essential to modern semiconductor devices, but every deposited, grown, bonded, or processed layer can introduce mechanical stress into the wafer. When that stress becomes excessive or inconsistent, the effects can extend well beyond the deposition step—contributing to wafer bow, cracking, delamination, overlay error, handling problems, yield loss, and downstream process instability. The MTI Instruments Proforma™ 300iSA semi-automated metrology system provides the full-wafer thickness and shape data needed to evaluate these risks. By measuring wafer geometry before and after a process step, engineers can quantify curvature change and use established film-stress relationships to calculate and trend [...]
Windshield Manufacturing
Industry Automotive Applications Oil Film Measurement Type Level Description In order to maintain proper profile and thickness within a glass furnace the extrusion plate spacing must be maintained at a predetermined gap. Unfortunately, due to process changes and temperature swings this gap can fluctuate significantly in short periods of time. This variation causes the glass thickness to change (check out our glass thickness measurement devices to accurately measure thickness), producing uneven temperature gradients and creating potentially weak glass panels. To control this critical parameter the manufacturing process requires automated active feedback [...]
GRINDING PROCESS
A cylindrical grinding process finishes most wheel spindle surfaces. It is essential that this grinding process leave a surface finish that is smooth and free of defects with minimal runout. No grinder produces a perfect surface. Grinder wheel runout, improperly dressed wheels and fixture vibrations can cause chatter on the spindle surface finish. Chatter is a series of microscopic, repetitive imperfections, or waves, in the surface of the material being machined. The required production environment sensor must have small spatial resolution, high frequency response and large standoff distance for easy loading and unloading of parts. Additionally, the measurement accuracy had to be [...]
Brake Rotors Thickness Variation
Industry Automotive Applications Brake Rotors Thickness Variation Measurement Type Surface Description Driving cross country or cross town, we give little thought to the operation or complexity of our vehicle braking systems. They only cross our mind when we absolutely need them; we never stop to think about the extensive design and testing that makes them such a lifesaver. Take the brake rotor for example. Under normal operating conditions it’s subjected to extreme temperatures and forces, which can cause rotor distortion and potential failure. To make certain it can withstand [...]
Oil Film Thickness Measurement
Industry Automotive Applications Oil Film Measurement Type Level Description A top marine engine manufacturer commissioned MTI Instruments to design and manufacture a non-contact sensor to measure the microscopic oil film layer between the engine cylinder wall and the piston ring. Engine testing is normally performed through a range of low RPM’s to high RPM’s (400- 6000) with piston linear speeds approaching 500 inches/second and at various torques. A measuring system with high frequency response and small sensor size was essential to keep engine machining to a minimum while not altering [...]
Application Note: Replace Three Legacy Systems with One: Modernizing Aerospace/Defense Test Cells with PBS eXpress GalleryApplication Note: Replace Three Legacy Systems with One: Modernizing Aerospace/Defense Test Cells with PBS eXpress
Application Notes-MTI, Brand-MTI, Industry-Aerospace, New & Press Releases, News-Industry, News-MTI, Whitepapers-MTI
Application Note: Replace Three Legacy Systems with One: Modernizing Aerospace/Defense Test Cells with PBS eXpress
Introduction Many military/defense and commercial aerospace test cells still rely on aging analog instruments that, while functional, introduces risk through calibration challenges, legacy components, and lack of digital data access. As testing demands evolve, the industry is moving toward compact, digital platforms that simplify workflows and improve data usability. A Vitrek customer faced this challenge across multiple engine test cells. Their solution: replace two legacy systems with a single PBS eXpress R+, enabling faster setup, digital data acquisition, and automated reporting. The Challenge The customer’s test cells were built around a mix of aging instrumentation, including TrigTek tracking filters, [...]
Application Note: Why Charge Amplifiers Remain Essential in Aerospace Test Systems
Introduction Many aerospace test programs rely on charge-output piezoelectric accelerometers, force sensors, and dynamic pressure transducers because of their wide frequency response, rugged construction, and ability to capture rapidly changing events. These sensors generate extremely small electrical charge signals—often measured in picocoulombs (pC)—that are susceptible to cable capacitance effects, electrical noise, leakage currents, and environmental influences that can compromise measurement accuracy. Charge amplifiers address these challenges by converting the sensor’s high-impedance charge output into a stable, low impedance voltage signal suitable for transmission, recording, and analysis. By making measurements largely independent of cable capacitance while maintaining low noise, stable [...]