Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Customer Case This customer manufactures non-destructive test equipment which allows customers such as steel mills to test the quality of their end-products. Presently, the ultrasound frequencies being used are centered at either 5 MHz, 10 MHz or 15 MHz. The worst case analog bandwidth requirement in this case is 35 MHz. In order to set up their equipment properly, the customer presently views the return signal (including the flaw) on an analog oscilloscope with a sweep time of either 50 us or 100 us (providing approximately 5 to 10 inches of depth in a metal). The [...]
Whitepaper: Three Vibration/Balancing Solutions for the Aviation Industry
Three Vibration/Balancing Solutions for the Aviation Industry MTI Instruments Offers a Variety of Solutions for Commercial, Regional & Military Jet Engine Balancing Applications Introduction Throughout the aviation industry, whether commercial or military, jet engine vibration is an everyday concern. Maintenance, repair, and overhaul crews worldwide are tasked with monitoring aircraft engine vibration to ensure flight safety and efficient service. Gone unchecked, jet engine vibration can be the catalyst for any number of problems, from minor annoyances such as cabin noise to undue parts wear. In the most severe cases, an out-of-balance turbine could lead to catastrophic failure [...]
Acoustic Micro-Imaging
Acoustic Micro-Imaging Customer Case The customer is a leader in the field of acoustic micro-imaging. They use pulse ultrasound to image non-human materials. The ultrasound frequency used is between 100 and 200 MHz, as the materials they study can handle these frequencies (one cannot normally use such high frequencies with human tissue). The customer's PRF (Pulse Repeat Frequency) is approximately 4 KHz, with a PRI (Pulse Repeat Interval) of 250 ms. They need to capture approximately 2 ms (1,000 points) of data for each pulse. The customer wants scope emulation software to allow verification of board operation without having [...]
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Scanning Inspection
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Scanning Inspection Customer Case The customer is testing interior of pipes with time-resolved fluorescence, a Photo Multiplier Tube (PMT), a transducer with 8 MHz BandWidth and an integration chamber. They are searching for rare events and the scan width is approximately 3.5 inches. Multiple Record: 350 scans x 3 Kpts. GaGe Case Solution We recommended 5X-10X over sampling - therefore CompuScope 14100, CompuScope 12100, or even the 8-bit CS8500 may be sufficient. For a CS8500 Single Record example, say, at the single-channel sampling-rate of 50 MS/s, a 3000 point (i.e. 3 KS) acquisition would take about [...]
Whitepaper: How to Work Safely with High-Voltage Test & Measurement Equipment
How to Work Safely with High-Voltage Test & Measurement Equipment Vitrek’s advanced 4700 High Voltage Meter and SmartProbes offer alternative to legacy approach to calibrating high-voltage systems. INTRODUCTION When working with high-voltage test and measurement equipment, electrical and test engineers strive to achieve the most precise readings possible while also maintaining a safe work area. Typically, they employ external probes such as high-voltage dividers, but these instruments come with drawbacks and are prone to errors. This whitepaper describes an alternative approach to calibrating high-voltage systems. The advanced solution comprises Vitrek’s 4700 High Voltage Meter for direct measurements [...]
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) of Concrete Structures
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) of Concrete Structures Customer Case Our customer needs to perform Non Destructive Testing (NDT) to test concrete. The testing method involves using a special hammer mounted with a geophone, which serves as a transducer. They strike the concrete structure with the hammer and record the results for analysis. A definitive echo in the signal will be appear should there be a crack or a weak point in the concrete. GaGe Case Solution The customer was looking for a low-cost board that would be able to sample at 20 MHz or more, so we recommended the CompuScope [...]
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) for Steel Manufacturing
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) for Steel Manufacturing Customer Case The customer is a custom-built contractor of Non-Destructive Test (NDT) instruments for steel manufacturing. NDT uses ultrasonic pulses to scan through thick sheets of metals for possible causes of early wear, such as cracks or impurities. The stimulus is a stream of ultrasonic pulses. The response is their reflection from various depths. The center frequencies used by this customer are in the range of 250 KHz to 2.25 MHz and pulses are about 10 microseconds. The pulse repeat frequency (PRF) is less than 1 KHz. The thickness of steel sheets is [...]
Galvannealing Phosphor Thermometry
Galvannealing Phosphor Thermometry Customer Case During the process of galvanizing, steel is dipped in a bath of liquid tin to increase its resistance to oxidation and moisture. After galvanizing, a precise heat treatment allows control of the mechanical properties of the final galvanized steel. This heat treatment is known as galvannealing. During galvannealing, precise temperature control is necessary to promote the desired grain growth in the steel's tin-rich coating. Galvanneal thermometry is difficult. The rolling of the hot steel makes contact thermocouples and optical pyrometry impractical. A customer's galvanneal furnace is equipped for phosphor thermometry. This novel technique uses [...]
WAFER MEASUREMENT – UNGROUNDED
Industry Semiconductor Applications Wafer Measurement – Ungrounded Measurement Type Metrology Description MTI Instruments Inc. has developed a thickness measurement device that eliminates the effect of varying target conductivity. Called the Push-Pull probe, it’s a unique version of the AccumeasureTM amplifier series. This special design provides accurate surface information for wafer bow and warp. Bow is the deviation of the center point of the median surface of a free, un-clamped wafer from the median surface to the reference plane. Where, the reference plane is defined by three corners of equilateral triangle. This [...]
PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY USING CAPACITANCE SENSORS
Industry Semiconductor Applications Lithography Optics Position Focus Measurement Type Positioning Description When it comes to photolithography, how accurate are our sensors? Photo by D. Carr and H. Craighead, Cornell - The world’s smallest guitar is 10 micrometers long — about the size of a single cell — with six strings each about 50 nanometers, or 100 atoms, wide. Made by Cornell University researchers from crystalline silicon, it demonstrates a new technology for a new generation of electromechanical devices. Even the world’s smallest guitar’s 2 micron [...]