Blogs
Case-In-Point: MTI Turbine Vibration Analyzer/Balancing System Technology Principles
What do you think when you’re flying home, cruising at 30,000 feet and the drinks have just been served? Our engineers think about the ripple in the glass. That ripple signals vibration and is an indication that the engine may be in need of a balance.
Aviation NewsBrief: Industry Growth Faces Trained Technician Shortage
Introduction Prior to the COVID pandemic, the average age of a highly trained aircraft technician was 57. The airline industry, like so many others, reacted to the pandemic by reducing operations and offering early retirement as way of balancing the workforce with demand. Now the airline industry is experiencing unprecedented growth and thanks to the early retirement of senior MRO technicians, the industry is experiencing a shortfall in its population of qualified personnel. The Problem: Too Few Young Mechanics Joining the Ranks Not enough young mechanics are joining the trade. Exacerbating the situation is [...]
Article: Solving the Shortage of Aviation Technicians Through Product Design
he MRO industry is seeing an exodus of retiring mechanics — even as fewer young mechanics sign up to enter the trade. Exacerbating the situation is the extensive training and dated equipment aspiring technicians must contend with before they can join the workforce.
MTI Instruments Whitepaper: Capacitance Guide for Industrial Applications
Capacitance Guide for Industrial Applications This guide from MTI Instruments explains what you need to know about using electrical capacitance for measurement in industrial applications, including advanced manufacturing. Basic Principles Capacitance is the ratio of the change in an electric charge to the corresponding change in its electrical potential (i.e., voltage). Capacitors, components that that have the “capacity” to store an electric charge, consist of conductive parallel plates that don’t touch or connect with each other. Instead, these metal plates are electrically-separated by air or a layer of insulating material (i.e., the dielectric). MTI’s [...]
Whitepaper: Why Capacitance? Benefits and Applications of Digital Capacitive Sensors
Industry applications illustrate the versatility and benefits of today's digital capacitive sensor technology. The electrical capacitance formed between a capacitance probe and target surface varies as a function of the distance, or gap, between those two surfaces.
Whitepaper: Semiconductor Wafer Measurement for Increased Productivity
Semiconductor Wafer Measurement for Increased Productivity This three-part article describes how manufacturers leverage capacitance-based inspection systems for semiconductor wafers. The article reviews best-practices, consequences of failing to inspect semiconductor wafers and benefits of using semi-automated, fully-automated and manual systems for wafer metrology and inspection. Part 1: Why Disc Geometry Matters in Wafer Production Semiconductor wafers are cut from cylindrical silicon crystals, or ingots. The flatness of these disc-shaped wafers is controlled to tight tolerances to ensure that the entire wafer surface is suitable for integrated circuit (IC) production. If disc geometry is out-of-spec [...]
CAPACITANCE SENSORS TRACK BRAKE ROTOR THICKNESS VARIATION
[Application Note 51018]Today’s cars and trucks offer unprecedented fuel efficiencies and handling characteristics – thanks, in part, to vehicle lightweighting. Applied to all vehicle components, lightweighting lowers stress and strain to improve mileage and boost overall performance.In keeping with this trend, today’s brake rotors are thinner and lighter than those of just a few years ago. In addition, many feature cooling vents to further improve performance. These changes, however, reduce available braking surface, forcing automotive engineers to consider alternative materials and designs. Problem Because the extreme temperatures and forces generated during braking can easily lead to rotor distortion and failure, [...]
THERMAL EXPANSION ON AUTOMOBILE ENGINE
For years the sole purpose of the oil pan was to act as a reservoir for the engine lubricant. Some modern engines now utilize the pan as a structural component. It is machined from a rigid steel or aluminum casting and designed to support the lower portion of the crankshaft bearings and rear main seal. This development has introduced a potential problem area that must be analyzed. As engines go through heating and cooling cycles it is essential that the engine block and oil pan expand and contract at nearly the same rate. If not, stresses can be introduced [...]