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Sensors Provide Early Diagnosis Of Microcracks In Aircraft |
 Today's aircraft are in service virtually around the clock and must operate reliably and safely at all times. An active sensor system helps to detect concealed fatigue cracks in aircraft bodies, thus reducing maintenance times considerably.
If a tiny crack in the hull of an aircraft remains undetected for a long time, it can easily spread and put passengers’ lives at risk. Each component is therefore subject to international maintenance regulations: Aircraft bodies must be thoroughly inspected every 15 to 18 months, depending on the type of plane. This often requires the technicians to dismantle an aircraft’s interior lining – an expensive and time-consuming process involving several days of downtime in the hangar. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF in Darmstadt are developing a sensor system that allows engineers to continuously monitor the condition of their aircraft and detect any damage at an early stage.
The system is based on piezoceramic sensors that are attached to the aircraft body in a network pattern. What is special about these sensors is that they start to oscillate when a voltage is applied to them – and when they are subjected to pressure, they generate voltage. The scientists make use of both effects: While the piezo foils cause part of the hull to oscillate, the others measure the component’s response to this stimulation. “We investigated the oscillation behavior of damaged struts and rivets in an aircraft body and compared it with that of intact parts,” explains LBF project manager Dirk Mayer. “If a component is defective, it oscillates at a different frequency from one that is intact when stimulated by the piezoceramics – just as a cracked glass sounds different from an undamaged one when you tap it with your fingernail.” In this way, the researchers can accurately track down faults and monitor their development – be it fatigue cracks in the hull and wings, or rivets and other joining parts coming loose. This form of observation is also referred to as ‘structural health monitoring’ (SHM).
“With the help of this system, any damage behind the lining or in difficult-to-reach places can be identified quickly and easily, thus reducing maintenance times and inspection costs,” says Mayer. The researchers have already performed tests on a hull component in the laboratory, and are now implementing the new technology with standardized piezo and electronic components. The system will then also be suitable for use in vehicle manufacture or engine and plant construction.
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Dear Editor,
I hope you can help me or at least point me in the right direction. My neighbor just put up a huge CB Radio antennea, the thing is higher that the roof of his home, the problem is, now I have interference through our television set speakers. We can hear him speaking although it is not too clear. How can I fix the problem so that we can watch t.v. without hearing this noise? Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerly,
Donna R.
Dear Donna,
If your neighbor's transmissions are interfering with your TV, the best thing for you to do is complain to the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC investigates cases of interference and they will determine if your neighbor's transmissions contain out-of-band signals. You might also try talking to your neighbor. If his antenna is for amateur radio rather than Citizens Band, "ham" radio operators have a policy of supplying a free filter for your TV in such cases.
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ElectronicDesignNet News
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We scan the wires, web sites, blogs and news media for the most interesting and relevant information, then summarize it for you in a convenient format, organized by topic areas during the week:
You can stay on top of things without wasting your precious time sifting through lots of noise. Subscribe to our digest and receive it in your eMail, or come to our site and read it in your web browser. Digest eMail subscriptions can be managed on the Newsletters tab of the "My Settings - Edit Profile" page once you register.
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Vista Will Give PC-TV Tuner Market A Boost |
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Business News - Monday
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Monday, 07 May 2007 |
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Several factors, including initiatives by Microsoft, are stimulating the growth of PC-TV tuners, and will drive fast growth in this market, reports In-Stat. The introduction of Microsoft Vista is likely to give a boost to the PC-TV tuner market, the market research firm says. Microsoft has been encouraging PC-TV tuner vendors to centralize their drivers through the Windows Update program....more |
The Vector Signal Generator And Wireless Technology |
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Test & Measurement / Data Acquisition - Tuesday
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Monday, 07 May 2007 |
It's no secret that wireless communications has evolved greatly over the past 10 years. Mobile phones and wireless LANs with increasingly complex physical interfaces pose formidable challenges for both design and manufacturing engineers. Currently, a wireless device might include not only a cellular phone capable of operating on multiple bands with various modulation technologies, but it could also contain other receivers or transceivers such as Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS and FM radio....more  (0) Comments |
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Solar Energy — Growth Opportunity For The Semiconductor Industry |
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Business News - Monday
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Monday, 07 May 2007 |
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With renewable energy currently accounting for <1% of the world’s energy demand, it is easy to understand why businesses, investors and consumers are excited about future growth opportunities. Photovoltaic (PV), or solar electricity, is the fastest growing renewable energy segment, with a minimum of 23% annual growth forecasted and 40%+ likely. Therefore, there is naturally an increased spotlight on this sector (Fig. 1). Presently, Europe and Japan are the largest PV markets, but all experts agree that North America, and specifically California, will become the largest market in the coming years....more (0) Comments |
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Nature Provides A Chip Off The Old Shell |
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Components / Sensors - Thursday
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Friday, 04 May 2007 |
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Taking a cue from seashells, IBM is using a pattern-creating process found in nature to manufacture its latest computer chips. The company has adapted the process that forms seashells, snowflakes, and enamel on teeth to make trillions of holes that provide insulating vacuums around the nano-scale wires inside each chip. As a result, the new chips work 35 percent faster or consume 15 percent less energy than even the most advanced chips using conventional techniques. Although this new form of insulation is commonly referred to as “airgaps,” the gaps are really airless vacuum. Scientist see vacuum as the ultimate antidote for what is known as wiring capacitance. That occurs when two conductors, in this case adjacent wires on a chip, siphon electrical energy from one another, generating heat and slowing the data as it moves through a chip....more (0) Comments |
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