An advanced, patented probe sensor provides early detection of water infrastructure problems caused by corrosion and harsh atmospheric conditions. Designed to detect graphitization in active pipelines, it identifies areas at risk of major failures early on. By using indirect methods like GIS mapping, in-situ soil resistivity testing, and structure-to-soil potential measurements, high-risk zones can be pinpointed. Once these areas are identified, the probe assesses the severity and depth of graphitization, providing a comprehensive evaluation of the pipeline’s condition. This allows for the implementation of effective corrosion management strategies, including cathodic protection systems, to prevent critical failures. This article describes the sensor system and provides a case study of its use. The technology received the 2024 Engineering Materials Achievement Award from ASM International.

Accurate and continuous dew point measurement is key to maintaining the atmosphere required to achieve high quality and consistency of sintered products in powder metallurgy processing.

Existing strain measurement techniques do not offer enough information about how failures occur, so alternative methods are needed. One technique involves using digital image correlation (DIC) to measure full field strain over the entire material surface. DIC works by capturing a series of images throughout a test and analyzing them afterwards.

Accurate multi-component thickness and moisture data is critical to the productivity and efficiency of producers of plastic films, extrusion coatings, blown films, and nonwoven fabrics. Collecting this data on production lines in real-time ensures that raw materials are not wasted and that all products meet relevant specifications. This article describes several different noncontact online analysis techniques, which primarily measure thickness by passing either nuclear or electromagnetic radiation through the web and measuring its absorption patterns via a detector on the other side of the material.

In 1845, Michael Faraday discovered that light passing through a transparent medium can be altered with an externally applied magnetic field. It is not surprising, given the science and engineering involved, that the ideal medium for observing the Faraday effect and the process by which it is made have only recently been developed. This article explains how magneto-optical sensors make use of advanced materials and processes to harness the Faraday effect, making it possible to see magnetic fields and domains with detailed resolution and instantly obtain flux density measurements over the surface of magnetic materials and magnetized parts.