Search Results for measurement error

This article reviews the measurement physics of macro and micro Vickers indentation testing and the factors that determine measurement precision and repeatability. Study results show that when force loads of less than 100 gf are used, it is difficult for operators to precisely determine the position of the indenter tip, leading to various measurement errors. These errors explain the data anomalies reported in the literature for low-load Vickers hardness testing, which are often incorrectly attributed to material characteristics.

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.

Flow measurement is an increasingly important part of quality control systems in the heat treating industry. This article covers selection basics, sizing, mass flowmeter overview, and frequently asked questions about about flowmeters.

Software specifically designed for materials testing environments and quality control laboratories offers a solution to many of today’s challenges, including lightweighting initiatives across multiple industries.This article describes commercial software available for managing test programs and regulatory compliance.

Ultrasound backscattering enables direct determination of the interface between two materials with different microstructures, including different grain sizes.

Advances in software algorithms and design enable automation of microstructure image analysis, leading to cost savings, reduction in measurement variability, and access to important metrics.

Automated mechanical testing can reduce results variability, save time and money, and enhance safety. This article gives some examples of testing automation and the advantages it confers.

Several industries are now expanding robot integration beyond production tasks into new areas such as testing, where it has been shown to increase throughput and eliminate operator influence.

Systems integration expertise is valuable for innovative high-temperature testing because it reduces data variability and allows for fewer tests in order to achieve accurate results. Grips, extensometers, furnaces, and environmental chambers are potential sources of experimental error. Variability that arises from these components tends to be systemic, so solving an issue with one tends to raise issues with another.

Cross-linked low density polyethylene (LDPE) foams are used for applications such as packaging and thermal insulation. Relating composition, process, and dimensional variables with materials properties using nonlinear modeling provides a valuable tool for efficient LDPE materials and product development.

An in-depth understanding of technology trends not only keep materials engineers relevant, but also puts them in the driver’s seat when it comes to formulating strategies and executing projects. Some of today’s technology trends that are relevant to materials engineers include data analytics, artificial intelligence (machine learning and deep learning), blockchain, digital thread and digital twins, Internet of Things (IoT) or Industry 4.0, additive manufacturing, electric vehicles, and autonomous vehicles.

The Center for Heat Treating Excellence (CHTE) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts is conducting a cutting-edge research project aimed at measuring the surface hardness and case depth on carburized steels for process verification and control. The results will enable companies to improve the quality of heat-treated products faster and more cost-effectively. Nondestructive techniques being evaluated initially include eddy current, meandering winding magnetometer (MWM), Barkhausen noise testing, and alternating current potential drop.

Automation, ease of use, safety, and data integrity are driving changes in the mechanical testing industry, and they rely heavily on the software platform used to control the testing system. This article describes five of the most common trends: (1) Barcoding, (2) Integration with laboratory information management systems and databases, (3) Data integrity, (4) System and software usability, and (5) Enhanced safety features.

Preventive multi-frequency testing using eddy current ensures heat-treated parts meet specifications.

Difficulty in clearly and quantitatively answering questions concerning a component or product failure can lead to courtroom debates, arguments, and battles. The case studies in this article identify and describe technical procedures to assist with explaining complex situations and thereby assist in solving failure analysis problems and resolving legal disputes.

NitrideTool software, developed by the the Center for Heat Treating Excellence (CHTE), simulates the gas nitriding of steels to understand nitriding potential, temperature, time, and surface condition.

A digital refractometer gives more accurate quench concentration readings thereby reducing maintenance, increasing productivity, and ensuring desired metallurgical properties.

Because residual stress has a significant impact on engine component service life, understanding its cause helps optimize fabrication processes to ensure quality. X-ray diffraction is often the only viable technique to measure residual stresses at certain failure-critical locations. This article gives some guidelines for XRD analysis to understand and control residual stresses in processing of engine components.

Recent advances in hardware and software provide materials testers with improved productivity and enhanced capabilities. This article describes some innovations in testing composites and aluminum alloy formability and new capabilities in digital image correlation and testing machine software.

Digital image correlation data and Bayesian inference used together facilitate rigorous quantification of the uncertainty in material input parameters for finite element simulations of superelastic deformation.