9,221 research outputs found
An experimental approach to quantify strain transfer efficiency of fibre bragg grating sensors to host structures
This paper developed a method to evaluate the strain transfer efficiency of
fibre Bragg grating sensors to host structures. Various coatings were applied to
fibre Bragg grating sensors after being fabricated. They were epoxy, silane
agent and polypropylene, representing different surface properties. A neat epoxy
resin plate was used as the host in which the coated fibre sensors were embedded
in the central layer. The tensile strain output from the FBGs was compared with
that obtained from electrical strain gauges which were attached on the surface
of the specimen. A calculating method based on the measured strains was
developed to quantify the strain transfer function of different surface
coatings. The strain transfer coefficient obtained from the proposed method
provided a direct indicator to evaluate the strain transfer efficiency of
different coatings used on the FBG sensors, under either short or long-term
loading. The results demonstrated that the fibre sensor without any coating
possessed the best strain transfer, whereas, the worst strain transfer was
created by polypropylene coating. Coatings play a most influential role in
strain measurements using FBG sensors
Online measurement of optical fibre geometry during manufacturing
Online measurement of diameters and concentricities of optical fibre layers,
and the coating layer in particular, is one of the challenges in fibre
manufacturing. Currently available instruments can measure concentricity and
diameter of layers offline, and are not suitable for precise monitoring or
control of the manufacturing process in real time. In this work, we use two
laser beams, positioned orthogonally to illuminate the fibre from two sides,
and calculate deviations from the expected geometry by analysing the scattering
pattern. To measure the diffraction pattern we use two 8K linear array
detectors, with the scattered light incident directly on the sensors. Each
detector is capturing approximately 90 degree angular range directly behind the
fibre. The two measurement channels are positioned at different heights. The
scattered pattern is modelled mathematically with finite-element and
Fourier-modal methods, with various diameter and concentricity deviations. The
sensitivities of the changes in the scattering pattern are identified in
respect to these deviations. Since calculations are computationally intensive,
the sensitivities are pre-calculated in advance, and the real-time measurement
is based on pattern recognition. The symmetry of the pattern is used to
differentiate between diameter and concentricity variations. We performed
online measurements with the prototype instrument in production conditions, and
show that this method is sensitive enough to measure deviations of under 1
{\mu}m in diameter and concentricity of the coating layer.Comment: Proceedings article, SPIE conference "Fiber Lasers and Glass
Photonics: Materials through Applications
A portable high power diode laser-based single-stage ceramic tile grout sealing system
By means of a 60 W high power diode laser (HPDL) and a specially developed grout material the void between adjoining ceramic tiles has been successfully sealed. A single-stage process has been developed which uses a crushed ceramic tile mix to act as a tough, inexpensive bulk substrate and a glazed enamel surface to provide an impervious surface glaze. The single-stage ceramic tile grout sealing process yielded seals produced in normal atmospheric conditions that displayed no discernible cracks and porosities. The single-stage grout is simple to formulate and easy to apply. Tiles were successfully sealed with power densities as low as 200 kW/mm2 and at rates of up to 600 mm/min. Bonding of the enamel to the crushed ceramic tile mix was identified as being primarily due to van der Waals forces and, on a very small scale, some of the crushed ceramic tile mix material dissolving into the glaze. In terms of mechanical, physical and chemical characteristics, the single-stage ceramic tile grout was found to be far superior to the conventional epoxy tile grout and, in many instances, matched and occasionally surpassed that of the ceramic tiles themselves. What is more, the development of a hand-held HPDL beam delivery unit and the related procedures necessary to lead to the commercialisation of the single-stage ceramic tile grout sealing process are presented. Further, an appraisal of the potential hazards associated with the use of the HPDL in an industrial environment and the solutions implemented to ensure that the system complies with the relevant safety standards are given
Critical issues of double-metal layer coating on FBG for applications at high temperatures
Use of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) to monitor high temperature (HT) applications is of great interest to the research community. Standard commercial FBGs can operate up to 600 â C. For applications beyond that value, specific processing of the FBGs must be adopted to allow the grating not to deteriorate. The most common technique used to process FBGs for HT applications is the regeneration procedure (RP), which typically extends their use up to 1000 â C. RP involves a long-term annealing of the FBGs, to be done at a temperature ranging from 550 to 950 â C. As at that temperature, the original coating of the FBGs would burn out, they shall stay uncoated, and their brittleness is a serious concern to deal with. Depositing a metal coating on the FBGs prior to process them for RP offers an effective solution to provide them with the necessary mechanical strengthening. In this paper, a procedure to provide the FBG with a bimetallic coating made by copper and nickel electrodeposition (ED) is proposed, discussing issues related to the coating morphology, adherence to the fiber, and effects on the grating spectral response. To define the processing parameters of the proposed procedure, production tests were performed on dummy samples which were used for destructive SEM-EDS analysis. As a critical step, the proposed procedure was shown to necessitate a heat treatment after the nickel ED, to remove the absorbed hydrogen. The spectral response of the FBG samples was monitored along the various steps of the proposed procedure and, as a final proof test for adherence stability of the bimetallic coating, along a heating/cooling cycle from room temperature to 1010 â C. The results suggest that, given the emergence of Kirkendall voids at the copper-nickel interface, occurring at the highest temperatures (700-1010 â C), the bimetallic layer could be employed as FBG coating up to 700 â C
White paper on the future of plasma science and technology in plastics and textiles
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: âUros, C., Walsh, J., CernĂĄk, M., Labay, C., Canal, J.M., Canal, C. (2019) White paper on the future of plasma science and technology in plastics and textiles. Plasma processes and polymers, 16 1 which has been published in final form at [doi: 10.1002/ppap.201700228]. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving."This white paper considers the future of plasma science and technology related to the manufacturing and modifications of plastics and textiles, summarizing existing efforts and the current stateâofâart for major topics related to plasma processing techniques. It draws on the frontier of plasma technologies in order to see beyond and identify the grand challenges which we face in the following 5â10 years. To progress and move the frontier forward, the paper highlights the major enabling technologies and topics related to the design of surfaces, coatings and materials with nonâequilibrium plasmas. The aim is to progress the field of plastics and textile production using advanced plasma processing as the key enabling technology which is environmentally friendly, cost efficient, and offers highâspeed processingPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft
Single-stage sealing of ceramic tiles by means of high power diode laser radiation
An investigation has been carried out using a 60 W high power diode laser (HPDL) to determine the feasibility of sealing the void between adjoining ceramic tiles with a specially developed grout material. A single-stage process has subsequently been devised using a new grout material which consists of two distinct components: a crushed ceramic tile mix substrate and a glazed enamel surface; the crushed ceramic tile mix provides a tough, inexpensive bulk substrate, whilst the enamel provides an impervious surface glaze. HPDL processing has resulted in crack and porosity free seals produced in normal atmospheric conditions. The single-stage grout is simple to formulate and easy to apply. Tiles were successfully sealed with power densities as low as 750 W/cm2 and at rates of up to 420 mm/min. Bonding of the enamel to the crushed ceramic tile mix was identified as being primarily due to van der Waals forces and, on a very small scale, some of the crushed ceramic tile mix material dissolving into the glaze
A comparative investigation of the wear characteristics of a high power diode laser generated single-stage tile grout and commercial epoxy tile grout
A comparative study of a single-stage ceramic tile grout, generated using a 60 W high power diode laser (HPDL), and a commercially available tile grout has determined the wear characteristics of the two materials. Within both normal and corrosive environmental conditions, the single-stage ceramic tile grout proved to have a superior wear rate over the epoxy tile grout, 0.9 mg/cm2/h compared with 125 mg/cm2/h when in an HNO3 environment respectively. Likewise, life assessment testing revealed that the single-stage ceramic tile grout gave an increase in wear life of 4 to 42 times over the commercially available epoxy tile grout, depending upon the corrosive environment. It is believed that the economic and material benefits to be gained from the deployment of such an effective and efficient means of sealing ceramic tiles could be significant
Project overview and update on WEAVE: the next generation wide-field spectroscopy facility for the William Herschel Telescope
We present an overview of and status report on the WEAVE next-generation
spectroscopy facility for the William Herschel Telescope (WHT). WEAVE
principally targets optical ground-based follow up of upcoming ground-based
(LOFAR) and space-based (Gaia) surveys. WEAVE is a multi-object and multi-IFU
facility utilizing a new 2-degree prime focus field of view at the WHT, with a
buffered pick-and-place positioner system hosting 1000 multi-object (MOS)
fibres, 20 integral field units, or a single large IFU for each observation.
The fibres are fed to a single spectrograph, with a pair of 8k(spectral) x 6k
(spatial) pixel cameras, located within the WHT GHRIL enclosure on the
telescope Nasmyth platform, supporting observations at R~5000 over the full
370-1000nm wavelength range in a single exposure, or a high resolution mode
with limited coverage in each arm at R~20000. The project is now in the final
design and early procurement phase, with commissioning at the telescope
expected in 2017.Comment: 11 pages, 11 Figures, Summary of a presentation to Astronomical
Telescopes and Instrumentation 201
A two-stage ceramic tile grout sealing process using a high power diode laser Part I: Grout development and materials characteristics
Work has been conducted using a 60 W-cw high power diode laser (HPDL) in order to determine the feasibility and characteristics of sealing the void between adjoining ceramic tiles with a specially developed grout material having an impermeable enamel surface glaze. A two-stage process has been developed using a new grout material which consists of two distinct components: an amalgamated compound substrate and a glazed enamel surface; the amalgamated compound seal providing a tough, heat resistant bulk substrate, whilst the enamel provides an impervious surface. HPDL processing has resulted in crack free seals produced in normal atmospheric conditions. The basic process phenomena are investigated and the laser effects in terms of seal morphology, composition and microstructure are presented. Also, the resultant heat affects are analysed and described, as well as the effects of the shield gases, O2 and Ar, during laser processing. Tiles were successfully sealed with power densities as low as 500 W/cm2 and at rates up to 600 mm/min. Contact angle measurements revealed that due to the wettability characteristics of the amalgamated oxide compound grout (AOCG), laser surface treatment was necessary in order to alter the surface from a polycrystalline to a semi-amorphous structure, thus allowing the enamel to adhere. Bonding of the enamel to the AOCG and the ceramic tiles was identified as being principally due to van der Waals forces, and on a very small scale, some of the base AOCG material dissolving into the glaze
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