Test & Inspection

The Vickers Hardness Test

Over the past 90 years, the Vickers test has proved to be an all-around respectable performer in a wide variety of applications, some of which the inventors never dreamed possible.

Walter Wardzala

November 1, 2013

The Vickers hardness test, an offshoot of the venerable Brinell test, has been used since the early 1920s.

Measurement

Wireless Measurement & Data Acquisition

Increased quality control requires measurement of increasingly more parameters in a cost-efficient way.

Rolf Nilsson

November 1, 2013

Professional measurement systems such as laser distance meters, laser scanners, level-instruments, machine-control and monitoring systems are often mobile or temporarily installed and are thus ideal applications for wireless communication.

Measurement

Chasing Microns: Getting the Most from Dimensional Gages

If you’re trying to measure to microns, every micron counts.

George Schuetz

November 1, 2013

In the production environment, where tight tolerances are a way of life, it’s critical to think about gaging requirements before putting instruments out there and possibly having them not meet expectations.

Quality 101

Meet the New Microscopes

Today many microscopes can magnify parts in three dimensions, allowing for a more complete view of your part.

Michelle Bangert

October 26, 2013

Adrianus Pijper, in the South African Journal of Science, called the microscope “man’s noblest, supreme, and most far-reaching tool,” according to the Microscopy Society of America. And this was in 1939.

NDT - Back 2 Basics

Advances in SEM Technology for the Quality Control Lab

A scanning electron microscope reveals information about changes in microscopic properties of particles.

Jeffrey D. McGinn

October 11, 2013

Recent advances in scanning electron microscopy (SEM), particularly in the benchtop realm, enhance quality control procedures of laboratories across a wide range of industries.

NDT - Helium Leak Testing

Helium or Air? Leak Testing Realities, Economics and Opportunities

Consider these variables when weighing your leak testing options.

Jacques Hoffmann

October 11, 2013

Advanced technology for leak testing now provides opportunities to improve quality and save money even in applications where expensive helium systems are customary.

NDT - Phased Array

Parallel Phased Arrays to Achieve High-Speed Inspection

Automation and parallel phased array systems are being used to meet challenging inspection and production requirements.

Wolfram A. Karl Deutsch Klaus Maxam Mathias Razeng Dr. Werner Roye Dr. Deborah L. Hopkins

October 10, 2013

One of the greatest challenges in industrial nondestructive testing (NDT) is performing inspections at high production rates.

NDT - Training

The Nondestructive Testing (NDT) Training Industry

Primed for expansion

Vijay Mathew

October 9, 2013

Due to the critical nature of nondestructive testing (NDT) in ensuring the safety and reliability of a plant, infrastructure, or facility, any technician performing NDT has to be trained and certified by an accredited body.

Measurement

How to Choose the Right Lighting for Machine Vision Applications

“The most sophisticated automated inspection system in the world cannot work without the proper lighting.”

John Lewis

October 3, 2013

Machine vision systems create images by analyzing the reflected light from an object, not by analyzing the object itself.

Test & Inspection

A Turn for the Better: Advances in Multisensor Systems

Multisensor systems allow complex parts to be easily measured in one setup using the best sensor for each measurement situation.

Nate Rose

October 1, 2013

Multisensor metrology systems have evolved over the past 20 years to integrate a wide array of sensor techniques—optical, laser, touch-probe, white light and scanning probe.