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Powered by mere vibrations or the movement of magnets, novel sensors and
transmitters developed by a small company in Vermont are changing the way
engineers are looking at fatigue.
Communicating wirelessly via the Internet to engineers halfway across the
world, the embedded sensors developed by MicroStrain® -- a small business
based in Williston, Vt., and supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF)
-- are revealing how objects as diverse as the Liberty Bell, enormous mining
trucks and even human knees respond to daily use.
By monitoring strain levels and tracking the cumulative effects of fatigue,
the researchers' ultimate goal is to supplant the nearly universal system of
"replace by this date" with a smarter approach of replacing components based
upon the actual operating loads components experience.
"By calculating the amount of fatigue that a component has been exposed to,
it is possible to repair or replace the component only when required," said
engineer Steve Arms, president of MicroStrain®. "Properly implemented,
this can significantly reduce costs." |
