ULTRASOUND HELPS OPTIMISE DRIVE DESIGNS
16 April 2010
A bespoke pump maker is using ultrasound waves to efficiently model drive torque and thus contain development costs to within predictable limits.
A bespoke pump maker is using ultrasound waves to efficiently model drive torque and thus contain development costs to within predictable limits. Charles Austen Pumps has recently upgraded test facilities with Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) equipment from Sensor Technology, a recognised leader in the field.Charles Austen Pumps manufactures pumps individually designed to meet specific customer requirements that cannot be satisfied by off-the-shelf units. Over the three generations that this family firm has been operating it has continually honed its skills at accurately predicting development costs and working within budgets, and has become adept at using advanced techniques such as SAW analysis.
Much of its work comes down to optimising drive dynamics to produce the desired characteristics, be it a smooth flow in a critical medical situation, ultra low noise for pumps in home and office installations, or the guaranteed extra long life of pumps in inaccessible locations. The cyclic nature typical in many pumps’ operation tends to induce torsional oscillations in the drive shaft, which can have a significant adverse effect on performance if unchecked, and this is where much of Charles Austen Pumps’ development effort is focussed. Technical Manager Brian Glover explains:
“We have recently built a new test station based on TorqSense, Sensor Technology’s SAW sensor, and it is proving it’s worth time and time again. Many years ago we used a simple torque arm and scales when developing prototype, then we moved on to slip ring technologies which were expensive and difficult to use because they induced a frictional load of their own. “Techniques based on Surface Acoustic Waves began to emerge about 10 years ago and we embraced these with considerable success.”
SAW provides non-contact monitoring of instantaneous rotary torque, allowing accurate modelling of the load changes. Charles Austen Pumps built its own test stand and it served them well for many years.
“The state of the SAW art has now moved onto a higher plane, so last year we decided to tap into Sensor Technology’s expertise and develop a new cutting edge test rig. They supplied us with a TorqSense unit and helped with designing and building the rig.”
In essence a TorqSense is a frequency dependent strain gauge operating at ultrasound frequencies. It consists of a transducer mounted on the shaft, which monitors variations in resonance frequency of a drive shaft as the torsional load varies and transmits a radio frequency signal to an adjacent pick up.
TorqSense embraces all the advantages of SAW technology, including a broader signal bandwidth than other analogue based technologies and elimination of electronic interference. As Charles Austen Pumps found, it often also proves far lower cost, simpler to use, is more reliable and has a wider operating than contact alternatives.
Glover sums up:
“Our reputation is based entirely on the quality of our engineering, and our business on the ability to accurately forecast development cost for each job. Sensor Technology has helped us build a new facility that makes our drive engineering accurate, predictable and reliable, or put another way we are moving from a black art to an exact science!”
Other Press Releases By This Company
- 11/03/2019 - Sensor Technology keeps hydraulic projects on course
- 14/01/2019 - Mass market electric vehicles getting revved up for launch
- 15/11/2018 - Measuring torque without slip rings
- 16/07/2018 - Pay as you sense
- 08/06/2018 - Long service motors tested after re-engineering
- 05/04/2018 - Optical rotary torque sensors suitable for low torque and high band width measurements
- 20/02/2018 - Pump and valve innovator finds a test rig technology that talks the torque
- 20/02/2018 - Electric vehicle pioneer favours wireless test rigs
- 05/02/2018 - Pump and valve innovator finds a test rig technology that talks the torque
- 14/12/2017 - Chemical engineers talk sense about mixer efficiencies
- 14/11/2017 - Sensor Technology keeps hydraulic projects on course
- 14/09/2017 - Electric vehicle pioneer favours wireless test rigs
- 21/06/2017 - Torque test ensures reliability of steerable drills
- 10/06/2013 - Torque Sensor guarntees Tip Top-Taps!
- 30/08/2012 - Automotive Innovations Torque Up Manufacturing Revival
- 31/07/2012 - Torque of a Motor Revolution
- 12/06/2012 - Torque test ensures reliability of steerable drills
- 30/04/2012 - Engineers Torque Technology To Medics
- 29/03/2012 - Long Service Motors Tested after Re-Engineering
- 01/02/2012 - Back Manufacturing, But That Is Only Half The Story
- 23/12/2011 - Pay as you Sense
- 02/11/2011 - New wave and tidal turbine concept promises clean, affordable energy
- 05/10/2011 - Ground Crews talk sense on Generator Maintenance
- 08/09/2011 - TorqSense transducers help to guarantee valve actuator performance
- 08/08/2011 - Company Profile
- 11/05/2011 - Sensing growth opportunities
- 25/03/2011 - Drama as Helicopter sensor flies into Theatre role
- 07/02/2011 - Technology transfer tests tree safety
- 18/01/2011 - Sensor Technology helps to keep sheep shorn
- 02/12/2010 - Smart Load Sensor
- 13/10/2010 - Novel sensors aid tidal turbine development
- 01/09/2010 - Torque Sensor helps reduce engine friction
- 12/08/2010 - Tidal Turbine to light the Thames
- 22/06/2010 - Sensor Technology Provides the Key to Learning
- 05/05/2010 - Talking Sense About Technology Transfer
- 08/03/2010 - Ensuring accurate feel to Power Steering
- 12/01/2010 - Iron Bird with lightest touch
- 16/10/2009 - Sensor hones in on sharp operators
- 03/09/2009 - Testing time for business Jet
- 10/08/2009 - Non-contact torque sensor now mounts in moments
- 09/06/2009 - SAWs: A Cutting edge technology from Sensor Technology
- 23/01/2009 - Torque improvement for handling accuracy
- 03/11/2008 - Servo research points the way to improved dynamics
- 29/08/2008 - Sensor Technologys' TorqSense shows it's safer to belt up than previously thought
- 30/07/2008 - Nuclear engineers avoid contact with Sensor Technology
- 27/05/2008 - The Future of Green Cars lies in Sophisticated Testing
- 11/03/2008 - When two is better than one
- 19/12/2007 - Regen Drive turns laundry green
- 19/10/2007 - BIG PUSH TO RECYCLE PLASTIC
- 12/09/2007 - Intelligent Extruder plans its' own growth
- 10/08/2007 - UAV takes fast track to altitude
