The Pocket AE™, our portable Acoustic Emission (AE) system, was recently used to examine the structural integrity of elevator drive shafts in Japan. Engineers used the handheld inspection instrument during weighted cab tests to determine the presence of structural cracks and deformities throughout the elevator’s drive shaft. The Pocket AE was chosen for this project due to its portability and functional testing capabilities. The system is ideal for restricting and hard to reach areas, like elevator shafts.

The USB AE Node is a full-featured, low-cost Acoustic Emission system that plugs conveniently into your PC or laptop. With all the features, capabilities, and performance of a larger standalone system, the USB AE Node also offers the maximum portability that comes with USB connectivity and power.  Read More...

New Sensor Highway III

The all new AE Sensor Highway III (SH-III) offers faster processing, better energy efficiency and a smaller enclosure than its predecessors. Featuring online monitoring capability, SH-III can monitor up to 32 AE channels per system. Additionally, SH-III can be synchronized to build larger systems with over 200 channels. Read More...

An acoustic measurement from the LPMS that indicates metal-to-metal impact.

In nuclear power plants the Loose Parts Monitoring System (LPMS) “listens” for metal to metal impact in the reactor cooling system to prevent the dangerous escape of irradiated water in to the environment.

While these events do not happen often, public and plant safety is a primary concern, potentially saving the plant millions of dollars in repairs and damages.

In 2005, MISTRAS installed a Loose Parts Monitoring System at a regional power company’s nuclear power plant in the Southeastern U.S. For nine years it sat quietly, hardly noticed in the back corner of the control room. That all changed in the early morning hours of April 8.

MISTRAS’ Power Generation group received a call at 3 a.m. requesting support for sounding alarms coming from the LPMS. The plant's automated notifications were occurring at 5-10 times per-second during the critical heating stages and causing great concern in its return to normal power generation. A small team of MISTRAS employees including our Manager of Research Contracts and Applications, our Director of Custom Automation and our Director of Acoustic Emission Products, comprised a response team to evaluate the events.

Over the next three days, the team worked around the clock, alternating responsibilities, analyzing thousands of data files, maintaining constant communications with the plant to determine the locations of movement, size of the loose parts, and their next course of action. Working in part of the plant’s response team, the three oversaw the LPMS through changes in flow conditions and plant shutdown procedures in order to stabilize the reactor, retrieving the loose part and allowing repairs to occur.

Three days later, plant personnel retrieved a metallic part from the Bravo (B) steam generator, repeatedly impacting the heat exchanger's tube sheet. The stainless steel part (weighing .5 lbs.) went undetected, potentially causing considerably more damage, like a radioactive coolant leak or an environmental hazard.

The waveform above is one of the many impacts effecting the steam generator wall, detected by the MISTRAS Loose Parts Monitoring System, which represents the sophisticated monitoring, diagnostics and analysis MISTRAS Products and Systems division provides to the power industry. Read More...

Mark Carlos (Left), MISTRAS Group Executive Vice President Products & Systems, receiving the ASTM Award of Merit from our International Board Director.

In 2014, Mark Carlos, Group Executive Vice President, Products & Systems Division, was awarded with the American Society of Testing and Materials International (ASTM) Award of Merit. The Award of Merit is the highest society award granted to a member, and with it, the recipient receives the honorary title of Fellow.

Candidates, like Mark, are honored for their distinguished service and performance both professionally and within the ASTM community. Since 2005, Mark has been the recipient of several major ASTM awards.

Mark holds an integral role within MISTRAS’ Products & Systems Division, in addition to an active role as Chairman for his ASTM chapter. His participation in ASTM International has mirrored his professional accomplishments, having previously received the Outgoing Chairman Award, 10 Year Service Award, Charles W. Briggs Award and Service Award, during the last 10 years.

MISTRAS' Structural Monitoring System (SMS) is a high-channel density, full-scale general purpose structural monitoring and machine protection system. The SMS possesses data collection, storage, alarming and trending capabilities. Its software sends customized alarm reports remotely via email, while an Acoustic Emission system alarm triggers high speed data storage at a programmable threshold.  Read More...

MISTRAS' Express-8 is a faster, more powerful Acoustic Emission Board & System, fusing a PCI-Express bus with higher channel density and capabilities. Powering two new system chassis, the Express-8 ideal for large-structure monitoring and field testing when portability, high-channel density, and fast performance is a must.  Read More...

In the upcoming August issue of trade magazine World Pipelines, MISTRAS' acoustic leak detection system, VPAC™II, is highlighted as an invaluable tool in the pipeline industry's fight against leaking valves. The article discusses VPAC technology's specific application to pipelines, and how its use can lead to millions of dollars in savings.  Click here to read the full article.

Pad Cratering Flyer

MISTRAS' worldwide leadership in Acoustic Emission (AE) testing is helping to launch another practical application - detecting pad cratering of printed circuit boards. AE testing provides very early-detection and location capabilities prior to electronic signature.

Overview

Printed circuit boards help power some of the industry's greatest and most advanced technologies, so ensuring their proper functionality is paramount. Yet electronics assemblies with large flip-chip BGA packages can be prone to either pad cratering or brittle intermetallic (IMC) failures under excessive printed circuit board bending.

Electrical testing or non-destructive testing methods cannot detect pad cratering cracks, which pose a long-term risk to reliability since cracks may spread under increased loads and subsequently lead to electrical failure. Since the beginning of pad cratering doesn't produce an instantaneous electrical signature, early detection has been an issue.

Currently, the industry is challenged by the inability to detect pad cratering without an explicit electronic signature in an efficient fashion. The process of pad cratering initiates well ahead of actual electronic failure, which gives ample time for detection and location, provided the right diagnostic solution is in place - like Acoustic Emission (AE) testing.

The Solution

An Acoustic Emission application was recently developed by CISCO Systems, Inc. to detect the onset of pad cratering. The instantaneous release of elastic energy associated with the initiation and growth of an internal crack produces an acoustic emission, which can be monitored to accurately determine the onset of both pad cratering and brittle intermetallic (IMC) failures. In addition, when detected by multiple sensors, the source of the Acoustic Emission can be located using triangulation techniques.

AE monitoring can detect the rapid release of energy within a material at its earliest stages of breakdown.

By monitoring the surface-mount solder attachments on printed circuit boards, an AE testing system can not only detect pad cratering in its earlier stages, but also:

• Identify the time at which failure initiates prior to electronic signature
• Identify location of AE signals the pad cratering produces
• Quantify the strain at which the event occurs, which can be used as a design tool

IPC Standards Work

The IPC 6-10d Task Group (Surface Mount Attachment Reliability Test Methods) is developing test guidelines for AE measurement during mechanical testing. The latest update on the process of this document (IPC-9709) can be accessed online at (www.ipc.org).

The MISTRAS History

By performing thousands of Acoustic Emission (AE) field tests of a wide variety of structures, MISTRAS has developed an extensive database for interpreting the significance of AE signals as they relate to flaws, cracks and leaks. This experience has produced numerous knowledge-based systems that reach a broad range of industries and exceed customer expectations. Our state-of-the-art AE systems and sensors are manufactured under ISO-9001 Certification and calibrated and maintained by MISTRAS' highly-trained staff.

For more information, call MISTRAS at 1(609) 716-4000 today!

At less than a quarter of the size of its predecessor and with the latest user-guided software, the Pocket CORPAC™ detects localized corrosion without taking industrial structures out of service, before costly damage and its effects can be seen or felt. It increases operational safety with short, periodic, in-service monitoring, while simplifying asset maintenance on a variety of industrial structures and materials.  Read More...