Tribo-Acoustic Sensors for In-Situ Performance and Inspection of Machine Components
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: Mechanical Engineering
Abstract
Engineering machines, from car and planes, to power stations and production lines, have lots of moving parts. The reliability of these parts is key to the function and energy efficiency the machine. It is often these moving parts that fail and frequently that failure is associated with the rubbing surfaces. Machine elements like bearings, gears, seals, and pistons often wear out, exhibit high friction, or seize.
Knowing if a machine element is performing at its optimum can save energy and lead to long life. Being able to monitor the components in-situ in a machine can speed up the development cycle time. Further, monitoring performance rather than failure, allows allows the machine operator to plan maintenance. This is particularly important for high capital cost machines, in remote locations, like offshore wind turbines.
Current monitoring methods are based around measuring excessive vibration or the noise emitted by a failed component (acoustic emission AE) or by counting wear debris particles in a lubricant. Sensors that measure performance rather than failure, and so can be used to optimise operating parameters would be much more useful. This also opens the possibility of using advanced control based on sensor readings, Many machine components are commodities, and integrating sensors provides a way to add value to what would otherwise be a commodity product.
The Leonardo Centre at Sheffield has developed unique methods for measuring machine contacts in-situ. The approaches are based on ultrasonic technologies adapted from the NDT and dynamics communities. By sending ultrasonic pulses through machine components and measuring transmission and reflection we have been able to non-invasively study various tribological machine components. In early work we developed methods to measure the oil film thickness, and the amount of metal contact. This has been well established, validated in laboratory experiments, and applied to journal bearings, trust pads, rolling bearings, pistons, and seals. Several industrial companies have adopted these approaches in their product development cycles.
This fellowship seeks to explore new methods to learn more about contacts. Buy using different kinds of ultrasonic waves, transducer topologies, and signal processing we will develop methods to measure contact load, stress history, oil viscosity, and friction. These will be prototyped in the laboratory and we have industrial partners ready to provide field applications. In addition the fellowship seeks to collaborate with academic institutions; firstly to learn new acoustic sensor techniques and secondly to support research into machine element research with the provision of new measurement methods.
This will support the Leonardo Centre aim to be, not only the leading centre for ultrasonic measurement in tribology, but to be a key part of the UK's research infrastructure in machine component research and development both in industry and academia.
Knowing if a machine element is performing at its optimum can save energy and lead to long life. Being able to monitor the components in-situ in a machine can speed up the development cycle time. Further, monitoring performance rather than failure, allows allows the machine operator to plan maintenance. This is particularly important for high capital cost machines, in remote locations, like offshore wind turbines.
Current monitoring methods are based around measuring excessive vibration or the noise emitted by a failed component (acoustic emission AE) or by counting wear debris particles in a lubricant. Sensors that measure performance rather than failure, and so can be used to optimise operating parameters would be much more useful. This also opens the possibility of using advanced control based on sensor readings, Many machine components are commodities, and integrating sensors provides a way to add value to what would otherwise be a commodity product.
The Leonardo Centre at Sheffield has developed unique methods for measuring machine contacts in-situ. The approaches are based on ultrasonic technologies adapted from the NDT and dynamics communities. By sending ultrasonic pulses through machine components and measuring transmission and reflection we have been able to non-invasively study various tribological machine components. In early work we developed methods to measure the oil film thickness, and the amount of metal contact. This has been well established, validated in laboratory experiments, and applied to journal bearings, trust pads, rolling bearings, pistons, and seals. Several industrial companies have adopted these approaches in their product development cycles.
This fellowship seeks to explore new methods to learn more about contacts. Buy using different kinds of ultrasonic waves, transducer topologies, and signal processing we will develop methods to measure contact load, stress history, oil viscosity, and friction. These will be prototyped in the laboratory and we have industrial partners ready to provide field applications. In addition the fellowship seeks to collaborate with academic institutions; firstly to learn new acoustic sensor techniques and secondly to support research into machine element research with the provision of new measurement methods.
This will support the Leonardo Centre aim to be, not only the leading centre for ultrasonic measurement in tribology, but to be a key part of the UK's research infrastructure in machine component research and development both in industry and academia.
Planned Impact
The industrial beneficiaries of this research will be machine element manufacturers and major equipment suppliers, owners and operators. Potentially this could be across all industrial sectors; but principally high value products where sensor installation is cost effective, for example offshore wind, power generation, offshore oil and gas, and aerospace.
Five examples are given:
1. Wind Energy Industry. Wind power is still relatively expensive and much of this cost is associated with on-going maintenance. Wind turbine bearings for example are subject to complex loading and current lifetimes are short (5 years typical for gearbox bearing). Advanced sensor system could be used to monitor film thickness and load and detect when failure is likely and remaining useful life.
2. Power Generation. Load and air based gas turbines transit thrust through hydrodynamic bearings. These are unmonitored and their operation is not optimised during running. Sensing the bearings on the test stand could help to reduce size and weight by ensuring the individual elements carried exactly the right load at the right lubrication condition. In the longer term sensing during flight could be used to optimise their performance and hence fuel efficiency.
3. Aircraft Landing Gear - pin joints that allow articulation of the structural parts. When are the joints likely to fail, how can they best be monitored in the event of a hard landing.
4. Combustion Engines Industries. There is a global drive to improve engine efficiency and reduce emissions. Sensing of machine parts (engine bearings, piston/liner) has great value in optimising engine performance. For example, large marine diesel engines consume (i.e. burn) as much as 1 tonne of lubricating oil and 250 tonnes of fuel per day. Building a sensor system that exactly regulates lubricant flow just when it is need could significantly reduce the financial and environmental costs of operation.
5. Metal Rolling Industry. Metal rolls are largely commodity products; most R&D in the industry is based around material improvements that marginally increase wear resistance. The provision of internal sensing capability into a metal roll to monitor load, stress, lubrication, wear and surface roughness would create a functionally more useful product and add value through technology.
Impact to the nation is through increasing the competiveness of UK products. Many machine components are commodity products. One way to add value to the component is to through embedded technology. This might be in terms of component design features, or by using advanced materials. Alternatively it can be through the use of on-board monitoring and feedback. Commercial value can be added by selling a monitoring and control system along with the low-cost machine element. This requires the in-situ sensing capability that is a deliverable of this fellowship.
Indirectly, nationwide impact is achieved through the availability of lower cost energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. This is through the more efficient use of natural resources. A well-designed machine element operating at its optimum point is smaller, lighter, lasts longer, and consumes less energy. In-situ sensing enables that design and operating optimisation.
Five examples are given:
1. Wind Energy Industry. Wind power is still relatively expensive and much of this cost is associated with on-going maintenance. Wind turbine bearings for example are subject to complex loading and current lifetimes are short (5 years typical for gearbox bearing). Advanced sensor system could be used to monitor film thickness and load and detect when failure is likely and remaining useful life.
2. Power Generation. Load and air based gas turbines transit thrust through hydrodynamic bearings. These are unmonitored and their operation is not optimised during running. Sensing the bearings on the test stand could help to reduce size and weight by ensuring the individual elements carried exactly the right load at the right lubrication condition. In the longer term sensing during flight could be used to optimise their performance and hence fuel efficiency.
3. Aircraft Landing Gear - pin joints that allow articulation of the structural parts. When are the joints likely to fail, how can they best be monitored in the event of a hard landing.
4. Combustion Engines Industries. There is a global drive to improve engine efficiency and reduce emissions. Sensing of machine parts (engine bearings, piston/liner) has great value in optimising engine performance. For example, large marine diesel engines consume (i.e. burn) as much as 1 tonne of lubricating oil and 250 tonnes of fuel per day. Building a sensor system that exactly regulates lubricant flow just when it is need could significantly reduce the financial and environmental costs of operation.
5. Metal Rolling Industry. Metal rolls are largely commodity products; most R&D in the industry is based around material improvements that marginally increase wear resistance. The provision of internal sensing capability into a metal roll to monitor load, stress, lubrication, wear and surface roughness would create a functionally more useful product and add value through technology.
Impact to the nation is through increasing the competiveness of UK products. Many machine components are commodity products. One way to add value to the component is to through embedded technology. This might be in terms of component design features, or by using advanced materials. Alternatively it can be through the use of on-board monitoring and feedback. Commercial value can be added by selling a monitoring and control system along with the low-cost machine element. This requires the in-situ sensing capability that is a deliverable of this fellowship.
Indirectly, nationwide impact is achieved through the availability of lower cost energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. This is through the more efficient use of natural resources. A well-designed machine element operating at its optimum point is smaller, lighter, lasts longer, and consumes less energy. In-situ sensing enables that design and operating optimisation.
Organisations
- University of Sheffield (Fellow, Lead Research Organisation)
- PERKINS ENGINES COMPANY LIMITED (Collaboration)
- Winterthur Gas & Diesel (Collaboration)
- General Electric (Collaboration)
- Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC (Collaboration)
- Daido Metal (Collaboration)
- Federal Railroad Administration (Collaboration)
- AC2T Research (Collaboration)
- Network Rail (Collaboration)
- Primetals Technologies (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Lubrizol Ltd (Project Partner)
- Ricardo (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
Publications
Taghizadeh S
(2021)
Linear and Nonlinear Normal Interface Stiffness in Dry Rough Surface Contact Measured Using Longitudinal Ultrasonic Waves
in Applied Sciences
Gray W
(2022)
In-situ measurement of the meniscus at the entry and exit of grease and oil lubricated rolling bearing contacts
in Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering
Nicholas G
(2022)
Feasibility of using low-sampled accelerometer measurements for bolt joint looseness detection
in IET Renewable Power Generation
Zhu J
(2021)
Assessing Ground Support of Plastic Pipes Using Ultrasound
in Infrastructures
Rooke J
(2022)
Piston ring oil film thickness measurements in a four-stroke diesel engine during steady-state, start-up and shut-down
in International Journal of Engine Research
Fukagai S
(2018)
Using Active Ultrasonics to Measure Wheel-Rail Contact During a Running-in Period
in International Journal of Railway Technology
Copley R
(2021)
Measurements and modelling of the response of an ultrasonic pulse to a lithium-ion battery as a precursor for state of charge estimation
in Journal of Energy Storage
Copley R
(2023)
Prediction of the internal structure of a lithium-ion battery using a single ultrasound wave response
in Journal of Energy Storage
Carretta Y
(2017)
Ultrasonic roll bite measurements in cold rolling - Roll stress and deformation
in Journal of Materials Processing Technology
Williams D
(2024)
A review of ultrasonic monitoring: Assessing current approaches to Li-ion battery monitoring and their relevance to thermal runaway
in Journal of Power Sources
Description | 1. We have developed a new sensor for measuring the viscosity of oil samples inside vessels, tanks, and pipes. The method uses the reflection of ultrasound with a matching layer (acting like a non-reflective coating on sunglasses) to enhance transmission. The sensor has been used to measure the oil film that forms inside an operating bearing, and to measure the viscosity of the oil in a car engine sump. 2. We have built a spectroscopic approach to the measurement; by changing the frequency we can excite different parts of the oil and so measure the constituent parts. We have extended this work to high power ultrasound to measure non-liner effects in lubricants. 3. We have invented a new method for measuring very thin surface layers by using multiple superimposed ultrasonic reflections. 4. We have invented a new method for measuring friction at an interface by using high power non-linear ultrasound 5. We have used these new techniques to measure aspects of rolling bearing performance (grease flow, skew, skidding) but in there lab and on a wind turbine in the Barnesmore field. 6. We have worked with the marine diesel industry (DNV) to evaluate lubrication using environmentally friendly oils in stern tube bearings to create new design standards. 7. We have worked with two companies (Ricardo, CT-Perkins) to validate their design codes with our experimental measurements 8. We have applied layer measuring methods to lithium-ion batteries to assess state of charge and health. We have invited a way to reconstruct the layered structure inside a battery from a transmitted or reflected acoustic measurement, based on a genetic algorithm approach. |
Exploitation Route | To monitor engine oils for degradation - so they can be changed when only when needed and not at regular service intervals. To assist in the design of bearings - ensuring that oil viscosity is maintained in the places where it is needed. To measure being performance in-situ (eg to assess whether a bearing is installed and lubricated correctly). To assist in measurement of lubricant degradation. To measure deposited liquid and solid layers on a free surface To measure friction in-situ in machine parts To measure the state of charge or state of health of a lithium-ion battery, and to assess functionality of a second life battery. |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Electronics Energy Transport |
URL | http://www.leonardocentre.net |
Description | Several sensor systems have been installed on industrial equipment for the purpose of monitoring or product development. We have developed methods for measuring load in rolling element bearings with ultrasonic sensors. These have been installed on a wind turbine in Northern Ireland owned by Scottish Energy. This has been done in a project joint with Ricardo - they are using the data to verify perforce of their novel 'Multi-life' bearing design, and to validate their codes for wind turbine transmissions. We have worked with Wartsila WinGD to install sensors on a marine diesel engine at Winterthur, this has been used to develop a control system for the flow of oil into the cylinders. We have worked with DNV to study the behaviour of environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) for stern tube application - this has led to changes in the regulatory framework for their use. We have worked with CAT-Perkins to validate their design codes using our experimental measurements. RA's employed on the project (Brunskill and under) have formed a spin-out company, Peak-to-Peak Ltd that has implemented some of these methods on industrial cases they have customers including Total, Rolls-Royce, Imflux, Hyundai, Crown, Waukesha, Kluber). The company employs 8 people (FTEs) and annual turnover around £300k and growing. Of particular note is a series of projects funded by Rolls-Royce to install sensors into a fuel pump and measure film formation. |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Energy,Transport |
Impact Types | Economic Policy & public services |
Description | DNV GL: Performance of EALs triggers update to shaft alignment rules |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | The JDP was prompted by an upsurge in stern tube bearing failures that coincided with the increased uptake of EALs after the introduction of regulations requiring their use in commercial vessels trading in U.S. waters in late 2013. In phase 1 the JDP has focused on mapping out differences in the load carrying capacity between EALs and mineral oils. DNV GL has overseen detailed laboratory testing by Leonardo Testing Services Ltd. at the University of Sheffield, UK, and by INSAVALOR at INSA Lyon, France. |
URL | https://www.dnvgl.com/news/dnv-gl-performance-of-eals-triggers-update-to-shaft-alignment-rules-14916... |
Description | Daido Metals PhD Studentship |
Amount | £85,849 (GBP) |
Organisation | Daido Metal |
Sector | Private |
Country | Japan |
Start | 09/2019 |
End | 09/2023 |
Description | Development of Ultrasonic Oil Condition and Level Sensors for Use with NEXCEL |
Amount | £83,296 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 1947955 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | Federal Railroad Administration Track Stress Measurement Project |
Amount | £116,279 (GBP) |
Funding ID | FRA-TR-001 |
Organisation | Federal Railroad Administration |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 01/2020 |
End | 12/2021 |
Description | Jaguar Land Rover Phd Studentship Piston rings |
Amount | £40,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC |
Department | Jaguar Land Rover |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | Network rail In2Track2 rail stress |
Amount | £75,728 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 23807/02/4539 |
Organisation | Network Rail Ltd |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2020 |
End | 05/2021 |
Description | ORE Catapult Powertrain Research Hub |
Amount | £699,269 (GBP) |
Organisation | ORE Catapult |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2019 |
End | 12/2024 |
Description | TTRF Foundation SH waves for viscosity measurement |
Amount | £29,113 (GBP) |
Organisation | The Taiho Kogyo Tribology Research Foundation |
Sector | Private |
Country | United States |
Start | 02/2019 |
End | 01/2023 |
Description | The Timken Company Studentship |
Amount | £80,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Timken Company |
Sector | Private |
Country | United States |
Start | 09/2018 |
End | 09/2022 |
Description | Ultrasonic Piston Lubrication Monitoring and the Effects of Distortion and Deterioration |
Amount | £83,296 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 1947853 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | Use of ultrasound for estimating state of charge and state of health in lithium-ion batteries. |
Amount | £83,296 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 1949045 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | WD-40 Next generation oil film measurements |
Amount | £25,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | WD-40 |
Sector | Private |
Country | United States |
Start | 01/2017 |
End | 12/2017 |
Title | A New Device for In-Situ Measurement of Lubricant Viscosity using a Matching Layer |
Description | A device that allows measurement of viscosity inside a vessel, tan, or pipeline with no direct contact between the sensor and sample. Based on the reflection of shear polarised ultrasound and the use of a matching layer to aid transmission. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | In progress |
Title | Device for load measurement in rolling bearings |
Description | Ultrasonic measurement system for determining direct load application between rollers and raceways in rolling element bearings. Of particular use in wind turbines bearings. Evaluated in Barnesmore field wind turbine. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Licenced patent to Ricardo. Used to help design of main shaft bearing for Siemens Gamesa. |
Title | Device for lubrication measurement in rolling bearings |
Description | Ultrasonic measurement system for determining direct lubricant flow around a rolling bearing. Of particular use in wind turbines bearings. Evaluated in Barnesmore field wind turbine. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | PhD student sponsored by Timken. Evaluated on data from Barnesmore field wind turbine |
Title | In-situ ultrasonic device for measuring battery state of charge and state of health |
Description | Ultrasonic sensors bonded onto a lithium ion battery. Sound waves reflect back from the various interfaces sin a battery. This new research tool helps to determine what aspects fo the reflected signal give the most information about the battery electrode state. This is correlated to a batter charge during normal and abusive charge cycles. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | None yet |
Title | Method for measurement of oil and grease layers in rolling bearing inlet and outlet regions |
Description | Using ultrasonic resonance to determine layer thickness around a bearing. This helps decide how well a bearing is lubricated as this residual film controls the oil film between rollers and raceways. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | none yet. |
Title | Supporting data from Measuring friction at an interface using ultrasonic response |
Description | This file includes the data used in figures and tables in this paper and the data of contact nonlinearity measured at the interface from various contact pairs using nonlinear ultrasonic response in experiments. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://rs.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Supporting_data_from_Measuring_friction_at_an_interface_usi... |
Title | Supporting data from Measuring friction at an interface using ultrasonic response |
Description | This file includes the data used in figures and tables in this paper and the data of contact nonlinearity measured at the interface from various contact pairs using nonlinear ultrasonic response in experiments. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://rs.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Supporting_data_from_Measuring_friction_at_an_interface_usi... |
Description | AC2T Sensors for in-situ viscometry |
Organisation | AC2T Research |
Country | Austria |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | This is a joint project to build sensors that measure the viscosity of liquids inside confined spaces such as bearings and oil films. Ac2T have funded a PhD students. we have been trialing sensors on their labs test platforms. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to lab test platforms in coding a high pressure oil tester. PhD funding and steering. |
Impact | Conference presentation at World Tribology Congressional 2022 |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | CAT-Perkins validation of engine bearing design codes |
Organisation | Perkins Engines Company Limited |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | CAT-Perkins validation of engine bearing design codes. Using measurement techniques on engine bearing test rigs (static and dynamic) in the lab for use in validation CAT's deist codes (BEAR) |
Collaborator Contribution | Funded consultancy work. Supply of test lubricants |
Impact | Ongoing validation of design codes |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Daido Metals Ltd |
Organisation | Daido Metal |
Country | Japan |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Design and build of a bearing shell condition monitoring sensor |
Collaborator Contribution | Funding PhD studentship at full rate. Supply of bearing shells and technical knowledges cues to laboratory test platform |
Impact | Funded PhD studentship |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Federal Railroad Association, FRA |
Organisation | Federal Railroad Administration |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | We have been working with FRA to develop sensors for detecting rail stress using transmitted ultrasound through the rail web. This is important to detect rail buckling in summer months. |
Collaborator Contribution | Project funding and steering. |
Impact | Early stages at present no impact or outputs. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | GE Wind research on pitch bearings and grease |
Organisation | General Electric |
Department | General Electric Renewable Energy, UK |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Sponsoring of two PhD studentships to study pitch bearing lubrication and performance |
Collaborator Contribution | Financial suppler of industrial supervision. |
Impact | none yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Jaguar Land Rover |
Organisation | Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC |
Department | Jaguar Land Rover |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Ultrasonic transducers have been used on a Jaguar Land Rover Ingenium engine to provide information on the oil films on various lubricated automotive components. |
Collaborator Contribution | Jaguar Land Rover have provided the engine in which this work is based on and provide technical support through the project. |
Impact | The project is still underway and therefore does not have any outputs yet. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Network Rail - detecting neutral rail temperature in railway track |
Organisation | Network Rail Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | We have been working with Network Rail to develop sensors for detecting rail stress using transmitted ultrasound through the rail web. This is important to detect rail buckling in summer months. |
Collaborator Contribution | Project funding and steering. Track samples and access to test track for field trials. |
Impact | early stage no impact or outputs yet |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | WinGD instrumentation of marine diesel engines |
Organisation | Winterthur Gas & Diesel |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Web have built series of sensors for measuring performance of marine deisel engine piston rings and oil feed lines. These have been trialled on the RTX engine at Winterthur. WinGD sponsor a PhD students to deliver aspects of this work. |
Collaborator Contribution | Funding a PhD students. Access to the test engine and provision of technical guidance. |
Impact | Early stages of this part of the collaboration no i pact yet. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Winterthur Gas & Diesel |
Organisation | Winterthur Gas & Diesel |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Ultrasonic transducers have been used on a WinGD Diesel Marine engine to provide information on the oil films on various lubricated automotive components. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided technical support to enable the work to take place. |
Impact | The data gathered from this testing is being used for two papers that are in process of being written. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Title | Continuous Wave Ultrasound for Analysis of a Surface |
Description | A method using continuous ultrasonic waves to measure the properties of surface coating and layers. Normally the layers are so tin that they comely reflect sound. But using continuous waves we can amplify their effect. This means we can measure the viscosity, thickness, and presence of thin films on solid metal surfaces. |
IP Reference | GB1522677.2 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2016 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | Still in progress |
Title | Deriving Contact Stress or Contact Load using Ultrasound Data |
Description | A method to measure the load imparted between the balls or rollers and raceways in a rolling being. This has application to wind turbine bearings where highly variable wind loading and gearbox dynamics leads to uncertainty in bearing loading. |
IP Reference | GB1414998.3 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2015 |
Licensed | Yes |
Impact | Licensed to Ricardo Innovations Ltd |
Company Name | Peak To Peak Measurement Solutions |
Description | Peak To Peak Measurement Solutions develops and supplies a variety of embedded sensor measurement technologies for a range of machinery. |
Year Established | 2018 |
Impact | The company is recently setup so there are no major impacts to report. Currently they are working on environmentally friendly lubricants (EALs) for marine use. This is intended for implementation in legislation and will have environmental impact. |
Website | http://pktopk.co.uk |
Company Name | Leonardo Testing Services Limited |
Description | |
Year Established | 2006 |
Impact | Support for several industrial companies (Ivista, BPC, Lubricants UK, WD40, Wrekin, Ricardo innovationsLtd, Rolls-Royce) in product design and development. |
Description | Keynote 6th Asia International Conference on Tribology Kuching |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Keynote talk to conference attendees. Using Ultrasound to Measure the Buried Interface', Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Audience 250 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Keynote 6th World Tribology Congress, Beijing |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | 6th World Tribology Congress, Beijing, Keynote, 17-22 Sep 2017, Measuring Interfaces and Lubricants with Small Shear Ultrasonic Vibrations |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Lion TV 'Making of the Forbidden City' TV Show |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Segment on a TV show entitled 'Making of the Forbidden City'. Article on how the block were transported on ice. Some live demos of rocks sliding on ce at an ice rink and explanations of friction processes to a general audience. Broadcast prime time on Channel 4, PBS in the US, and French TV. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |