Cure monitoring
AssigneeManchester Metropolitan University
InventorDuncan Chadwick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for monitoring the progress of the solidification of a solidifying material involves using a transmitter to transmit a relatively low frequency compression wave to the solidifying material. A receiver is provided for detecting the resonant compression wave vibrations induced in the solidifying material, and the detected wave vibrations are analyzed to obtain an indication of the progress of solidification.
Claims48
A method of monitoring the progress of solidification of a solidifying material, which method comprises
- (i) subjecting said solidifying material to a compression wave signal of relatively low frequency having a square wave format, said compression wave signal being adapted to induce resonant compression wave vibrations in said solidifying material, said resonant vibrations having a frequency higher than said compression wave signal;
- and,
- (ii) detecting and characterising at least one mode of said resonant compression wave vibrations induced in said solidifying material, thereby to indicate the progression of solidification.
Apparatus for monitoring the progress of solidification of a solidifying material, which apparatus comprises:
- (i) a transmitter that is adapted to transmit a compression wave signal to said solidifying material, said compression wave signal having a relatively low frequency and a square wave format and being adapted to induce resonant compression wave vibrations within said solidifying material having a frequency higher than said compression wave signal,
- (ii) a receiver that is adapted for detecting said resonant compression wave vibrations induced in said solidifying material, and
- (iii) analysing means for analysing the detected resonant compression wave vibrations, thereby to obtain an indication of the progress of solidification.
A method of monitoring the progress of solidification of a solidifying material, which method comprises:
- (i) subjecting and solidifying material to a compression wave signal having a square wave format that is adapted to induce resonant compression wave vibrations in said solidifying material, said resonant compression wave vibrations having a frequency higher than said compression wave signal, said compression wave signal having a low frequency such that said induced resonant vibrations have a frequency in the order of kilohertz (kHz);
- and
- (ii) detecting and characterising at least one mode of said resonant compression wave vibrations induced in said solidifying material, thereby to indicate the progression of solidification.
Apparatus for monitoring the progress of solidification of a solidifying material, which apparatus comprises:
- (i) a transmitter that is adapted to transmit a compression wave signal to said solidifying material, which compression wave signal is adapted to induce resonant compression wave vibrations in said solidifying material having a frequency higher than said compression wave signal, said compression wave signal having a low frequency such that said induced resonant vibrations have a frequency in the order of kilohertz,
- (ii) a receiver that is adapted for detecting said resonant compression wave vibrations induced in solidifying material, and
- (iii) analysing means for analysing the detected resonant compression wave vibrations, thereby to obtain an indication of the progress of solidification.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.