IBM works with Indian Institute of Technology to make power grids smarter

International Business Machines Corp (IBM) has signed a research collaboration agreement with Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) to develop systems that will help power grids become more efficient and resilient.

The systems will analyse power grid data for predictive insights. They will also improve grids to enhance productivity and reduce inefficiencies in power consumption.

IBM Research – India will work with these two institutes to develop open system designs that can boost the potential of Phasor Measurement Units (PMU), a new type of sensor on power grids. The IBM researchers and the students will develop network architectures to reliably collect data from PMUs as well as analytical tools that process the collected data to provide valuable information to the grid operators.

The knowledge and insights gained from this collaborative research work will be made publicly available, in order to enable governments and businesses around the world to take advantage of the PMU technology.

According to the International Energy Agency the global demand for electricity is expected to increase significantly during the period 2006-2030 - at 1.1% per year on average in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. In comparison, in China and India increases of 7.6% and about 6% per year are expected.

This rising demand increases stress on grids, thereby increasing the chances of power outages. To prevent such outages and their impact on productivity, it is important to make the grid more intelligent by adding sensing, control and communication components.

"With the exploding world population and the increased demand for clean and cheap energy there is a pressing need for making the power grids efficient, intelligent and secure. The collaboration between IBM Research – India, and IIT Madras and IIT Kharagpur aims to reduce inherent inefficiencies of power grid technologies and make them optimally productive," explained Dr Manish Gupta, Director, IBM Research – India and Chief Technologist, IBM India/South Asia.

"By helping power grids become more efficient, the project will also contribute to the efforts of creating sustainable energy generation systems."

IIT Kharagpur will be primarily involved in developing the new power system applications and software for the project, while IIT Madras will focus on the networking architecture to ensure that data collected from different locations are appropriately transmitted to one location. A test-bed will be developed to connect IBM Research laboratories and both the institutes, to emulate a smart grid network. The test-bed will be used to evaluate the network architecture and the open system designs in real-life scenarios.

"Existing power grids are facing technical challenges because of their outdated design and growing loads," said Professor A.K. Sinha, IIT Kharagpur.

"Through our knowledge in the power-system application domain and IBM's expertise, our students will work towards developing an innovative grid management application to make the power grid more reliable."

Professor Krishna Sivalingam, IIT Madras, added: "One of the key elements of a smart grid is secure and high-speed communication networks. The association is not only a step towards addressing this pressing requirement but also provides a platform for our students to work with the research veterans from IBM and get a real-life problem solving and application development experience."

The project is part of IBM's Open Collaborative Research (OCR) programme - an initiative to foster innovation through university-industry research collaboration.

This partnership with IIT Madras and IIT Kharagpur is the fourth engagement of its kind. IBM recently announced its collaboration with IIT Bombay. It also recently announced an OCR project with the National Institute of Design (NID). IBM says that it is involved in more than 150 smart grid engagements in mature and emerging markets.

For further information, contact:

International Business Machines Corp, 1 New Orchard Road, Armonk, NY 10504-1722, USA. Tel: +1-914-499-1900, Fax: +1-914-765-7382, Web: www.ibm.com, Web: www.research.ibm.com, www.ibm.com/smarterplanet

Indian Institute of Technology Madras, I.I.T. Post Office, Chennai - 600 036, India. Tel: +91-2257-8105, Fax: +91-44-2257-0509, Web: www.iitm.ac.in

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur-721 302, India.

Tel: +91-3222-255221, Fax: +91-3222-255303, Web: www.iitkgp.ac.in

Sonic thermography helps to detect corrosion

A technology called sonic thermography could help airlines and the military discover cracks and corrosion in aircraft long before problems become visible to the naked eye, reports US-based NACE International, which specialises in corrosion engineering and is recognised worldwide as an authority on corrosion-control technology.

According to the organisation, Scientific Computing magazine recently profiled the scientists developing the early-detection system, which is a collaborative effort. Researchers from Australia, the USA, New Zealand, the UK and Canada are participating in the sonic thermography programme.

The technology uses sonic impulses to detect flaws and fractures in aircraft airframes. When applied to the aircraft's body these impulses cause cracked areas to interact with each other and produce friction. The tiny amount of heat that is generated is then recorded by a sensitive thermography device.

Sonic thermography will not worsen existing cracks or corrosion, say the researchers. If successful this technology could be used in commercial and military applications - helping to keep aircraft in better condition and lengthen their useful service lives.

For further information, contact:

NACE International, 1440 South Creek Drive, Houston, TX 77084-4906, USA. Tel: +1-281-228-6200, Fax: +1-281-228-6300, Web: http://web.nace.org

TEVA awarded a three-year contract at Northern Ireland’s largest power station

UK-based independent, condition monitoring services provider TEVA Ltd has been awarded a three-year contract at the AES Ballylumford power station in Northern Ireland.

The facility generates 50% of Northern Ireland’s electricity. By using vibration analysis services provided by the firm, AES is presented with monthly reports on current plant health and pending future problems.

“During the tendering process, TEVA came to discuss its ideas and technical capabilities, and its knowledge was impressive,” commented John Reid, the maintenance engineer at the power station.

With a local base in Northern Island, TEVA was able to offer a competitive package at a fixed price. The major benefit of the local base was reduced travel costs from the mainland.

Machine health reports are issued to a distribution team after every visit. Critical items are highlighted before the engineer leaves the site.

For further information, contact:

TEVA Ltd, 2 Andrews Court, Andrews Way, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 2UE, UK. Tel: +44-1229-835500, Fax: +44-1229-834400, Web: www.tevaltd.co.uk

SGS Exhbits Testing Services at Power-Gen

SGS iannounced that it will be participating in the POWER-GEN India & Central Asia 2011 in Pragati Maiden, New Delhi, India from 5-7, 2011, presenting a wide range of the services it offers to the power and nuclear industry at stand no. 1250A in Hall 12A.

SGS, an inspection, verification, testing and certification company, is attending POWER-GEN India & Central Asia 2011 in New Delhi, India, for the first time. For the length of the event, running from 5-7 May, 2011, SGS' team of experts will showcase its wide range of services on offer to the power and nuclear industry at stand no. 1250A in Hall 12A.
Found at: http://www.solarnovus.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2663:sgs-exhbits-testing-services-at-power-gen&catid=54:new-products&Itemid=427

Infrared Imaging Services, LLC to Provide DataCentIR™ Infrared Thermal Mapping in NY, CT and NJ

New York-based Infrared Imaging Services has developed a new way to present Infrared images of data center cooling systems and server racks using the new 2D zoomable and 3D Thermal MapIR™ process – Infrared, the company says.

2D Zoomable Infrared Images provide a heat view look at the overall thermal performance of a facility. There are five different views for 2-D thermal map IR. Floor IR and map, Ceiling IR and map, Ceiling IR and Floor IR, Server Details and Down The Aisle view. This thermal mapping can be used for commissioning new facilities, validating CFD modeling, troubleshooting a cooling problem and progressive monitoring in existing facilities.

3D Thermal Map IR may look like CFD (computational fluid dynamics), but they are not. In fact, these are real infrared images stitched together to make 3-D images of the data center cooling system. CFD modeling is a great idea when designing a data center cooling system, but until now, it’s been difficult to validate the theoretical model.

The service also offers complete P/PM inspections on all of data center electrical equipment, and offers the installation of IRISS window ports for safe infrared viewing of critical switchgear and other electrical components without the exposure and hazards associated with the removal of panel covers.

Infrared Imaging Services owner Wayne Swirnow said:  “We provide professional thermal imaging services for a wide variety of clients in the Tri-State area and are now a provider of DataCentIR™ services, an innovative new way to look at cooling systems in data centers. Using state-of-the-art infrared equipment and a proprietary process we create photographic-quality 2D and 3D Data Center Thermal Map™ images.”

"Being part of the nationwide United Infrared network provides our company with a huge resource of expertise in many different applications of infrared Thermography, which we provide to our clients. There are several services available from Infrared Imaging Services LLC designed to offer the data center manager a single resource for all thermal imaging and thermal profiling needs” states Mr. Swirnow.

"DataCentIR™ methodologies, quality control and the reports are all standardized,” says Greg Stockton, President of United Infrared, Inc. “This means a national company has one point of contact, one standard price structure, and will receive a high-quality survey and report…on any one of their Data centers, anywhere in the USA”, he concludes. “We are glad to welcome Infrared Imaging Services LLC as our DataCentIR™ partner and look forward to working together.”

Predictive maintenance tool to help drivers avoid congestion

Researchers at IBM are collaborating with partners at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT) to develop an intelligent system that will help commuters avoid congestion.

By joining forces, IBM, Caltrans and the CCIT team hope to provide drivers with valuable predictive information on what traffic patterns are likely to look like — even before they get in their vehicles — rather than discover what has already happened once in them.

Read more: http://www.theengineer.co.uk/sectors/electronics/news/predictive-maintenance-tool-to-help-drivers-avoid-congestion/1008315.article#ixzz1KEvAerXU

New Content Added to the MESA Website

The following content has been added to the MESA website Resource Library:

In- Plant Wireless: Applications, Standards, and Design Considerations
WebcastAvailable only to Premium Members

Link to PDF of Slides and Recording of Webcast with Sound:

https://services.mesa.org/ResourceLibrary/ShowResource/24cd8603-947f-4c16-b521-b092331605d6

The webcast provided an overview of wireless sensors technology and highlighted how it can improve process operations and maintenance to create business opportunities. The evolution of plant wireless standards and their different applications — especially in the oil and gas environment — was discussed. The presentation shared Saudi Aramco’s contribution to international standards, and how vendors and the company have collaborated in the following: piloting, testing and implementation of wireless solutions. Also included was the major challenges and design considerations in implementing secure, scalable, reliable and safe plant wireless solutions

You must be a Premium Member and login to your account at www.mesa.org to access the full contents of our Resource Library.

Infra-RED NOSE DAY

Initiated at the Maintec NEC exhibition recently, Radir are happy to receive your donation of a joke. For each of you that contibute, they will add a little donation to Red Nose Day.They will then email out to you the compliled jokes in the "soon to be world famous"(!) Infra-RED NOSE DAY JOKE BOOK.
Send your joke/s to jokes@radir.com before April 30th 2011

N.B. Red Nose Day in the UK is a fund raising day for charities helping people worldwide and was initiated by UK comics and comedy writers many years ago. More details can be found here: http://www.rednoseday.com/about

ABB's Asset Optimization Enables True Predictive and Proactive Maintenance

ABB introduced a new Asset Optimization software package for high voltage circuit breakers. With Asset Optimization, information from many types of breakers – including DTB, LTB, GCB & GIS – is quickly collected, aggregated, analyzed and compared to historical data to provide advanced notice of degrading performance and impending failure of breakers. Comprehensive workflow processes extend from condition monitoring in the circuit breaker to Enterprise Asset Management applications, such as Computer Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS.)

The condition-based monitoring solution also helps prioritize managing a fleet assessment of SF6 breakers to determine corrective actions, thus vastly simplifying the accounting of a breaker's SF6 usage.

Asset Optimization System maintenance management features make information within the CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) transparently accessible to maintenance personnel. Seamless, context-sensitive interaction is provided through standard CMMS displays, such as active work orders, work order, history, preventive maintenance schedules, and available spare parts.

Asset optimization's unique engineering environment manages one set of consistent data, which enables single-point change management and configuration; this eliminates the risk of inconsistencies between multiple databases and the need to duplicate engineering effort.

Asset Optimization's asset monitors use real-time information as inputs to detect health and performance conditions before failure occurs, assist in the diagnosis of the problem, and offer correction recommendations. These vary in complexity from simply identifying status changes in an intelligent device to identifying abnormal conditions using advanced monitoring applications.

See more at: http://www.arcweb.com/Regions/North_America/archive/2011/04/19/abb-automation-amp-power-world-2011-conference-the-venue-for-numerous-announcements.aspx

Manufacturing Department Project Day - Cranfield University

Manufacturing Department Project Day is being held at Cranfield University on 28 April 2011. There are two parallel sessions, featuring a wide range of topics in manufacturing and maintenance, presented by some very good masters students.

Programme
09:00 Registration
09:45 Welcome and Introduction

Session 1
10:05 Maintenance and Cost of Ownership (BAE Systems)
10:40 Digitising of Aerospace Components to Enable 3D Solid Modelling
Design Manipulation (Airbus)
11:15 Tea/Coffee & Poster Show
11:50 Enterprise System for Engineering Knowledge in Aerospace Industry (EADS)
12:25 Sustainable Manufacturing Practices and Reuse (Airbus Operations Ltd)
13:00 Lunch & Poster Show
14:15 Systematic Development of Maintenance Offers, Plans & Exploitation of
Maintenance Records (Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems)
14:50 Virtual Planning Tool for a Machine line Tool Delivery System (Ford)
15:25 Tea/Coffee & Poster Show
15:55 Integrated Equipment Health Management Requirements for High Value Assets
(IVHM Centre)
Session 2
10:05 Design and Development of a Service System for a Functional Intraocular
Lens Device (Bedford Hospital NHS Trust + Cranfield IMRC)
10:40 Optimisation of Operations - Growth Management (Peter¹s Food)
11:15 Tea/Coffee & Poster Show
11:50 Organics for the Future (Produce World)
12:25 Sourcing for Life (Produce World)
13:00 Lunch & Poster Show
14:15 Manufacturing System Design (Brompton Bicycle Ltd)
14:50 Sustainability Assessment of Plastic Sheets Piling (Aldridge Piling Equipment)
15:25 Tea/Coffee & Poster Show

Registration: Please contact Ms Kayleigh Brennan (k.brennan@cranfield.ac.uk) by 21 April 2011

RFID Readers and Tags Recognized for Exceptional Performance in Reducing Loss of Perishables

Intelleflex, a leading provider of on-demand data visibility solutions, announced today it has won the Best in Show award at RFID Journal LIVE!, the leading industry conference and exhibition dedicated to the use of RFID (radio frequency identification) technology. A team of judges from industry, research, and academia recognized the company's fixed and mobile, multiprotocol readers and temperature tags for excellence in monitoring the condition of perishable foods and pharmaceuticals under a range of rigorous conditions and for providing actionable data to take corrective action.

The panel of judges recognized Intelleflex XC3 Technology™ multi-mode readers and tags for their innovative battery-assisted passive RFID technology, which equals or exceeds the performance of active RFID, while substantially reducing costs. Intelleflex readers and tags support both the ISO/IEC 18000-6:2010 standard for Class 3 battery-assisted passive RFID, and the EPCglobal C1G2 standard for passive RFID. 

Intelleflex RFID readers and tags are also distinguished for their ability to reliably read and write in RF-unfriendly environments including metals, liquids, or with items in motion. The company's products enable condition monitoring of individual products on loaded pallets or totes from a range of up to 300 feet and can penetrate packaging, allowing operators to make informed decisions on product shipment, inventory and rotation that can reduce shrink in perishable foods and guarantee efficacy of pharmaceuticals.

"Once again, we had many innovative new products on display at RFID Journal LIVE!, but Intelleflex rose above the rest with a solution that promises to deliver significant benefits to businesses and other organizations," said Mark Roberti, RFID Journal's founder and editor. "With Intelleflex's temperature-monitoring RFID applications, growers, producers, shippers, warehousers and retailers can cost-effectively monitor and verify the freshness or efficacy of their products all the way from product origin through final destination. This will not only reduce waste and increase sales; it will improve food safety for consumers."

"We're honored to be selected the winner of the Best in Show award," said Peter Mehring, CEO of Intelleflex. "We appreciate the recognition by this distinguished group that Intelleflex XC3 Technology is an industry-leading solution, delivering strong value and a positive ROI for asset tracking and cold supply chain markets."

Battery state monitoring circuit - Patent Abstract

Applicant: Seiko Instruments Inc, Japan

A battery state monitoring circuit using a low breakdown voltage and simple circuitry forms the subject of this patent. It is capable of coping with variations in a number of batteries. A battery device is also provided. The battery state monitoring circuit is composed of a first voltage monitoring terminal and a second voltage monitoring terminal; a first transmission terminal and a second transmission terminal; and a first reception terminal and a second reception terminal. Also included is a control terminal; an overcharge detection circuit, for detecting whether or not a battery is in an overcharged state, based on the voltage between the first and second voltage monitoring terminals; and a way of outputting an overcharge signal to indicate the detection result. The system also uses an overcharge information communication circuit for transmitting the overcharge signal, which indicates overcharge state, from the first transmission terminal to the outside world, in the case where at least one of the overcharge signals indicates whether or not a battery is in an overcharge state, and the overcharge detection signal received through the first reception terminal indicates an overcharge state.

Patent number: WO/2009/008314

Inventors: A. Sakurai and K. Sano

Publication date: 15 January 2009

Imperium's ultrasound imaging camera receives Frost & Sullivan award

Imperium Inc, a US-based developer and manufacturer of ultrasound imaging cameras for use in non-destructive inspection procedures, has received the 2010 Global New Product Innovation of the Year Award from global research firm Frost & Sullivan. The award recognises the firm’s accomplishments in the world ultrasonic inspection equipment market.

“Our company is incredibly proud to receive this prestigious new product award from Frost & Sullivan,” said Bob Lasser, President and Chief Executive Officer, Imperium.

“We have worked hard to perfect the Acoustocam i600, making it into a powerful technology that can be used for immediate and accurate results for research, testing, inspection, maintenance – and many other applications. This Award validates our technology for widespread non-destructive testing use.”

Imperium says that its i600 Acoustocam generates real-time C-scan video images of sub-surface defects. The output provides similar information to much more complex, legacy systems, but with strikingly clear images.

According to the company, Frost and Sullivan chose the imaging camera because it is easy to use, portable and has broad application in the market place. Current systems require extensive training and skill, much of which is alleviated with the new device.

The i600 uses Imperium's patented digital acoustic video (DAV) technology, which represents a vast improvement over current ultrasound techniques. The DAV-powered Acoustocam produces images that remove the uncertainty typically associated with conventional B-scan ultrasound, thereby improving the performance of the system.

“The capability of the i600 Acoustocam perfectly meets the non-destructive testing requirements throughout the complete lifecycle of a product,” said Sivakumar Narayanaswamy, Industry Analyst, Measurement & Instrumentation Division, Frost & Sullivan.

“Composite materials are increasingly being used across several industrial applications - such as the petrochemical and wind-energy industry. Wind turbine blades are made from composite materials as they provide enhanced performance.”

For the New Product Innovation Award, the following criteria were used to benchmark Imperium's performance against key competitors:

*the innovative element of the product;

*use of leading-edge technologies in the product;

*value-added features and benefits;

*increased customer return on investment; and

*customer acquisition and penetration potential.

The non-destructive testing market's traditional end-users, such as the petrochemical, nuclear, automotive, transportation, aerospace and defence sectors, require ultrasonic scanners in the field for inspecting the test object in order to ensure safety. Portability becomes a key issue as the scanners are usually bulky, which often restricts mobility.

Imperium says that it has invested about $15 million in the development of the portable system. It also collaborates with universities for product development.

Imperium, a privately-owned corporation based in Maryland, develops and manufactures advanced ultrasound imaging systems. Dr Marvin Lasser, former chief scientist of the US Army and director of research for Ford (Philco Division) founded the company in 1996.

Imperium sells its products through direct and indirect sales channels, and through flagship OEM partners in different industries. Applications of its technology, which is protected by several granted and pending patents, can be found in industrial, medical, sub-sea and biometric settings.

For further information, contact:

Imperium Inc, 5901-F Ammendale Road, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. Tel: +1-301-431-2900, Fax: +1-301-431-0200, Email: sales@imperiuminc.com, Web: www.imperiuminc.com

Frost & Sullivan, 7550 IH 10 West, Suite 400, San Antonio, TX 78229-5616, USA. Tel: +1-877-463-7678, Web: www.frost.com

Integrating Oil Analysis and Vibration Analysis – Machine By Machine

Oil analysis and vibration analysis are natural partners for machine condition monitoring. This, unfortunately, hasn’t always been the perception. In the early days of the modern condition monitoring era, these two powerful technologies were viewed to be in competition with one another – vying for the same condition monitoring resources. Time has allowed most people and organizations to see the value of integrating vibe and oil. For root cause management, they team up to provide control over the “big five” root causes of machine failure. Vibration analysis enables the control of balance, alignment and looseness. Oil analysis enables control over lubricant quality and contamination. They are also a great pairing on the predictive side of condition monitoring. The strengths of vibration analysis counteract the limitations of oil analysis and vice versa in managing the health of specific machine types. In this issue, I’m going to share some philosophies for pairing oil analysis and vibration analysis for managing the reliability of common mechanical equipment in your plant. These short vignettes are by no means comprehensive, but rather are intended to make you think so you can start to formulate your integrated condition monitoring solution for mechanical plant equipment. I’m covering enough types to ensure that you get the idea and can think through your specific applications.

Read the full article at: http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/28427/oil-analysis-vibration-monitoring

Fraunhofer sensor system to monitor warehouse shelves

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems in Duisburg have devised a wireless, sensor-based system to provide continuous monitoring of the condition of storage shelves in warehouses.

Typically, to protect storage shelves from collisions from forklift trucks, their supports are fitted with an air cushion designed to absorb the impact. The Fraunhofer researchers took advantage of this fact by integrating sensors in the protective fitting that measure the pressure within the air cushion.

Read more: http://www.theengineer.co.uk/sectors/electronics/news/fraunhofer-sensor-system-to-monitor-warehouse-shelves/1008245.article#ixzz1JOLxqXvq

Accurate shaft alignment vital in ensuring optimised equipment performance

Companies should take a second look at the way in which they implement condition monitoring procedures, argues Phil Burge.
Condition monitoring, for predictive and preventative maintenance strategies, is widely used throughout industry, with the long term reliability of manufacturing and process systems depending on devices designed to allow plant operators to react to impending failure within the system being monitored.

Read the full article at: http://www.engineerlive.com/Process-Engineer/Instrumentation/Accurate_shaft_alignment_vital_in_ensuring_optimised_equipment_performance/23421/

Tyre-monitoring device and method - Patent Abstract

Applicant: Texas Instruments Inc, USA

This patent covers a tyre-monitoring device and method. It describes a device to accurately identify the wheel position. Installed on each tyre is a radio wave transmitter, using a simple and compact configuration. This tyre-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) has sensor modules (14A, 14B, 14C & 14D) installed on the vehicle’s (10) tyres (12FL, 12FR, 12RL & 12RR) for transmitting data, and the main receiver unit (16). The main receiver unit is composed of a group of two antennas (18, 20), receiver system (22) and a display (24). The two antennas are arranged appropriately to receive the radio waves transmitted by each of sensor modules (with a phase difference between them).

Patent number: WO/2009/015265

Inventor: T. Watasue

Publication date: 29 January 2009

Ultrasonic, liquid level monitoring system - Patent Abstract

Applicant: Schmitt Measurement Systems Inc, USA

An ultrasonic, liquid level monitoring system, which includes an ultrasonic transducer unit that can be mounted on a tank, forms the subject of this patent. The unit has an emitter to generate an ultrasonic beam which passes through the wall of the tank. The emitter further receives an echo, generated by the ultrasonic beam as it is reflected off the surface of the liquid. An acoustic lens is disposed between the emitter and the tank wall to receive and shape the ultrasonic beam to compensate for ‘lensing effects’ of the wall. Referring to the accompanying figure, an ultrasonic monitoring system (100) is shown for sensing the level of the liquid in a tank (102). The system includes an ultrasonic transducer unit (104) that is externally mounted on the bottom of the tank. The system includes a control unit (106) that is connected to the transducer unit (104) by an electrical cable (108). This cable may be configured to provide a synchronous serial data link. The transducer unit transmits ultrasonic signals through the tank wall and listens for return echoes from the surface of the liquid (not shown) in the tank. The control unit (106) directs the operation of the transducer unit (104) and collects time-of-flight and temperature data from the transducer unit.

Patent number: WO/2009/014790

Inventor: P. Lagergren

Publication date: 29 January 2009

MISTRAS Group Announces Conference Call to Discuss Third Quarter Results on April 13, 2011

MISTRAS Group, Inc. will have a conference call on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 9:00am Eastern Time to discuss its results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2011, which ended February 28, 2011. A press release with the third quarter results will be issued after the close of the market on Tuesday, April 12, 2011.

The call will be broadcast over the Web and can be accessed on MISTRAS' Website, www.mistrasgroup.com. Individuals in the U.S. wishing to participate in the conference call by phone may call 1-800-510-9834 and use confirmation code 64642932 when prompted. The International number is 1-617-614-3669. Those who wish to listen to the call later can access an archived copy of the conference call at the MISTRAS Website.

MISTRAS is a leading "one source" global provider of technology-enabled asset protection solutions used to evaluate the structural integrity of critical energy, industrial and public infrastructure. Mission critical services and solutions are delivered globally and provide customers the ability to extend the useful life of their assets, improve productivity & profitability, comply with government safety and environmental regulations and enhance risk management operational decisions.

MISTRAS uniquely combines its industry-leading products and technologies - 24/7 on-line monitoring of critical assets; mechanical integrity (MI) and non-destructive testing (NDT) services; and its proprietary world class data warehousing & analysis software - to provide comprehensive and competitive products, systems and services solutions from a single source provider.

For more information, please visit the company's website at www.mistrasgroup.com or contact their worldwide headquarters at 609-716-4000.

Sub-sea structure load-monitoring and control system - Patent Abstract

Applicant: Oceaneering International Inc, USA

A system for monitoring the load on a sub-sea structure has been developed. The approach makes use of one or more sensors disposed proximate to the sub-sea structure <em dash> such as a blow-out preventer. The sensors are configured to detect an induced load on the structure. The detected load is communicated to a sensor data-processor that is connected to a strain sensor. Using the detected load data, a load generator, such as a remotely operated vehicle or other source of thrust, has its thrust output adjusted to induce a load equal in force, but opposite in direction, to the detected, induced load.

Patent number: WO/2009/012349

Inventor: R.W. McCoy (Jr)

Publication date: 22 January 2009

International thermography forum covers aerial IR, nondestructive testing

FLIR Advanced Thermal Solutions (Croissy-Beaubourg, France) has announced the program for infraR&D 2011, its international conference for thermographers working in research and development, industry, and automation.
Due to take place in Hannover, Germany (April 6-7), the goal of the 2011 event is to provide a professional meeting place for scientists, engineers, and users of high-performance infrared (IR) measurement equipment.
The organizers of InfraR&D 2011 have attracted an extensive program of presentations ranging from aerial infrared thermography through advanced NDT solutions to the role of thermal imaging in wildlife biology.
To review the program abstracts and register for InfraR&D 2011 please visit http://www.infraredforum.eu/ or contact FLIR at 8-753-27-55/e-mail christiane.buchgeister@flir.se.

Monitoring the condition of a flexible pipeline - Patent Abstract

Applicant: Flexlife Ltd, UK

A method of monitoring the condition of a flexible pipeline forms the subject of this patent. It involves scanning the pipeline with an ultrasonic scanner to produce and/or record a signal indicative of the level of flooding within the annulus of the pipeline and/or indicative of the integrity of the layers of the pipeline.

Patent number: WO/2009/007670

Inventors: J.N. Marsden and S.A. Mitchell

Publication date: 15 January 2009

System for monitoring an elevator brake - Patent Abstract

Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corp, Japan

A brake monitoring system for an elevator is detailed by this patent. The system monitors abrasion of the lining of a brake device. A plurality of detecting elements are inserted into the lining. Each detecting element has a pair of conductive materials (also inserted into the lining), leaving an interval between them. When the lining reaches a prescribed thickness, through the progress of abrasion, each conductive member is exposed from within the lining. When an exposed part of a pair of the conductive members is brought into contact with a rotor, a part between a pair of these members is conductive. A detection signal is generated because these members become conductive.

Patent number: WO/2009/008033

Inventor: A. Chida

Publication date: 15 January 2009

Wireless leak-detection system

Applicant/Inventors: J.D. Ghazarian, T. Ruggieri and A.N. Balaster, USA

A supervised wireless leak-detection system forms the subject of this patent. It has a leak detection sensor unit, which is capable of transmitting a uniquely coded signal in response to a detected leak; a supervised wireless valve-control transceiver unit with a means of receiving the coded signal; and a transmitter for feeding this signal within the system. Also discussed is a valve shut-off mechanism that is linked to the valve-control transceiver unit. This shut-off mechanism has a motor attached to the valve, which creates a rotation pulse that is used to close and open the valve. A sensor and processor detect and count the motor rotation pulses when the valve is being closed or opened. This processor functions in a set-up procedure to memorise (learn) the motor rotation pulse count that is required to close or open the valve. Upon receipt of the uniquely coded signal - in response to a detected leak - the processor applies power to the motor to close the valve. The motor is controlled in such a way that it stops turning the valve in response to a motor-rotation, pulse-count number, which is substantially equal to a previously stored number that is needed to close or open the valve. A digital, voice, or SMS text message phone dialer dispatches the detected leak signals, and notifies monitoring personnel. The supervised leak detection and damage prevention system is illustrated in the accompanying figure. The wireless leak-detection unit (10), using a battery or A/C supply (12), or another source of energy such as solar power, is equipped with a sensor (14) that is capable of detecting a variety of substances, such as water, gas and petroleum, and a built-in transmitter which conveys the detected signals via an antenna (11). The leak-detection unit is installed mainly in buildings; homes; factories; open field applications, such as irrigation plants, petroleum facilities and pipelines - where pipes and fittings may leak. As illustrated in the diagram, when the sensor (14) unit detects a leak, the transmitter conveys the unique coded signal (containing information from the leak detection unit), and an on-board LED (13) flashes to indicate that a leak has been detected and the wireless transmission has been successful. The valve-control unit (30) is contained in a housing. It is powered by an A/C mains supply (66) or a battery (27) and has a motor (32) and gear (34). These are equipped with a sensor to detect shaft rotation and provide the processor (35) with corresponding electrical pulses. The processor sends power to the motor to operate the attached valve (38), and count the motor or gear turn-cycle pulses, and store in memory the count required to close and open the valve.

Patent number: WO/2009/017512

Publication date: 5 February 2009