Cyba and ENGIN-X: stress measurement for the 21st century!

The ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK, is a world-leading source of neutrons for scientific research. By studying how beams of these particles are scattered from materials, researchers gain information which in general terms tells them about where atoms are and what they do.

One important area of application is in the measurement of residual stresses in engineering components. This technique is of considerable importance in safety-critical industries such as the aerospace and automotive sectors.

The ENGIN-X beamline at ISIS is a purpose-built instrument specifically dedicated to this technique. In order to measure the full stress state, it is necessary to measure strain in a number of sample directions, and therefore to rotate the sample into a number of orientations. The Cybaman Manipulator provides the ideal tool to automate the procedure for components of up to 25kg in weight, and facilitates easy switching back and forth between orientations. The Manipulator sits on an xyz translation table, enabling stresses to be mapped in 3D throughout a component. The orientation procedure is software-controlled: a computer model of the component (from CAD or laser-scanned point cloud data) is manipulated in the software to determine the correct measurement orientation, which is then fed to the Manipulator to execute the required rotations. For example, this procedure could be used to map strain perpendicular to a complex, curved surface, such as that of a fanblade.

Custom 2 Axes CNC - Manipulator

Designed and Customised for DTI Link Photonics Project A 2 Axis CNC Positioning Stage for BMW-Rovers.	Laser Based Fibre-Fringe Projector for Automotive Form Metrology Applications. Winner of the NPL Award for Manufacturing Excellence 2001.