The Dynamic wire free Strain Gauge monitoring System (DSGS)

Product Overview

The Dynamic wire free Strain Gauge monitoring System (DSGS) is a rugged wire-free gauge technology solution that enables proactive equipment health awareness over the full component lifecycle using a hardware solution that works with current electrical resistant technology. The software and gauge technology delivers measurement accuracy and location information suitable for conceptual tasks such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and conventional stress analysis. When used on critical in-service parts and equipment, the solution provides timely damage assessments that influence planning, forecasting, maintenance and even spare parts and asset management.

The DSGS technology, as applied to fatigue detection, is the only strain gauge technology that allows easy assessment of parts over a long period of time (residual stress analysis). There are a number of fatigue-life models, and each utilizes a combination of historical data and measurable/detectable quantities to assess fatigue damage with respect to product usefulness.

Strain life models provide excellent results for both low and high-cycle fatigue. However, strain-based fatigue detection methods have traditionally been avoided due to inherent limitations of conventional strain measurement techniques, that is of course until the arrival of the DSGS.

The DSGS solutions address each of these issues within the unique fatigue gauge technology space. The advantage of a small battery powered sensor, which can be used on wide number of materials for the life-cycle of a product is currently unheard of in the market.

The gauges are applied to the surface of operating parts/equipment therefore endure the same operational conditions as their host.

Geometric changes in the fatigue gauges provide a detectable indication of the minute changes in the underlying structure caused by the fatigue process. As a result, the systems can accurately measure the local plastic strain in the crack nucleation (pre-cracking) phase of fatigue damage.

During operation the part/equipment and the gauge experience the same service conditions, allowing the systems to accurately measure the accumulated fatigue damage, which will indicate reduced part life.

This data provides proactive information to better manage parts/equipment throughout their lifecycle.

Currently, fatigue monitoring involves periodic inspections looking for surface cracks. Crack detection is an essential part of life-cycle management and these methods work only at high damage levels or after a part has exhausted most of its useful life.

The lack of early (pre-cracking) fatigue damage information, or for that matter using averaged calculations based on scientific formulae, limits accurate forecasting and causes a significant impact on asset lifespan and maintenance costs.