Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N3/00—Investigating strength properties of solid materials by application of mechanical stress
  • G01N3/02—Details
  • G01N3/04—Chucks
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N3/00—Investigating strength properties of solid materials by application of mechanical stress
  • G01N3/22—Investigating strength properties of solid materials by application of mechanical stress by applying steady torsional forces
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N2203/00—Investigating strength properties of solid materials by application of mechanical stress
  • G01N2203/0014—Type of force applied
  • G01N2203/0021—Torsional
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N2203/00—Investigating strength properties of solid materials by application of mechanical stress
  • G01N2203/0014—Type of force applied
  • G01N2203/0023—Bending

Definitions

• the invention relates to an apparatus for analyzing a sample.
• the invention further relates to a method of analyzing a sample.
• WO 2007/042275 discloses a method for checking a sample with combined rotational bending and torsional loading, preferably at high frequency, characterized by the combination of the following features: setting the sample in rotation, subjecting the sample to a torsional load by means of two torsional torques generated by electric motors applied to two opposing ends of the sample and subjecting the sample to a bending load either applied to the ends thereof or at a point between the ends.
• sample analysis system having a simple construction may be desired.
• an apparatus for analyzing a sample comprising a first clamping chuck adapted for receiving a first portion (for instance a first end portion) of the sample, a second clamping chuck adapted for receiving a second portion (for instance a second end portion) of the sample, a drive unit adapted for applying a force (particularly a drive force or a moment) to the first clamping chuck, and a measurement unit (such as a sensor) adapted for measuring at least one physical parameter indicative of a property of the sample received by the first clamping chuck and the second clamping chuck in response to the application of the force to the first clamping chuck, wherein the second clamping chuck is free of a separate drive unit (i.e.
• a method of analyzing a sample comprising receiving a first portion of the sample by a first clamping chuck, receiving a second portion of the sample by a second clamping chuck, applying a force to the first clamping chuck by a drive unit, and measuring at least one physical parameter indicative of a property of the sample received by the first clamping chuck and the second clamping chuck in response to the application of the force to the first clamping chuck, wherein the second clamping chuck is free of a separate drive unit.
• a program element for instance a software routine, in source code or in computer-executable code
• a processor when being executed by a processor, is adapted to control or carry out a method of analyzing a sample having the above mentioned features.
• a computer-readable medium for instance a CD, a DVD, a USB stick, a floppy disk or a harddisk
• a computer program is stored which, when being executed by a processor, is adapted to control or carry out a method of analyzing a sample having the above mentioned features.
• the test control scheme according to embodiments of the invention can be realized by a computer program, that is by software, or by using one or more special electronic optimization circuits, that is in hardware, or in hybrid form, that is by means of software components and hardware components.
• sample may particularly denote any physical structure (particularly any technical apparatus, member, or a portion thereof) in the real world which may be under development or production or machining and shall therefore be investigated regarding its physical or economical properties such as mechanical stability, quality, usability, etc.
• Examples of such a physical structure may be a member or tool such as a cast or forged or moulded component.
• Samples may be complete products or semifinished parts, members made of electrically conductive or electrically insulating material, carbon fiber members, steel parts, etc.
• measurement device may particularly denote any system capable of performing a measurement on the sample, that is to say for determining or sensing a parameter characterizing the sample in a specific scenario or under certain conditions such as an applied mechanical stress or load.
• property of the sample may particularly denote technical information, features or attributes characterizing the result of the analysis of the sample, for instance a mechanical characterization.
• a sample analysis system may be provided in which a sample clamped between two clamping chucks or collet chucks is driven by a single drive unit (that is to say there may be exactly one drive unit in the entire apparatus) by applying a force to one of the chucks.
• a single drive unit that is to say there may be exactly one drive unit in the entire apparatus
• variable concept for testing machines for torsion tests under static or cyclic, multiple stage torsion stress may be provided.
• Such a test equipment may be constructed in a modular manner, and tests in or close to a resonance region of the system are possible.
• the turning angle of the sample under application of the force may be essentially unlimited, and the application of high static moments of rotation is possible with a static module.
• dynamic strength/vibration resistance experiments may be carried out, as well as static twisting experiments with a basically unlimited number of rotations. It is also possible to couple energy systems of multiple of such apparatuses to obtain a particularly efficient energy management.
• the costs for carrying out an analysis of a sample are very low with the simple construction of the apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
• the drive unit may comprise a servo drive, a combustion engine, a hydraulic drive, a synchronous machine, or an asynchronous machine.
• Drive units such as servo drives may be preferred which allow (due to their construction and/or drive characteristic) to rotate the sample with an unlimited rotation angle.
• the apparatus may comprise exactly one drive unit.
• no further drive units are foreseen at all in the apparatus apart from the drive unit for applying the force to the first clamping chuck.
• the entire driving system may be composed of or may be comprised of a single drive unit, rendering the apparatus small in construction and cheap in manufacture.
• the measurement unit may be adapted for measuring the at least one physical parameter in a static manner, in a dynamic manner, or in a cyclic manner. Therefore, the performance of the apparatus covers many applications in very different technical fields, so that an analysis of different mechanical members is possible with a large freedom for a user.
• the measurement unit may be adapted for measuring torque, an angle of torsion and/or a deformation behaviour.
• the apparatus may measure one of such parameters at a time, for instance torque or an angle of torsion of a sample under analysis.
• two or more of such physical parameters are measured simultaneously, for instance torque and an angle of torsion. This may allow to obtain a powerful and highly accurate system.
• the first clamping chuck and/or the second clamping chuck may comprise a mechanically actuable clamping chuck or a hydraulically actuable clamping chuck.
• a mechanically actuable clamping chuck may be fixed at a sample by means of a mechanical or manual actuation of a user, for instance by turning an adjustment screw.
• a hydraulically actuable clamping chuck may use hydraulic forces to ensure reliable clamping of the sample, i.e. fastening of the sample at a groove of the chucks.
• the first clamping chuck and/or the second clamping chuck may be mounted on the apparatus in a substitutable manner.
• many different clamping chucks in a modular system may be used which can be mounted in a replaceable manner on the apparatus by simply exchanging one component. This may allow to extend the field of possible applications of the apparatus, by adapting a used clamping chuck to the requirements of a specific analysis.
• Some kind of analysis construction set may be provided by taking such a measure.
• the apparatus may comprise a set of a plurality of first clamping chucks and/or a set of a plurality of second clamping chucks differing regarding at least one property (such as size, maximum load, material, measurement units mounted in connection with a clamping chuck, etc.).
• Each of the set of clamping chucks may be mountable on the apparatus. Therefore, a modular system is provided which can be adapted specifically to the requirements of an embodiment.
• the apparatus may comprise a spatially fixed first mount on which the first clamping chuck is mounted, and may comprise a spatially movable second mount on which the second clamping chuck is mounted.
• first mount By spatially fixing the first mount, a stable configuration of this portion of the apparatus is enabled.
• second mount By allowing a spatial movement of the second mount, sufficient flexibility can be provided to allow to take into account changes in an experimental set up during an experiment. For instance, a change of the temperature during operating the apparatus may change the geometric proportions of the apparatus due to thermal expansion.
• a spatially movable second mount may allow to compensate such modifications without the danger to involve additional parasitic stress components.
• the spatially movable second mount may be slidable along a linear direction, enabling to adjust a distance to the spatially fixed, i.e. non moveable, first mount.
• the apparatus may comprise a resonance adjustment module that may be adapted for adjusting the apparatus to operate in a resonance state. If it is possible to drive the apparatus in a resonance state, i.e. close to or exactly at an eigenfrequency of the system, the energy needed for driving or operating the apparatus may be reduced, resulting in an energy efficient operation of the apparatus, since losses may be very small when a resonance condition is fulfilled.
• the resonance adjustment unit may be adapted for adjusting/controlling/regulating an operation frequency of the apparatus essentially to a resonance frequency. This may involve the automatic or user defined setting of the apparatus to operate at a resonance frequency of the system.
• the resonance adjustment unit may enable an adjustment of a balance weight to bring the apparatus in the resonance state at a given frequency.
• the balance weight may comprise a radially shiftable mass. By shifting the mass to a specific radial position, it is possible to modify the system eigenfrequency to thereby force the system to approach a resonance frequency of the system to an operation frequency of the system. This may allow to drive the apparatus into a resonance state even without adjusting the frequency, which may be cumbersome or involve additional energy consumption.
• the apparatus may comprise a geometry adjustment unit adapted for adjusting a geometry of the apparatus in response to a change of a geometric property, particularly a thermally induced change of a length property.
• a geometric property particularly a thermally induced change of a length property.
• position sensors, distance sensors and/or temperature sensors may measure an expansion such as a thermal expansion of the driven apparatus.
• the geometric properties such as distances between different components of the apparatus, angular relations between different components of the apparatus, etc.
• the second mount may be moved slightly towards or away from the first mount when it is determined that a thermal expansion has altered the distance between the second mount and the first mount.
• the apparatus may further comprise a harmonic drive arranged between the drive unit and the first clamping chuck.
• a harmonic drive may improve the operation of the apparatus and may allow for a proper transfer of the force from the drive unit to the sample.
• the apparatus may comprise a coupling (for instance a clutch) between the drive unit and the first clamping chuck, which coupling may be stiff against torsion and bending elastic. Such a coupling may properly transfer the forces from the drive unit to the first clamping chuck. The stiffness against torsion and the bending elasticity of the coupling may allow to use the coupling without a negative impact on the accuracy of the analysis.
• a coupling for instance a clutch
• the second clamping chuck may be essentially spatially fixed, even upon application of a force to the first clamping chuck by the drive unit.
• torque and/or a twist angle of a sample may be measured in a state of the sample in which it remains essentially spatially fixed, apart from small material shifts within the sample due to the application of a force to the sample.
• a torsion experiment (which may or may not have an overlaid static moment) within or apart from a resonance may be carried out even with high torque, wherein the sample may rest, and only a simple drive may be sufficient.
• the servo drive implemented according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention may allow to provide up to 60 Nm or more, and in a resonance operation mode up to 120 Nm or more.
• a harmonic drive may be advantageously implemented.
• a variable test module may be provided, that is to say different modules may be employed in accordance with user preferences.
• the modules may be driven to a specific position of the system on a carriage. By performing a longitudinal length adjustment, artificial compression stress may be reduced or eliminated, for instance after warming up the system.
• the measured sample may have a dimension in the order of magnitude of, for example, 6 mm to 50 mm and may be provided with or without notches.
• FIG. 1 to Fig. 4 illustrate apparatuses for analyzing a sample according to exemplary embodiments of the invention.
• Fig. 5 to Fig. 7 illustrate different three-dimensional views of an apparatus similar to the apparatus of Fig. 3.
• Fig. 8 illustrates a three-dimensional view of an apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
• the apparatus 100 comprises a first clamping chuck 104 adapted for receiving a first end of the sample 102.
• a second clamping chuck 106 is provided for receiving a second end of the sample 102.
• the first clamping chuck 104 and the second clamping chuck 106 are hydraulically actuable clamping chucks.
• a drive unit 108 is foreseen for applying a force at a first clamping chuck 104, and, in turn, to the sample 102.
• the drive unit 108 is a servo drive.
• the sample may be fixedly clamped into the second clamping chuck 106.
• a measurement unit 110 is adapted for measuring a physical parameter such as a torsion and/or a angle of torsion of the sample 102 in response to the application of the force at the first clamping chuck 104 and in response to the fixedly clamping into the second clamping chuck 106.
• the second clamping chuck 106 is free of a separate drive unit.
• the second clamping chuck 106 remains spatially fixed, apart from an impact of a load which may act on the second clamping chuck 106 in response to the application of the force to the first clamping chuck 104 by the drive unit 108.
• no separate drive unit is provided for the left hand portion of Fig. 1 so that a single drive unit 108 is sufficient to supply the entire apparatus 100 with mechanical forces.
• a first mount 112 is provided which is fixed (for instance screwed) to a base plate 114 or support of the apparatus 100 in a fixed manner.
• the first mount 112 is spatially fixed, and, as can be taken from Fig. 1, the first clamping chuck 104 is mounted rigidly coupled to the first mount 112.
• the apparatus 100 comprises a spatially moveable (see bidirectional arrow 116) second mount 118, so that a distance between the clamping chucks 104 and 106 in a horizontal direction in Fig. 1 can be adjusted by sliding the moveable mount 118 along the direction 116.
• the apparatus 100 further comprises a variable test module 120 which can be substituted, and which is adapted in the present embodiment as a resonance adjustment module adapted for adjusting the apparatus 100 (particularly at least one operation mode thereof) so that it is operated in a resonance state.
• a variable test module 120 which can be substituted, and which is adapted in the present embodiment as a resonance adjustment module adapted for adjusting the apparatus 100 (particularly at least one operation mode thereof) so that it is operated in a resonance state.
• Fig. 1 shows a variable test equipment concept for torsion analysis under static and cyclic, multiple stage torsion load or stress.
• the concept shown in Fig. 1 comprises the servo drive 108 which can be substituted by any other appropriate drive as well.
• the variable test module 120 can be substituted, for instance, by a gear for a proper transfer of a torsion moment in the context of static experiments.
• the clamping or chucking units 104, 106 which may also be denoted as sample fastening elements can also be configured in a mechanical mechanism, instead of a hydraulic configuration.
• the measurement unit 110 can be a torsion sensor and/or an angle of rotation pickup sensor.
• Reference numeral 118 may also denoted as a torsion momentum support, which is slidable (by a sliding cartridge member) in a longitudinal direction 116 and/or can be adjustable regarding angular properties or orientation properties along other axes than the sliding axis 116.
• the variably employable module 120 allows the mounting of a gear for a transfer of the torsion momentum for static twisting experiments as well as the provision of a resonance module to operate the apparatus in a resonance state.
• a first torsion eigenfrequency of the system 100 can be adjusted in order to enter a region of a test frequency relevant for the analysis of the dynamic strength/vibration resistance.
• the clamping system 104, 106 can be adapted, for instance, in a mechanical or in a hydraulic manner.
• the measurement unit 110 it is possible to detect the torsion momentum as well as the twist angle at the sample 102.
• Fig. 2 shows a dynamic module configuration without resonance operation of the apparatus 200.
• the apparatus 200 shows a control cabinet 202 and has a protective housing 204.
• Linear guiding rails 206 are explicitly shown in detail as well.
• Reference numeral 112 may also be denoted as a drive bearing rack, and reference numeral 118 are also be denoted as a counter bearing rack.
• Fig. 3 shows an apparatus 300 for analyzing a sample 102 according to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention.
• the embodiment of Fig. 3 is a dynamic module operated with resonance.
• the apparatus 300 shown Fig. 3 further comprises a coupling 302 (or clutch) between the drive unit 108 and the first clamping chuck 104, which coupling 302 is stiff against torsion and is bending elastic.
• a coupling 302 or clutch
• an angular measurement system in a dynamic module configuration is shown and denoted with a reference numeral 304.
• Variable balance weights inertia masses
• the apparatus 300 can be operated at a resonance frequency, i.e. close to the system's eigenfrequency.
• a bearing rack of the dynamic module is denoted with reference numeral 308. Moreover, a hollow shaft 310 is provided at the clamping chuck 104.
• Fig. 4 an apparatus for analyzing a sample 102 according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention will be explained.
• the embodiment of Fig. 4 involves a static module.
• the apparatus 400 further comprises a harmonic drive gear 402, a bearing rack 404 of the static module, an angular measurement system 406 of the static module, and a static chuck 408 of the static module.
• Fig. 5 shows a three-dimensional view 500 similar to the apparatus 300 shown in Fig. 3.
• Fig. 6 shows a detailed view 600 of a portion of Fig. 5.
• Fig. 7 shows another detailed view of another portion of the apparatus of Fig. 5.
• Fig. 8 shows a detailed three-dimensional view 800 of an apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention similar to the apparatus 200 shown in Fig. 2.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Investigating Strength Of Materials By Application Of Mechanical Stress (AREA)
• Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
• Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)

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• 2008
  • 2008-08-29 EP EP08785753A patent/EP2191251A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-08-29 WO PCT/EP2008/007094 patent/WO2009027097A2/en active Application Filing

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