Editorial: Advances in Optical Techniques for Mechanical Measurements

Recently, optical techniques have attracted great attention due to their excellent non-destructive, non-contact, high-resolution, and full-field characteristics. Applications can be found in diverse fields such as precision mechanics and manufacturing, aerospace and automotive testing and inspection, materials science, and biomedical engineering. Advances in Optical Techniques for Me- chanical Measurements presents the latest research progresses in several widely used optical techniques with applications in preci- sion mechanical engineering.

MEMS Test System Based on Virtual Instrument Technology

On account of the multiformity of MEMS devices, it is necessary to integrate with some optical measurement techniques for meeting static and dynamic unit test requirements. In this paper, an automated MEMS test system is built of some commercially available components and instruments based on virtual instrument technology. The system is integrated with stroboscopic imaging, computer micro-vision, microscopic Mirau phase shifting interferometry, and laser Doppler vibrometer, and is used for the measurement of full-view in-plane and out-of-plane geometric parameters and periodical motions and single spot out-of-plane transient motion. The system configuration and measurement methods are analyzed, and some applications of the measurement of in-plane and out-of-plane dimensions and motions were described. The measurement accuracy of in-plane dimensions and out-of-plane dimensional is better than 0.2 um and 5 nm respectively. The resolution of measuring in-plane and out-of-plane motions is better than 15 nm and 2 nm respectively.

Advances in critical technologies for hypersonic and high-enthalpy wind tunnel

Hypersonic and high-enthalpy wind tunnels and their measurement techniques are the cornerstone of the hypersonic flight era that is a dream for human beings to fly faster,higher and further.The great progress has been achieved during the recent years and their critical technologies are still in an urgent need for further development.There are at least four kinds of hypersonic and high-enthalpy wind tunnels that are widely applied over the world and can be classified according to their operation modes.These wind tunnels are named as air-directly-heated hypersonic wind tunnel,light-gas-heated shock tunnel,free-piston-driven shock tunnel and detonation-driven shock tunnel,respectively.The critical technologies for developing the wind tunnels are introduced in this paper,and their merits and weakness are discussed based on wind tunnel performance evaluation.Measurement techniques especially developed for high-enthalpy flows are a part of the hypersonic wind tunnel technology because the flow is a chemically reacting gas motion and its diagnosis needs specially designed instruments.Three kinds of the measurement techniques considered to be of primary importance are introduced here,including the heat flux sensor,the aerodynamic balance,and optical diagnosis techniques.The techniques are developed usually for conventional wind tunnels,but further improved for hypersonic and high-enthalpy tunnels.The hypersonic ground test facilities have provided us with most of valuable experimental data on high-enthalpy flows and will play a more important role in hypersonic research area in the future.Therefore,several prospects for developing hypersonic and high-enthalpy wind tunnels are presented from our point of view.