Integrated On-line Instrumentation System of Magnetic Properties Measurement

A portable microcomputer-controlled inspection system has been developed for detection of magnetic properties of soft magnetic materials. It incorporates custom designed software for control of the magnetic field during operation such as demagnetization, field sweeping, and for data logging and analysis. Results are recorded using a 12-bit analog to digital converter and are then stored on disk. The magnetic hysteresis loop and Barkhausen noise data can be converted into important magnetic parameters: coecivity, remanence, and hysteresis loss, Barkhausen amplitude, and Barkhausen noise energy. This system incorporated with the magnetostriction, and magnetoacoustic emission, is then related with the nondestructive detection of material degradation.

Cost-effectiveness of patient specific vs conventional instrumentation for total knee arthroplasty:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Over the past years,patient specific instrumentation(PSI)for total knee arthroplasty(TKA)has been implemented and routinely used.No clear answer has been given on its associated cost and cost-effectiveness when compared to conventional instrumentation(CI)for TKA.AIM To compare the cost and cost-effectiveness of PSI TKA compared to CI TKA.METHODS A literature search was performed in healthcare,economical healthcare,and medical databases(MEDLINE,EMBASE,CINAHL,Web of Science,Cochrane Library,EconLit).It was conducted in April 2021 and again in January 2022.Relevant literature included randomised controlled trials,retrospective studies,prospective studies,observational studies,and case control studies.All studies were assessed on methodological quality.Relevant outcomes included incremental cost-effectiveness ratio,quality-adjusted life years,total costs,imaging costs,production costs,sterilization associated costs,surgery duration costs and readmission rate costs.All eligible studies were assessed for risk of bias.Meta-analysis was performed for outcomes with sufficient data.RESULTS Thirty-two studies were included into the systematic review.Two were included in the metaanalysis.3994 PSI TKAs and 13267 CI TKAs were included in the sample size.The methodological quality of the included studies,based on Consensus on Health Economic Criteria-scores and risk of bias,ranged from average to good.PSI TKA costs less than CI TKA when considering mean operating room time and its associated costs and tray sterilization per patient case.PSI TKA costs more compared to CI TKA when considering imaging and production costs.Considering total costs per patient case,PSI TKA is more expensive in comparison to CI TKA.Meta-analysis comparing total costs for PSI TKA,and CI TKA showed a significant higher cost for PSI TKA.CONCLUSION Cost for PSI and CI TKA can differ when considering distinct aspects of their implementation.Total costs per patient case are increased for PSI TKA when compared to CI TKA.

A Systematic Approach for Instrumentation of a Mechatronic System

This paper deals with instrumenting a mechatronic system,through the incorporation of suitable sensors,actuators,and other required hardware.Sensors(e.g.,semiconductor strain gauges,tachometers,RTD temperature sensors,cameras,piezoelectric accelerometers)are needed to measure(sense)unknown signals and parameters of a system and its environment.The information acquired in this manner is useful in operating or controlling the system,and also in process monitoring;experimental modeling(i.e.,model identification);product testing and qualification;product quality assessment;fault prediction,detection and diagnosis;warning generation;surveillance,and so on.Actuators(e.g.,stepper motors,solenoids,dc motors,hydraulic rams,pumps,heaters/coolers)are needed to"drive"a plant.Control actuators(e.g.,control valves)perform control actions,and in particular they drive control devices.Micro-electromechanical systems(MEMS)use microminiature sensors and actuators.MEMS sensors commonly use piezoelectric,capacitive,electromagnetic and piezoresistive principles.MEMS devices provide the benefits of small size and light weight(negligible loading errors),high speed(high bandwidth),and convenient mass-production(low cost).The process of instrumentation involves the identification of proper sensors,actuators,controllers,signal modification/interface hardware,and software with respect to their functions,operation,parameters,ratings,interaction with each other,so as to achieve the performance requirements of the overall system,and interfacing/integration/tuning of the selected devices into the system,for a given application.This paper presents the key steps of instrumenting a mechatronic system,in a somewhat general and systematic manner.Examples are described to illustrate several key procedures of instrumentation.

A new calibration method for radon detector in seismic systems

Radon observation is an important measurement item of seismic precursor network observation.The radon detector calibration is a key technical link for ensuring radon observation accuracy.At present,the radon detector calibration in seismic systems in China is faced with a series of bottleneck problems,such as aging and scrap,acquisition difficulties,high supervision costs,and transportation limitations of radon sources.As a result,a large number of radon detectors cannot be accurately calibrated regularly,seriously affecting the accuracy and reliability of radon observation data in China.To solve this problem,a new calibration method for radon detectors was established.The advantage of this method is that the dangerous radioactive substance,i.e.,the radon source,can be avoided,but only“standard instruments”and water samples with certain dissolved radon concentrations can be used to realize radon detector calibration.This method avoids the risk of radioactive leakage and solves the current widespread difficulties and bottleneck of radon detector calibration in seismic systems in China.The comparison experiment with the traditional calibration method shows that the error of the calibration coefficient obtained by the new method is less than 5%compared with that by the traditional method,which meets the requirements of seismic observation systems,confirming the reliability of the new method.This new method can completely replace the traditional calibration method of using a radon source in seismic systems.

Design and application of an autonomous Master Control System for a multi-layer magnetic and helioseismic telescope

With the growing significance of space weather forecasting,multi-layer magnetic and helioseismic telescopes are emerging as a key area of research.However,owing to the diverse operational processes and sophisticated hardware configurations of these devices,there is an urgent need for efficient autonomous observation capabilities.An autonomous Master Control System(MCS)can ensure efficient performance,data consistency,and stability,and the prototype presented here adopts a microservices architecture,breaking down the hardware into multiple subsystems and converting their functions into individual services.A central decision-making system leads the operations,supported by three auxiliary systems and three device control systems.Through inter-subsystem service calls,it achieves rapid imaging and spectroscopic monitoring.To verify system stability and observation efficiency,the system was tested on the Solar Full-disk Multi-layer Magnetograph.Experimental results verify this system can operate automatically for 4 consecutive months,acquire photospheric vector magnetic and Doppler velocity fields within a 15-minute interval,and measure chromospheric longitudinal magnetic and Doppler velocity fields in under 180 s.This ensures consistent and stable solar monitoring and serves as a practical methodological benchmark for the development of similar devices.

Research on the strain gauge mounting scheme of track wheel force measurement system based on high-speed wheel/rail relationship test rig

Purpose-This paper aims to analyze the stress and strain distribution on the track wheel web surface and study the optimal strain gauge location for force measurement system of the track wheel.Design/methodology/approach-Finite element method was employed to analyze the stress and strain distribution on the track wheel web surface under varying wheel-rail forces.Locations with minimal coupling interference between vertical and lateral forces were identified as suitable for strain gauge installation.Findings-The results show that due to the track wheel web’s unique curved shape and wheel-rail force loading mechanism,both tensile and compressive states exit on the surface of the web.When vertical force is applied,Mises stress and strain are relatively high near the inner radius of 710 mm and the outer radius of 1110mmof the web.Under lateral force,high Mises stress and strain are observed near the radius of 670mmon the inner and outer sides of the web.As the wheel-rail force application point shifts laterally toward the outer side,the Mises stress and strain near the inner radius of 710 mm of the web gradually decrease under vertical force while gradually increasing near the outer radius of 1110 mm of the web.Under lateral force,the Mises stress and strain on the surface of the web remain relatively unchanged regardless of the wheel-rail force application point.Based on the analysis of stress and strain on the surface of the web under different wheel-rail forces,the inner radius of 870 mm is recommended as the optimal mounting location of strain gauges for measuring vertical force,while the inner radius of 1143 mm is suitable for measuring lateral force.Originality/value-The research findings provide valuable insights for determining optimal strain gauge locations and designing an effective track wheel force measurement system.

Surgical Management of Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis with Instrumentation at the Yaounde Central Hospital: Comparison of Unilateral versus Bilateral Pedicle Screw Fixation Combined with Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Introduction: The choice of adopting unilateral pedicle screw fixation or using bilateral pedicle screw fixation in lumbar spinal stenosis remains controversial. In our context, very few studies have been performed comparing the clinical effectiveness of unilateral versus bilateral fixation in the surgical management of lumbar spinal canal stenosis. Objective: Evaluate the impact on quality of life and clinical efficacy of unilateral spondylodesis compared to bilateral spondylodesis in the surgical management of lumbar spinal canal stenosis at the Yaounde Central Hospital. Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study for a period of 4 years, from June 2015 to June 2019. It involved all patients operated for lumbar canal stenosis and who underwent spondylodesis or spinal fusion at the neurosurgery department of the Yaounde Central Hospital. Results: A total of 68 participants were recruited during our study period. 32 (47%) of the study population were in the 50 - 60 age group, with a mean age of 56.98 years ranging from 41 to 75 years. Females, housewives and farmers were the most affected. In our study, 72% of patients had unilateral spondylodesis and 28% had bilateral fusion. Preoperatively, 71% of patients had insurmountable pain, refractory to medical treatment. At 3 months postoperatively, 73.7% of patients with bilateral setup had moderate pain compared to 69% of those with unilateral setup. At 6 months postoperatively, 79% of patients with bilateral fusion had mild pain compared to 82% of patients with unilateral setup. At 1 year postoperatively, all patients had mild pain. Preoperatively, 66.2% of patients were unable to walk and 19.1% of patients were bedridden according to the Oswestry score. At 3 months postoperatively, 10.2% of patients with unilateral setup were unable to walk compared to 10.5% of patients with bilateral fixation, while 67.3% of patients with unilateral fixation had moderate disability compared to 52.6% of patients with bilateral fixation. At 6 months postoperatively, 51% of patients with unilateral setup had moderate disability compared to 47.4% of patients with bilateral fixation, while 42.9% of patients with unilateral fixation had mild disability compared to 42.1% of patients with bilateral fixation. At 1 year postoperatively, 81.6% of patients who underwent unilateral fixation had only mild disability compared to 73.7% of patients with bilateral fixation. Conclusion: The assessment of quality of life according to the set-up used shows similar results at 3 months, 6 months and 1 year, with no statistically significant differences. Single-sided pedicle screw fixation combined with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion or mounting has the advantage of being faster, with less bleeding and is less expensive compared to bilateral fixation.

Instrument Automation Control System Faults and Maintenance

This article explores the topic of fault diagnosis and maintenance strategies for instrument automation control systems,analyzing them through specific cases.The aim of this research is to improve the stability and reliability of the system by conducting a thorough investigation of faults and maintenance in instrument automation control systems.By doing so,this research hopes to provide a strong guarantee for the smooth progress of industrial production.

Field testing of the surface electromagnetic prospecting system

To test the performance of the Chinese whole-surface electromagnetic prospecting （SEP） system, system integrations, instrument performances, and large-scale production viabilities in Liaoning province and Inner Mongolia were measured via extensive field tests. Resultant electric fields, magnetic fields, apparent resistivities, impedance phases, and inversion profiles compared favorably with results of commercial equipment from other countries. The inversion results agreed well with the geologic information from boreholes. Field tests showed that the SEP system is stable, reliable, lightweight, and easy to operate, making it suitable and ready for real-field exploration.

Identification algorithm for a kind of fractional order system

The state-space representation of linear time-invariant (LTI) fractional order systems is introduced, and a proof of their stability theory is also given. Then an efficient identification algorithm is proposed for those fractional order systems. The basic idea of the algorithm is to compute fractional derivatives and the filter simultaneously, i.e., the filtered fractional derivatives can be obtained by computing them in one step, and then system identification can be fulfilled by the least square method. The instrumental variable method is also used in the identification of fractional order systems. In this way, even if there is colored noise in the systems, the unbiased estimation of the parameters can still be obtained. Finally an example of identifying a viscoelastic system is given to show the effectiveness of the aforementioned method.

Research on the Testing Methods of Instrumental System in the Marine Magnetic Survey

Testing methods of instrumental system in the marine magnetic survey have been studied in this paper, and the feasibility of each method has been testified by the observed data. The conclusion shows that the method brought out can effectively eliminate the systematic error caused by the instrumental system, and greatly improve the surveying precision and the reliability of the survey results.

Underground vibration signal detection and processing system based on LabWindows/CVI

In order to detect and process underground vibration signal, this paper presents a system with the combination of software and hardware. The hardware part consists of sensor, memory chips, USB, etc. , which is responsible for capturing original signals from sensors. The software part is a virtual oscilloscope based on LabWindows/CVI （C vitual instrument）, which not only has the functions of traditional oscilloscope but also can analyze and process vibration signals in special ways. The experimental results show that the designed system is stable, reliable and easy to be operated, which can meet practical requirements.

PHOTO-ELECTRIO MEASURING SYSTEM FOR TOOL EDGE DETECTION BY THE TEOHNOLOGY OF COMPUTER DYNAMIO DISPLAY MOVING IMAGE

This paper describes a technology of dynamic display moving image by computer monitor,which is initially used in the design of tool detection system. The paper presents the hardware and software principie and edge detection process. The way of marking edge point coordinates and stability of moving image also is analyzed. The method reforms the conventional design of the 2-D vision detection system. Moreover,it facilitates the design of the systematic mechanical construction,is convenient to compile instrument systemsoftware,and realizes to detect and track display image simultaneously. By the work,the tool detection system is improved to practical application.

Threshold decision for instrument control system and its application in nuclear power plant

Threshold decision is an important function of nuclear instrument control system based on physical parameters threshold decision. Because the conventional decision methods lack correlation with time and conditions, by analyzing the existing methods, some optimized methods are adopted. Considering safety, those methods are improved in data processing algorithms, floating threshold with multiple values, association with specific working condition, etc. These measures im- prove the nuclear instrument control system in fault tolerance and fault diagnosis, especially, the shutdown number of nucle- ar power plant decreases.

Integration system research and development for three-dimensional laser scanning information visualization in goaf

An integration processing system of three-dimensional laser scanning information visualization in goaf was developed. It is provided with multiple functions, such as laser scanning information management for goaf, cloud data de-noising optimization, construction, display and operation of three-dimensional model, model editing, profile generation, calculation of goaf volume and roof area, Boolean calculation among models and interaction with the third party soft ware. Concerning this system with a concise interface, plentiful data input/output interfaces, it is featured with high integration, simple and convenient operations of applications. According to practice, in addition to being well-adapted, this system is favorably reliable and stable.

Rapid instrument exchanging system for the Cassegrain focus of the Lijiang 2.4-m Telescope

As a facility used for astronomical research, the Lijiang 2.4-m telescope of Yunnan Astronomical Observatories, requires the ability to change one auxiliary instrument with another in as short a time as possible. This arises from the need to quickly respond to scientific programs （e.g. transient observation, time domain studies） and changes in observation conditions （e.g. seeing and weather conditions）. In this paper, we describe the design, construction and test of hardware and software in the rapid instrument exchange system （RIES） for the Cassegrain focal station of this telescope, which enables instruments to be quickly changed at night without much loss of observing time. Tests in the laboratory and at the telescope show that the image quality and pointing accuracy of RIES are satisfactory. With RIES, we observed the same Landolt standard stars almost at the same time with the Princeton Instruments VersArray 1300B Camera （PICCD） and the Yunnan Faint Object Spectrograph and Camera （YFOSC）, while both were mounted at the Cassegrain focus. A quasi-simultaneous comparison shows that the image quality of the optical system inside the YFOSC is comparable with that provided by the PICCD.

Design of RFSoC-based Digital Phased Array Feed(PAF)and Hybrid Architecture Beamforming System

As the number of array elements and bandwidth increase,the design challenges of the Phased Array Feed(PAF)front-end and its signal processing system increase.Aiming at the ng-PAF of the 110 m radio telescope,this article introduces the concept of fully digital receivers and attempts to use Radio Frequency System-on-Chip(RFSo C)technology to digitize close to the feed array,reduce the complexity and analog components of the front-end,and improve the fidelity of the signals.The article discusses the digital beamforming topology and designs a PAF signal processing experimental system based on RFSo C+GPU hybrid architecture.The system adopts a ZCU111board to design RF-direct digitization and preprocessing front-end,which can sample eight signals up to 2.048GSPS,12 bit,channelize the signals into 1024 chunks,then reorder into four data streams and select one of the 256MHz frequency bands to output through four 10 Gb links.A GPU server is equipped with four RTX 3090 GPUs running four HRBF_HASHPIPE instances,each receiving a 64 MHz bandwidth signal for high-throughput realtime beamforming.The experimental system uses a signal generator to emulate Sa-like signals and propagates through rod antennas,which verifies the effectiveness of the beamforming algorithm.Performance tests show that after algorithm optimization,the average processing time for a given 4 ms data is less than 3 ms in the four-GPU parallel processing mode.The RFSo C integrated design shows significant advantages in power consumption and electromagnetic radiation compared with discrete circuits according to the measurement results.

Advances in fibre optic based geotechnical monitoring systems for underground excavations

Geotechnical stability is a major concern for the long-term safety and integrity of underground infrastructures such as tunnels, railway stations, mine shafts and hydraulic power chambers. An effective geotechnical monitoring system is able to provide adequate warning to underground personnel prior to any unexpected major geotechnical failure. This paper reviews the conventional geotechnical monitoring sensors and the emerging Fibre Optic Sensing(FOS) techniques, pointing out their unique features and major differences. Recent advances in various FOS based monitoring systems, including Brillouin time domain distributed optical sensors and fibre Bragg grating(FBG) sensors, are investigated through a critical review of the laboratory studies and field applications used for underground geotechnical monitoring. Particular emphasis is given to fibre packaging, temperature compensation, installation methods and instrumentation performance in the underground environment. A detailed discussion of the advantages and limitations of each FOS monitoring system is also presented in this paper.

Measurement and control system for servo pressure pulse testing equipment

Servo pressure pulse testing equipment uses servo-hydraulic technology to build the model of hydraulic system. By improving measurement and control system, the equipment accomplishes signal acquisition, data processing and process con- trol. LabVIEW and programmable logic controller （PLC） are used to carry out the hardware configuration and software de- velopment. The system can communicate between LabVIEW and PLC by virtual instrumentation software architecture （VI- SA） and run automatically in accordance with setting commands. Therefore, accuracy and performance of the equipment are improved.

A case study of the stability of a non-typical bleeder entry system at a U.S.longwall mine

Longwall abutment loads are influenced by several factors,including depth of cover,pillar sizes,panel dimensions,geological setting,mining height,proximity to gob,intersection type,and size of the gob.How does proximity to the gob affect pillar loading and entry condition?Does the gob influence depend on whether the abutment load is a forward,side,or rear loading?Do non-typical bleeder entry systems follow the traditional front and side abutment loading and extent concepts?If not,will an improved understanding of the combined abutment extent warrant a change in pillar design or standing support in bleeder entries?This paper details observations made in the non-typical bleeder entries of a moderate depth longwall panel—specifically,data collected from borehole pressure cells and roof extensometers,observations of the conditions of the entries,and numerical modeling of the bleeder entries during longwall extraction.The primary focus was on the extent and magnitude of the abutment loading experienced due to the extraction of the longwall panels.Due to the layout of the longwall panels and bleeder entries,the borehole pressure cells(BPCs)and roof extensometers did not show much change due to the advancing of the first longwall.However,they did show a noticeable increase due to the second longwall advancement,with a maximum of about 4 MPa of pressure increase and 5mmof roof deformation.The observations of the conditions showed little to no change from before the first longwall panel extraction began to when the second longwall panel had been advanced more than 915 m.Localized pillar spalling was observed on the corners of the pillars closest to the longwall gob as well as an increase in water in the entries.In addition to the observations and instrumentation,numerical modeling was performed to validate modeling procedures against the monitoring results and evaluate the bleeder design.ITASCA Consulting Group’s FLAC3D numerical modeling software was used to evaluate the bleeder entries.The results of the models indicated only a minor increase in load during the extraction of the longwall panels.These models showed a much greater increase in stress due to the development of the gateroad and bleeder entries--about 80%development and 20%longwall extraction.The FLAC3D model showed very good correlation between modeled and expected gateroad loading during panel extraction.The front and side abutment extent modeled was very similar to observations from this and previous panels.