Sticklers® Fibre Optic Cleaners hails exhibition a success

'Steam, the Museum of the Great Western Railway', which houses technology and engineering of a by-gone era, was transported into the modern day when the Fibre Optics in Harsh Environments Conference (FOHEC) took place allowing state-of-the-art companies like Sticklers® Fibre Optic Cleaning Products to introduce the latest technology in fibre optic cleaning.

Together with distributor, FibreKnight, the team at Sticklers® Fibre Optic Cleaning Products demonstrated its cutting-edge products to the decision makers in core industries who use fibre optic technology, including military and aerospace companies. John Cotterill, Technical Director of FibreKnight, explained why it is so important to clean fibre optics: "Cleanliness of the end faces of fibre optic contacts is essential in maintaining the optimum data carrying capabilities of a fibre optic link, particularly within the aerospace and military land based communities. A lack of end face cleaning will lead to cross contamination and degradation of the quality of the optical interface and, in time, lead to irreparable damage to the fibre core from compacted debris, resulting in a need to replace the fibre optic contact or interconnect. Sticklers® Fibre Optic Cleaning Products provide the user with the complete solution for all of their cleaning requirements."

Sticklers® Fibre Optic cutting-edge products to the decision makers in core industries who use fibre optic technology, including military and aerospace companies.

Scott Wells, MicroCare Business Development Manager - Europe said: "FOHEC is an extremely valuable event for Sticklers® Fibre Optic Cleaning Products, and was an ideal platform in which to introduce our portfolio to industry leaders and those people that understand the importance of keeping fibre optics clean. It was a very successful event for us and one which helped to open doors to new companies."

The whole Sticklers® Fibre Optic Cleaning Product range was on display at FOHEC, including the Sticklers® Fibre Optic Cleaning Kit. Designed to contain everything needed to ensure field technicians can clean fibre networks quickly and effectively, the kit ensures that all the tools needed for the job are accessible when in harsh environments.

Containing all the essentials, from a fibre optic cleaning solvent, Sticklers® Cleaning Fluid, which features the Triton™ 3 way dispenser, which is both non-flammable and supplied in a non-aerosol package, together with CleanWipes™ and Cleanstixx™ connector cleaners, the kits can be easily shipped and stored anywhere.

Sticklers® Fibre Optic Cleaning Products are specified and widely used for fibre splices, jumpers and connectors in a wide range of market segments from telecommunications, defence, medical, cable and engineering industries. 

For further information, view website: www.sticklerscleaners.com  Refer to page 320

Continual testing ensures product quality, performance and reliability

The Christian Bauer company, supplier of high quality disc springs and spring pack assemblies, have developed a comprehensive protocol for the corrosion and crack testing of their products. The information gathered has been built into their manufacturing programmes and production procedures which maintain and uphold their 'guaranteed supplier' status to the nuclear industry. This serious approach towards the elimination or minimisation of corrosion effects on their products, ensure Bauer products are an obvious choice wherever arduous or safety critical applications are being considered. As well as power generation, this includes offshore oil and gas, aerospace, medical or marine applications, but also including remote site installations where a high degree of 'fit and forget' reliability is required.

In the pursuance of product quality, performance and reliability, the Bauer company have instigated a research proposal on their own product range, designated as AVIF Proposal Number A210. This covered 'Investigations on the corrosion behaviour of disc springs and disc spring stacks', advised by the Spring Association, Subcommittee on Disc Springs, via the Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute for Materials. Systematic results on the behaviour and durability of disc springs under application-related corrosive conditions were determined.

When investigating a component currently being used or considered for heavy duty or otherwise critical applications, then the collective stress and potential for corrosion must be analysed precisely. The contributing factors of various corrosion mediums, operating temperatures, together with static or dynamic stress conditions leading to contact wear sites must also be considered, including the way they change over time. Where durability must be guaranteed for reliable, long-term operation, then field testing is also appropriate.

As well as stainless spring steels, coated ferritic steel with several nickel chrome steel variations were tested in a variety of material thicknesses. A number of protective coatings were also utilised (without phosphating), including mechanical zinc and chemical nickel platings, together with Dacromet 500, Geomet and Delta Tone as well as a simple water thinned lacquer, and a general surface coating with oil. The range of corrosion media utilised in the testing included a saturated sea water atmosphere, 40% magnesium chloride and 3% sodium chloride solutions, together with sodium hydroxide, citric acid and deionised water.

The corrosion testing procedures included: 1) Full immersion experiments without stress. 2) VDA alternating test. 3) Stress crack corrosion experiments with constant stress. 4) Stretch-induced stress crack corrosion experiments. 5) Vibration crack corrosion experiments. 6) VDA alternating tests with mechanical stress.

Testing protocols were determined for different metals and combined with alternative corrosive media and test procedures to suit operating conditions and stress factors involved.

For further information, e-mail: sales@bauersprings.co.uk or view website: www.bauersprings.co.uk

Next-generation facility up and running with powerful new X-ray laser

RIKEN and the Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI) have successfully produced a first beam of X-ray laser light with a wavelength of 1.2 Angstroms. This light was created using SACLA, a cutting-edge X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) facility unveiled by RIKEN in February 2011 in Harima, Japan. SACLA (SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free electron LAser) opens a window into the structure of atoms and molecules at a level of detail never seen before.

The use of ultra high-intensity X-ray free electron laser light to explore the miniature structure of matter, until recently inconceivable, is today transforming how we visualize the atomic world. By providing much shorter wavelengths and higher intensities than other lasers, XFEL enables researchers to directly observe and manipulate objects on an unrivalled scale, opening new research opportunities in fields ranging from medicine and drug discovery to nanotechnology.

One of only two facilities in the world to offer this novel light source, SACLA has the capacity to deliver radiation one billion times brighter and with pulses one thousand times shorter than other existing X-ray sources. In late March, the facility marked its first milestone with beam acceleration to 8GeV and spontaneous X-rays of 0.8 Angstroms.

Only three months later, SACLA has marked a second milestone. On June 7, SACLA successfully increased the density of the electron beam by several hundred times and guided it with a precision of several micrometers to produce a bright X-ray laser with a wavelength of only 1.2 Angstroms (a photo energy of 10 keV). This matches the record of 1.2 Angstroms set at the only other operational XFEL facility in the world, the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) in the United States.

With experiments soon to commence and user operations at the facility to begin by the end of fiscal 2011, this new record offers a taste of things to come with SACLA's powerful beam, the world's most advanced X-ray free electron laser.

For further information, e-mail: koho@riken.jp 

TRaC extends environmental test offering with new wide-range shaker

TRaC, the test and certification specialist, has further increased the range of environmental test services in its portfolio with the installation of a new vibration test system - or "shaker" - at the company's Warwick facility. This latest addition to its test offering will allow TRaC to deliver an even wider suite of specialist stress tests, especially to the aerospace and automotive industry sectors.

TRaC's latest investment is a model V8-440T by LDS, part of Brüel & Kjær: it is a guided slip table-format vibration test system with a capacity of up to 700 kg, and two interchangeable table sizes that provide maximum flexibility in mounting test subjects. The system can generate forces up to 66 kN, over a frequency range from DC to 2.5 kHz, subjecting units-under-test to accelerations up to 140g. The new shaker is TRaC's first system that can produce displacements of as large as 63.5 mm, and brings the total number of vibration test systems in the company's various facilities to 15. The LDS V8, as well as being a versatile shaker that can perform a broad range of screening and qualification testing, extends TRaC's services in several particular directions.

TRaC's latest investment is a model V8-440T by LDS, part of Brüel & Kjær:

The combination of large displacement and wide-duration shock pulses matches specific requirements in the aerospace industry, that of jet-engine "windmilling", more commonly known as  "fan blade off" (one blade detached from a turbine's fan): the LDS system's capabilities in generating vibration stresses at low frequencies are the key to this extended service.

In addition to these specialist tests, TRaC's latest investment will consolidate and extend its vibration and shock testing services for electronic assemblies - including ruggedised military and avionics systems - satellite components, and general product and packaging evaluation. Visitors to the Warwick site will find the new LDS V8 system installed in a custom-built soundproof cell.

Key Facts: 1) Latest acquisition in TRaC's continuing investment programme in test services. 2) LDS V8 vibration system further broadens scope of stress testing at TRaC sites. 3) Extends capability for specialist standards such as aerospace RTCA DO160.

For further information, view website: www.tracglobal.com  Refer to page 256