Sensing the Tension

About this technology

Overview

Micro Control, an automotive inspection company, obtained the licenses to two Langley patents to provide an improved-but-inexpensive means of ultrasonic tension measurement. Prior to the licensing agreement, the company's existing standard product could measure up to four channels of torque/tension (strain gauge-based), the angle of bolt/fastener rotation, and other analog input channels, but lacked the ultrasonic element and the ability to perform all of these functions at the same time. By licensing NASA technology, Micro Control integrated the ultrasonic measurement aspect into its standard product, which enabled it to measure bolt tension directly using standard fasteners, and acquired the knowledge to measure torque/tension and angle rotation simultaneously. The new MC900 Transient Recorder Analyzer provides fastener engineers with a powerful tool for studying threaded fastener joint designs or dynamic analysis of nut-runner operations on the plant floor or in a laboratory environment.