Tinius Olsen recently launched Vector, a new extensometer technology capable of replacing multiple contacting and non-contacting sensors with a single, industry-specific instrument.
Integrating adaptive AI capabilities with optical hardware, Vector reduces test throughput times and complexity, automating the process of capturing strain, improving measurement accuracy, data consistency and operator safety.
The new technology eliminates the challenges of traditional contacting and non-contacting extensometers by using intelligent non-contact, high-accuracy measurement techniques to increase testing efficiency by reducing the need for operator intervention. It can measure strain through failure (however violent) and can simultaneously measure longitudinally and transverse.
Users can test in harsh environments or challenging light conditions and can test highly fragile specimens. The new tool avoids introducing stress concentrations, such as damage from knife-edge contact and it improves the test success rate by eliminating contact-point slippage. It also eliminates the cost of consumable parts.
Both instrument set-up and changes to accommodate varying gauge lengths, sizes and profile test specimens are eliminated. A range of automation features such as specimen and gauge length detection simplifies the operator interaction and improve test reliability.
Stereoscopic sensing detects machine or specimen misalignment and negates out-of-plane errors. On-board processing delivers seamless and simple integration and eliminates all external control platforms.
Clear and simple visual status feedback and laser alignment guides, reduce operator training requirements and improve test throughput.
By automating specimen detection, Vector speeds up and simplifies test throughput.
Onboard AI enables truly zero touch operation, with dynamic response to different specimen appearance and behaviour as well as switching seamlessly between test and validation mode.
Vector represents a significantly reduced capital investment compared with incumbent video-type extensometers, whilst also offering a comparable lifetime cost to that of a single mechanical clip-on extensometer system.
