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Interview with Ludovic Bazin, director of SAPPHIRE, for acoustic control
Because of its integration QMT Group, the specialist of acoustics acquisition and signal processing at SAPPHIRE EPHJ-EPMT-SMT This exhibition will be the first time. The opportunity for this company in Barraux based in the Grenoble area to showcase some of its know-how to the public of the fair. Learn more about these issues in the context of its general manager, Ludovic Bazin.
Ludovic is Sapphire one of the major players in the acquisition and signal processing in France. For those who are unfamiliar with this discipline, you could describe in a few words?
Simply put, I would say that the signal acquisition can convert manipulated by a computer real measurements into digital data. A sensor (first link in a measuring chain) converts a physical value (temperature, pressure, sound, force, displacement) into an electrical signal. This electrical signal is then sampled and converted into digital data. The digital signal processing is to manipulate the data from the acquisition to extract useful information. We develop software that runs on mathematical algorithms (filtering, spectral analysis, convolution, intensification, noise suppression).
When we talk about sound often about the types of "non-destructive". In the particular cases this method it is and what are its advantages over other forms of controls?
The acoustic control is usually "non-destructive" as it is subject to certain conditions, to characterize an object or a group of parts, without the risk of damage.
A distinction should be acoustic control techniques passive and active. The active control requires an external stimulus to selectively stimulate the DUT; for example, to hear a mechanical part shock if it sounds right or if a crack, a material change default its natural resonance frequency (the tuning fork should be a bit shocked, without being injured or deformed in order to obtain his usual capacity).
This technique has been successfully mobilized to safely detect the occurrence of cracks on flammable or toxic products storage areas; it would be dangerous to control the resistance of the ball by the pressure.
Deferred tax now a listening device in his natural environment; For example, the sound of a rotating machine can be detected and then processed to obtain the speed of rotation. It is also possible to defects (acyclism unbalance, misalignment, friction, impact, etc.) detect by analyzing the sound and predict a failure.
At this level you are particularly active in the fields of aerospace, defense, energy or research. Can you give us some examples of your achievements?
Yes, we apply these technologies in various fields. In the defense sector, SAPPHIRE has more than 25 years on military acoustic discretion systems French submarines, the SAPPHIRE makes a major player in this area operates.
We are also very active in the automotive sector. We arrange such acoustic systems for production line compliance starter control. This system is currently used in France, Poland and should soon be in other countries.
Also in the automotive, quality control of metal parts is a regular request. In this case, the room was a little shocked to get his signature sound, the analysis identified some deviations.
What other areas of expertise of Sapphire?
We are also specialists in programming of embedded systems. These are
compact autonomous electronic and computer systems for their small dimensions estimated energy sobriety, reliability and mastery of execution time embedded software (system called "real-time").
The development of the test environment is an important activity for SAPPHIRE, in which we developed a recognized expertise. These banks are usually intended for the quality control of the automation or the development of future products of our customers.
In all these areas SAPPHIRE offers complete solutions, including architectural design, supply of equipment and software development.
At the EPHJ-EPMT-SMT live acoustic performance combined with the vision or the nature of expertise and Qualimatest Sapphire presented. Can you give us a little more about what the visitors to the show will discover on this occasion?
A microphone with a waveguide, a mechanism hear in certain points of the near field of the parts in motion transmitting sound energy. The temporal acoustic signal and its spectrogram are calculated in real time simultaneously displayed on the film Stop mechanism.
In other words, it shows an animated representation of the sound spectrum with synchronized view of the movement, focusing on a specific part of the mechanism. We design and develop solutions, quality control and setting.
Information QMT Group and SAPPHIRE
