AutoMATE II

Project Description

Residual stress may be created during the manufacturing process of a material, or it may accumulate in a structure over many years in operation. In either case, this stress can have a serious negative effect on a product’s quality, durability and lifetime. Accurate detection of residual stress is an important element of the quality control process and helps predict the service lifetime of products.

In the past, if you wanted to make highly accurate residual stress measurements, you had to use an R&D diffractometer because of the accuracy of the goniometer. However this restricts the weight and size of the samples you can measure. On the other hand, dedicated laboratory and factory-floor residual stress analyzers suffer from reduced accuracy due to the nature of their mechanical designs, while, in their favor, they have the flexibility of measuring large and heavy parts.

With the AutoMATE II, you now have the best of both worlds. Large and heavy parts (30 kg with standard manual Z stage; 20 kg with optional automated XYZ stage) can be measured with high accuracy.

The X-ray source and detector arm are mounted on a highly accurate two-axis goniometer that can position them relative to the measurement site and perform scans with minimum steps of 0.1 microns when using the automated XYZ stage.

The most advanced new feature of the AutoMATE II lies in an innovative new X-ray detector. The detector used in the AutoMATE II is the D/teX Ultra1000, an electronic Si strip detector that has high dynamic range, high sensitivity, and good energy resolution, as well as not requiring any consumable gas.

Features

  • Highly accurate goniometer allows for true micro-area residual stress measurement.
  • Automatic mapping measurements with teaching function.
  • Large and heavy samples are measured with high accuracy.
  • An X-ray radiation enclosure with interlock system automatically locks the enclosure door when the X-ray shutter is open.
  • The measurement position is adjusted by 
a CCD camera equipped with a microscope having a zoom function.
  • The two-axis goniometer system allows for both iso-inclination 
and side-inclination methods automatically without readjustment of the sample position.

Project Details