Electronics, Inc.

Other

Metal Improvement Company, LLC

Electronic, Inc.

Jack M Champaigne

Mark A Ingram

Bryan Chevrie

John J Wieczorek

David Kirk

David Francis

Benjamin Wilson

A method for regulating the flow of media that provides a valve having a first pole piece and a second pole piece that are separated by a working gap through which media may flow. The pole pieces direct a first magnetic field through the working gap. A coil generates a second magnetic field when electrical current is passed through the coil and that second magnetic field is capable of opposing the first magnetic field. The current in the coil is set at a first level that corresponds to a desired low rate of media through the working gap. The actual flow rate that results from the first duty cycle of current in the coil is compared to a desired flow rate and the current can be adjusted if the actual flow rate is different than the desired flow rate.

Fast acquisition control system for shot peening valves

A valve for regulating the flow of ferromagnetic peening materials, consisting of an arrangement of pole pieces, spacers, permanent magnets, and electrical coils. This arrangement uses an angular magnetic field to concentrate holding strength within the working gaps without sacrificing holding strength to the environment, increasing the valve's efficiency. Additionally, this valve covers a large range of flow rates by exchanging center bars and magnets of different sizes, without otherwise increasing the size of the valve.

Controlling shot peening device via magnetic arrangement

A valve with permanent magnet(s) and electro-magnet coils magnetically coupled to the permanent magnet(s). The valve is positioned below an inlet for receiving media. The amount of media flow may be regulated by controlling the current to the coils for partial or full flow. With no power applied to the electro-magnet coils, the media flow is inhibited. Application of a current to the electro-magnet coils will block the flux in the pole pieces rendering the working gap free of magnetic flux and thus allowing media to freely flow. As it is used, the media may become magnetized, altering the flow properties and causing magnetized media to bridge across the working gap. A magnetic sensor detects the amount of flux in the working gap to provide a signal to a control system. The signal allows closed loop control of the coils as media becomes magnetized, allowing consistent flow properties during use.

Adaptive magnetic field cancellation

A method for calibrating an electronic sensor for peening intensity. A range of desired intensity levels is chosen and that range may contain a single value or multiple values. The parameters for a blast stream are set that correspond to a particular intensity level. Test strips are peened in the blast stream and then the arcs of the peened strips are measured to determine the intensity level of the blast stream. Subsequently, a sensor is placed in the blast stream set at particular intensity levels and the signal generated at each intensity level is recorded. A roto-flap peening device can also be set at particular intensity levels and then a sensor is subjected to the roto-flap peening device set at those levels. A chart may be developed that correlates peening intensity to the signal of the sensor so the sensor may be used in place of Almen strips.

Electronic method for calibrating peening intensity

A shot peening intensity measurement device has a holder and a test disk formed from a resonant and hardened material. The test disk is held to the holder with a cover that threads onto the holder and clamps the test disk. The holder and test disk form a chamber where a portion of the test disk is unsupported. A measurement device, such as a microphone or other non-contacting device detects vibrations from the test disk when shot or media contacts the test disk.

Electronic peening intensity sensor

A flow sensor for use downstream from a particulate media dispensing device is provided having an inlet to receive particulate media and an outlet to dispense the media. The flow sensor has an inlet portion with a funnel to direct particulate media towards a central axis. An axially mounted flow director is located downstream from the funnel to direct the media outwards towards a sensor portion. A capacitive sensor located in the sensor portion surrounds the flow director to create an annular flow path to measure the amount of media that passes through sensor rings in the sensor.

Capacitive sensor for a flow control valve

A valve is provided having an inlet to receive a flowable particulate media and an outlet to dispense the media. The valve has an inlet portion with a funnel and repelling magnets. A shuttle sleeve extends from the inlet portion to allow a shuttle to slide along a central axis between an opened and a closed position. The shuttle has shuttle magnets that are oriented to have poles that face the repelling magnets to create a biasing force that biases the shuttle towards the closed position. When the shuttle moves, the shuttle magnets create eddy currents in a tube. The closed position is defined by a sealing edge of the shuttle contacting a sealing surface on a flow director. A capacitive sensor surrounds the flow director to measure the amount of media that is dispensed by the valve.

Flow control valve with eddy current dampening

A shot peening flow rate control that is useful for non-ferrous shot peening media. The control has an inlet for receiving media and an orifice through which the media may pass that is in communication with the inlet. A valve selectively blocks the orifice. The valve has a spindle that is guided for axial movement between an open and closed position. The closed position blocks the orifice and the open position places the spindle spaced from the orifice to allow media to flow through the orifice. A flow sensor has a deflectable member that extends into a flow path of media leaving the orifice. In response to increasing or decreasing flow of the media through the flow path the deflectable member will deflect more or less. A sensing device measures the deflection in the deflectable member and generates an electrical signal that varies in response to deflection in the deflectable member.

Shot peening flow rate control

An apparatus for measuring variations in the flatness of an Almen strip holding surface includes a gaging block having opposing parallel surfaces defining an aperture extending between said parallel surfaces and substantially conforming to the size of the holding surface. A plunger is mounted in a cross member which extends across the aperture and is moved along opposite sides thereof. A dial indicator responds to displacement of the aperture to permit detection of any variation in flatness as the plunger is moved over the holding surface and along and between the side and end edges thereof. Placement of the Almen strip holding screws is verified to be in tolerance by the gaging block in that the gaging block cannot be mounted on the holding surface if the distance between the openings is out of tolerance.

Apparatus for measuring variations in flatness

An apparatus for treating a workpiece with a granular media includes a hopper for storing media and discharging the media into a flow path. A source of compressed air mixes with the media, which is forced through a nozzle for directing media onto the workpiece. A flow sensor includes a beam extending into the flow path and is responsive to flow of media in the flow path to increase and decrease deflection of the beam in response to increasing or decreasing flow of media through said flow path. A proximity sensing device measures deflection of the beam and generates an electrical signal which varies in response to deflection of the beam. The flow path is defined by a conduit having a branch in which the beam is mounted. One end of the beam is mounted on a base in the branch. The base is mounted on a cap closing an open end of the branch, permitting the beam to be easily removed and changed when necessary.

Apparatus for treating a workpiece with a granular media

A gage for measuring deflection of a 'mini-strip' used to determine peening intensity in small cavities and crevices of a work piece includes a pair of platforms made of a magnetic material spaced apart in a non-magnetic fixture a distance substantially the same as the length of the mini-strip. The platforms have a diameter slightly larger than the width of the mini-strip to provide support for both corners on each end of the mini-strip. A magnet for each of the platforms may be advanced toward and retracted from the platform to adjust the degree of magnetic attraction of the mini-strip. The platforms are stepped to define a shoulder and posts are offset from one of the platforms which cooperate to guide the user in proper placement of the strip. A plunger extended from the indicator engages the strip at substantially its midpoint, to thereby measure the deflection of the strip to give an indication of peening intensity.

Gage for measuring mini-strip displacement for determining intensity

Both the inner and outer circumferential surfaces of a coil spring are peened by passing sequential segments of the spring around offset pulleys mounted within a peening cabinet. As the spring is pulled around one of the pulleys, the coils fan out from the pulley to permit the peening media to impact portions of the inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the spring, and as the spring is pulled around the other pulley, the portions of the surfaces not peened as the segment traveled around the first pulley will be peened.

Method of shot peening coil springs

The flow of media in shot peening, blast cleaning, and similar equipment is improved by applying a time varying magnetic field to the media to thereby degauss the media, allowing the media to flow through equipment without clogging and clumping due to magnetic attraction between the media.

Method and apparatus for improving media flow

The portion of an orthopaedic implant to which soft tissue adherence is desired is treated by shot peening using microbead having a diameter in the range of about 10 microns&#x2013;300 microns. This treatment causes indentations on the surface of the implant of about 10 microns to about 50 microns to provide a fine, shallow texturing of the implant that permits the soft tissue to adhere, but is not rough enough that it will interlock with hard tissue.

Shot peening of orthopaedic implants for tissue adhesion

A media transport device for use in shot peening, blast cleaning, granite cutting, and similar applications transports media from a storage hopper to a workpiece. The media transport device includes a source of compressed air, a supply hose connecting the compressed air source to a mixing chamber, and a blast hose connecting the mixing chamber to a nozzle dispensing the media onto a workpiece. The mixing chamber defines a flow path for the compressed air between the supply hose and the blast hose and includes an inlet portion connected to the supply hose, an outlet portion connected to the blast hose, and a curved dispensing portion conveying media from the storage hopper into the flow path obliquely with respect to the flow path so that laminar flow through the mixing chamber is not substantially disturbed. The inlet portion is of sufficient length to assure laminar flow of compressed air through the mixing changer before the media is introduced into the flow stream, and the outlet portion includes a section tapering to a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the blast hose.

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South Bend, IN, United States of America

Jack M Champaigne