Acoustic sensor for real-time control for the inductive heating process

Patent · Tue Sep 30 00:00:00 EDT 2003

OSTI ID:1174519

Kelley, John Bruce; Lu, Wei-Yang; Zutavern, Fred J.

Disclosed is a system and method for providing closed-loop control of the heating of a workpiece by an induction heating machine, including generating an acoustic wave in the workpiece with a pulsed laser; optically measuring displacements of the surface of the workpiece in response to the acoustic wave; calculating a sub-surface material property by analyzing the measured surface displacements; creating an error signal by comparing an attribute of the calculated sub-surface material properties with a desired attribute; and reducing the error signal below an acceptable limit by adjusting, in real-time, as often as necessary, the operation of the inductive heating machine.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
• Patent Number(s): 6,628,404
• Application Number: 09/718,293
• OSTI ID: 1174519
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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