Yongseok Kim

Implementation of force sensor with multi strain gauges for enhancing accuracy and precision

A force sensor using strain gauges is widely used in many mechanical measuring systems. A method of measuring force and contact point using two gauges is available although it rather limited to extension of micro scale measurement. In order to overcome this limitation and to maximize a precision of the strain gauge sensor, sensor structure was optimized. Also, we used Kalman filtering for increasing an accuracy. It significantly increase the signal to noise ratio and stability of the sensor. This force sensor using strain gauges will be applied to diverse fields such as inspecting a micro system or manipulating small devices.

Bending Fatigue Life Evaluation of Pure Copper and Copper Alloy Contact Wire

Contact wire is one of the most important components supplying electricity to railroad cars. At the beginning of the research on contact wire, wear problem caused by friction between contact wire and pantograph was considered even more important issue for the failure of contact wire. However, since several fatigue fractures were reported from Shinkansen in Japan, fatigue fracture has become another important issue for the failure of contact wire. Despite of its importance, standard of the fatigue test of contact wire has not been established yet. Thus, fatigue characteristics of contact wire is very difficult issue to evaluate quantitatively. Hence, in this study, test method simulating operating conditions of contact wire by Minsung Kang and etc. is used to evaluate the fatigue characteristics of copper alloy contact wire. Also, test results is compared with the result of Minsung Kang`s research on pure copper contact wire.

Influence of Compressive Stress in TGO Layer on Impedance Spectroscopy from TBC Coatings

Impedance spectroscopy is a non-destructive evaluation (NDE) method first proposed and developed for evaluating TGO layers with compressive stress inside thermally degraded plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings (PS TBCs). A bode plot (phase angle (h) vs. frequency ( f )) was used to investigate the TGO layer on electrical responses. In our experimental study, the phase angle of Bode plots is sensitive for detecting TGO layers while applying compressive stress on thermal barrier coatings. It is difficult to detect TGO layers in samples isothermally aged for 100 hrs and 200 hrs without compressive stress, and substantial change of phase was observed these samples with compressive stress. Also, the frequency shift of the phase angle and change of the phase angle are observed in samples isothermally aged for more than 400 hrs.

Evaluation of Effect on Thermal Fatigue Life Considering TGO Growth

Thermal barrier coating (TBC) which is used to protect the substrate of gas turbine is exposed to high temperature environment. Because of high temperature environment, thermally grown oxide (TGO) is grown at the interface of thermal barrier coating in operation of gas turbine. The growth of TGO critically affects to durability of TBC, so the evaluation about durability of TBC with TGOs of various thickness is needed. In this research, TGO was inserted by aging of TBC specimen to evaluate the effect of the TGO growth. Then thickness of TGO was defined by microstructure analysis, and thermal fatigue test was performed with these aging specimens. Finally, the relation between thermal fatigue life and the TGO growth according to aging time was obtained.