METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING SEPARATION OF A COMPONENT ON THE BASIS OF ACOUSTIC EMISSION

摘要

The invention has utility generally for monitoring any part for severance of the part. The invention is specifically useful for monitoring severance of a tension blade in a tension blade grid. For general monitoring of a part, the apparatus has wireless connection between the sensing unit and the control unit. The wireless connection is achieved with a transmit/receive unit using radiofrequency power transfer for electrical power and using infrared transmitters and receivers for signal transfer. For food processing, specifically for a vegetable cutting method employing at least one tension blade in a first tension blade grid through which vegetables are passed for cutting the vegetables wherein the at least one tension blade is severed during the cutting, the invention provides for diverting the vegetables to a second tension blade grid. Diversion is accomplished with an acoustic emission sensor acoustically coupled to the at least one tension blade so that during the vegetable cutting, the acoustic emission sensor detects acoustic energy from tension blade severance. The acoustic energy is converted to an electronic signal that is compared in a microprocessor to a threshold. In a severance condition, an actuator receives an alarm signal from the microprocessor and diverts the vegetables to the second tension blade grid.