Engineering Seminar Topics | Seminar Topics

Download Full Article Surface Plasmon Resonance .doc

ABSTRACT

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is a phenomenon occurring at metal surfaces(typically gold and silver) when an incident light beam strikes the surface at a particular angle.Depending on the thickness of a molecular layer at the metal surface,the SPR phenomenon results in a graded reduction in intensity of the reflected light.Biomedical applications take advantage of the exquisite sensitivity of SPR to the refractive index of the medium next to the metal surface, which makes it possible to measure accurately the adsorption of molecules on the metal surface an their eventual interactions with specific ligands. The last ten years have seen a tremendous development of SPR use in biomedical applications.

The technique is applied not only to the measurement in real time of the kinetics of ligands receptor interactions and to the screening of lead compounds in the pharmaceutical industry, but also to the measurement DNA hybridization, enzyme- substrate interactions, in polyclonal antibody characterization, epitope mapping, protein conformation studies and label free immunoassays. Conventional SPR is applied in specialized biosensing instruments. These instruments use expensive sensor chips of limited reuse capacity and require complex chemistry for ligand or protein immobilization. Laboratory has successfully applied SPR with colloidal gold particles in buffered solutions. This application offers many advantages over conventional SPR. The support is cheap, easily synthesized, and can be coated with various proteins or protein ligand complexes by charge adsorption. With colloidal gold, the SPR phenomenon can be monitored in any UV spectrophotometer. For high throughput applications we have adapted the technology in an automated clinical chemistry analyzer. This simple technology finds application in label free quantitative immunoassay techniques for proteins and small analytes, in conformational studies with proteins as well as real time association dissociation measurements of receptor ligand interactions for high throughput screening and lead optimization.

INTRODUCTION

During the last two decades we have witnessed remarkable research and development activity aimed at the realization of optical sensors for the measurement of chemical and biological quantities. First optical chemical sensors were based on the measurement of changes in absorption spectrum and were developed for the measurement of CO2 and O2 concentration. Since then a large variety of optical methods have been used in chemical sensors and biosensors including elipsometry, spectroscopy, interferometry spectroscopy of guided modes in optical wave guide structures and surface plasmon resonance

The potential of surface plasmon resonance for characterization of thin films and monitoring process at metal interfaces was recognized in the late seventies. In 1982 the use of SPR for gas detection and biosensing was demonstrated by Nylander and lieberg . Since then SPR sensing has been receiving continuously growing attention from scientific community. Development of new SPR sensing configurations as well as applications of SPR sensing devices for the measurement of physical , chemical and biological quantities have been described . The SPR sensor technology has been commercialized by several companies and become a leading technology in the field of direct real time observation of the biomolecular interaction.
.

The phenomenon of anomalous diffraction on diffraction gratings due to the excitation of surface plasma waves was first described in the beginning of the twentieth century by Wood. In the late sixties, optical excitation of surface plasmons by the method of attenuated total reflection was demonstrated by Kretschmann and Otto

Download Full Article Surface Plasmon Resonance .doc

Download Full Article Vibration Analysis .doc

ABSTRACT

A laser-based contact less displacement measurement system is used for data acquisition to analyze the mechanical vibrations exhibited by vibrating structures and machines. The analysis of these vibrations requires a number of signal processing operations which include the determination of the system conditions through a classification of various observed vibration signatures and the detection of changes in the vibration signature in order to identify possible trends. This information is also combined with the physical characteristics and contextual data (operating mode, etc.) of the system under surveillance to allow the evaluation of certain characteristics like fatigue, abnormal stress, life span, etc., resulting in a high level classification of mechanical behaviors and structural faults according to the type of application.

Smart sensors or latest generation sensors are now use for vibration measurements. Where the first generation sensors are piezoelectric accelerometers, second generation sensors are modification of piezoelectric accelerometers and latest are the smart sensors. Third-generation smart sensors use mixed mode analogue and digital operations to perform simple unidirectional communication with the condition monitoring equipment.

INTRODUCTION

The study of vibrations generated by mechanical structures and electrical machines are very important. The advent of machines and processes that are more and more complex and the ever increasing exploitation and production costs have favored the emergence of several application fields requiring vibration analysis. Among these application fields, we find machine monitoring, modal analysis, quality control, and environment tests. These functions are used in fields such as aeronautics, space industry, automotive industry, energy production, civil engineering, and audio equipment

The signal processing application described here uses a laser-based vibrometer in order to analyze the vibrations exhibited by mechanical systems. This technique can be used in the numerous applications mentioned above. The problem is to develop an intelligent system that has the ability to determine the system conditions based on a classification of the possible vibration signatures, detect changes in the vibration signature, and analyze their trends.

The classification of the various possible vibration signatures requires a priori knowledge of the mechanical system under healthy conditions as well as for the various fault conditions; when possible a mathematical model of the system should be provided. The latter is often crucial for the good interpretation of the observations, since it predicts the dynamic behavior of the structure and thus the healthy vibration signature

The classification of the various possible vibration signatures requires a priori knowledge of the mechanical system under healthy conditions as well as for the various fault conditions; when possible a mathematical model of the system should be provided. The latter is often crucial for the good interpretation of the observations, since it predicts the dynamic behavior of the structure and thus the healthy vibration signature

Vibration spectra are in general “peaky” due to either the periodic nature of the system’s excitation or to the natural resonance properties of the mechanical system. Changes in a vibration signal can result from a variation of the amplitude, frequency, and/or phase of one or many of the components. Moreover, new peaks may add to the existing spectrum, or some peaks may fade out. Changes can also appear in the form of short transients or spikes in the time domain. At the extreme, if the vibrations become so strong that the structure actually starts to move, then the overall average level of vibration would change, that is, a DC component would appear.

All of the above changes may occur gradually, like fatigue stress slowly deteriorating the material’s properties, or they may occur suddenly, like the rupture of a mechanical part within a machine. They may also occur periodically or in a random fashion depending on the process generating the vibrations. For multiple state systems, changes must be interpreted carefully. For example, if the operating speed of a rotating machine is raised from A to B, the vibration analysis system should not declare the observed changes as being the result of a mechanical failure, but should adapt itself to this new mode of operation.

Download Full Article Vibration Analysis.doc

Download Full Article F1 Cars.doc

INTRODUCTION

Car racing is one of the most technologically advanced sports in the world today. Race Cars are the most sophisticated vehicles that we see in common use. It features exotic, high-speed, open-wheel cars racing all around the world. The racing teams have to create cars that are flexible enough to run under all conditions. This level of diversity makes a season of F1 car racing incredibly exciting. The teams have to completely revise the aerodynamic package, the suspension settings, and lots of other parameters on their cars for each race, and the drivers have to be extremely agile to handle all of the different conditions they face. Their carbon fiber bodies, incredible engines, advanced aerodynamics and intelligent electronics make each car a high-speed research lab. A F1 Car runs at speeds up to 240 mph, the driver experiences G-forces and copes with incoming data so quickly that it makes Car driving one of the most demanding professions in the sporting world. F1 car is an amazing machine that pushes the physical limitations of automotive engineering. On the track, the driver shows off his professional skills by directing around an oval track at speeds  

Formula One Grand Prix racing is a glamorous sport where a fraction of a second can mean the difference between bursting open the bubbly and struggling to get sponsors for the next season’s competition. To gain those extra milliseconds, all the top racing teams have turned to increasingly sophisticated network technology.
Much more money is spent in F1 these days. This results highest tech cars. The teams are huge and they often fabricate their entire racers. F1’s audience has grown tremendously throughout the rest of the world. .
In an average street car equipped with air bags and seatbelts, occupants are protected during 35-mph crashes into a concrete barrier. But at 180 mph, both the car and the driver have more than 25 times more energy. All of this energy has to be absorbed in order to bring the car to a stop. This is an incredible challenge, but the cars usually handle it surprisingly well

F1 Car driving is a demanding sport that requires precision, incredibly fast reflexes and endurance from the driver. A driver’s heart rate typically averages 160 beats per minute throughout the entire race. During a 5-G turn, a driver’s arm — which normally weighs perhaps 20 pounds — weighs the equivalent of 100 pounds. One thing that the G forces require is constant training in the weight room. Drivers work especially on muscles in the neck, shoulders, arms and torso so that they have the strength to work against the Gs. Drivers also work a great deal on stamina, because they have to be able to perform throughout a three-hour race without rest. One thing that is known about F1 Car drivers is that they have extremely quick reflexes and reaction times compared to the norm. They also have extremely good levels of concentration and long attention spans. Training, both on and off the track, can further develop these skills.

THE CHASIS Modern f1 Cars are defined by their chassis. All f1 Cars share the following characteristics:
They are single-seat cars.
They have an open cockpit.
They have open wheels — there are no fenders covering the wheels.
They have wings at the front and rear of the car to provide downforce.
They position the engine behind the driver..
The tub must be able to withstand the huge forces produced by the high cornering speeds, bumps and aerodynamic loads imposed on the car. This chassis model is covered in carbon fibre to create a mould from which the actual chassis can be made. Once produced the mould is smoothed down and covered in release agent so the carbon-fibre tub can be easily removed after manufacture.
The mould is then carefully filled inside with layers of carbon fibre. This material is supplied like a typical cloth but can be heated and hardened. The way the fibre is layered is important as the fibre can direct stresses and forces to other parts of the chassis, so the orientation of the fibres is crucial. The fibre is worked to fit exactly into the chassis mould, and a hair drier is often used to heat up the material, making it stick, and to help bend it to the contours of the mould. After each layer is fitted, the mould is put into a vacuum machine to literally suck the layers to the mould to make sure the fibre exactly fits the mould. The number of layers in the tub differs from area to area, but more stressed parts of the car have more, but the average number is about 12 layers. About half way between these layers there is a layer of aluminum honeycomb that further adds to the strength.
Once the correct numbers of layers have been applied to the mould, it is put into a machine called an autoclave where it is heated and pressurized. The high temperatures release the resin within the fibre and the high pressure (up to 100 psi) squeezes the layer together. Throughout this process, the fibres harden and become solid and the chassis is normally ready in two and a half hours. The internals such as pedals, dashboard and seat back are glued in place with epoxy resin and the chassis painted to the sponsor’s requirements.

Download Full Article F1 Cars.doc