A multi-slice hinge-line actuator includes a plurality of actuator slices mounted around a common axis of rotation and arranged to be rotated around the axis of rotation by a drive means in response to a control signal, the slices spaced axially along the axis of rotation. Each actuator slice has a first attachment means for attachment to a relatively fixed structure and a second attachment means for attachment to a moveable structure to be moved by the actuator in response to the control signal. The actuator also includes means for monitoring a strain pattern in the actuator at a plurality of locations along the axial direction of the actuator.

A rice husker includes a pair of husking rolls. One of the pair of husking rolls is attached to a main shaft and the other of the pair of husking rolls is attached to an auxiliary shaft movable to be close to and away from the main shaft. The rice husker includes abnormality determination means. The abnormality determination means determines that the husking rolls fail to work normally when vibrations having a preset intensity larger than the preset intensity are successively detected by a vibration sensor until a certain time elapses. The certain time is from the start of a husking action to disappearance of distortion on a surface of the husking roll. The vibration sensor is provided on at least either of bearing units of the main shaft and the auxiliary shaft. The vibration sensor detects vibrations occurring due to the husking action by the pair of husking rolls.

A rice husker includes a pair of husking rolls. One of the pair of husking rolls is attached to a main shaft and the other of the pair of husking rolls is attached to an auxiliary shaft movable to be close to and away from the main shaft. The rice husker includes abnormality determination means. The abnormality determination means determines that the husking rolls fail to work normally when vibrations having a preset intensity larger than the preset intensity are successively detected by a vibration sensor until a certain time elapses. The certain time is from the start of a husking action to disappearance of distortion on a surface of the husking roll. The vibration sensor is provided on at least either of bearing units of the main shaft and the auxiliary shaft. The vibration sensor detects vibrations occurring due to the husking action by the pair of husking rolls.

Techniques are described for testing whether an end effector, or component thereof, is correctly or incorrectly installed to a manipulation system. In an example, a manipulation system can include a manipulator arm configured to receive an end effector having a first moveable jaw, a transducer configured to provide first effort information of the end effector as the end effector moves, and a processor configured to provide a command signal to effect a first test move of the first moveable jaw, and to provide an installation status of the of the end effector using the first effort information of the first test move.

Techniques are described for testing whether an end effector, or component thereof, is correctly or incorrectly installed to a manipulation system. In an example, a manipulation system can include a manipulator arm configured to receive an end effector having a first moveable jaw, a transducer configured to provide first effort information of the end effector as the end effector moves, and a processor configured to provide a command signal to effect a first test move of the first moveable jaw, and to provide an installation status of the of the end effector using the first effort information of the first test move.

A method for monitoring at least one machine including causing at least a first sensor to acquire at least a first non-stationary signal from at least one machine operating in a non-stationary manner during at least one operational time frame, the at least first sensor providing at least a first non-stationary output, causing at least a second sensor to acquire at least a second non-stationary signal from the at least one machine during the operational time frame, the at least second sensor providing at least a second non-stationary output, fusing the at least first non-stationary output with the at least second non-stationary output to produce a fused output, extracting at least one feature of at least one of the first and second non-stationary signals based on the fused output, analyzing the at least one feature to ascertain a state of health of the at least one machine and performing at least one of a repair operation, maintenance operation and modification of operating parameters of the at least one machine based on the state of health as found by the analyzing.

A method for monitoring at least one machine including causing at least a first sensor to acquire at least a first non-stationary signal from at least one machine operating in a non-stationary manner during at least one operational time frame, the at least first sensor providing at least a first non-stationary output, causing at least a second sensor to acquire at least a second non-stationary signal from the at least one machine during the operational time frame, the at least second sensor providing at least a second non-stationary output, fusing the at least first non-stationary output with the at least second non-stationary output to produce a fused output, extracting at least one feature of at least one of the first and second non-stationary signals based on the fused output, analyzing the at least one feature to ascertain a state of health of the at least one machine and performing at least one of a repair operation, maintenance operation and modification of operating parameters of the at least one machine based on the state of health as found by the analyzing.

A method for predicting a remaining life of a tool of a computer numerical control machine is provided. In the method, indirect measurement indicators of the tool are selected based on monitoring and analyzing a current state of the tool, a prediction model for the remaining life of the tool is established based on data de-noising, feature extraction and a multi-kernel W-LSSVM algorithm. Thereby, a method for predicting a remaining life of a tool of a computer numerical control machine is provided.

A method for predicting a remaining life of a tool of a computer numerical control machine is provided. In the method, indirect measurement indicators of the tool are selected based on monitoring and analyzing a current state of the tool, a prediction model for the remaining life of the tool is established based on data de-noising, feature extraction and a multi-kernel W-LSSVM algorithm. Thereby, a method for predicting a remaining life of a tool of a computer numerical control machine is provided.

Methods for the dimensional inspection of a turbomachine component to be inspected are provided. The turbomachine component includes a first surface delimited by a second peripheral surface substantially transverse to the first surface and a profile defined by a numerical theoretical model with a theoretical surface corresponding to the first surface, the first surface having larger dimensions than the second peripheral surface. The method includes determining theoretical points on the theoretical surface of the numerical theoretical model; calibrating calibration points on the first surface of the component to be inspected; calculating an offset axis for each theoretical point with respect to a corresponding calibration point; and acquiring control points on the second peripheral surface of the component to be inspected from the offset axis.