A separator is placed on a surface of a substrate to prepare a test piece. A puncturing tool is stuck into the separator, from a side of the test piece opposite to where the substrate is placed, in a thickness direction of the separator. An electrical resistance between the puncturing tool and the substrate is measured. The separator is evaluated based on a magnitude of a load applied to the puncturing tool at the time when the electrical resistance has decreased to a predetermined value. Each of the substrate and the puncturing tool is electrically conductive.

A diagnostic apparatus monitors a lithographic manufacturing system. First measurement data representing local deviations of some characteristic across a substrate is obtained using sensors within a lithographic apparatus, and/or a separate metrology tool. Other inspection tools perform substrate backside inspection to produce second measurement data. A high-resolution backside defect image is processed into a form in which it can be compared with lower resolution information from the first measurement data. Cross-correlation is performed to identify which of the observed defects are correlated spatially with the deviations represented in the first measurement data. A correlation map is used to identify potentially relevant clusters of defects in the more detailed original defect map. The responsible apparatus can be identified by pattern recognition as part of an automated root cause analysis. Alternatively, reticle inspection data may be used as second measurement data.

A measurement method for early detection of damage to a blade of an impeller of a turbine is provided. During operation, in a rotational direction of the blade along a circumference which surrounds the impeller, at a plurality of points, in each case a plurality of magnetic fields are generated next to one another substantially in an oscillation direction of the blade, which magnetic fields are influenced by a tip of a turbine blade during transit. Positional values of the tip are detected by at the plurality of points. A positional profile of the turbine blade is then formed from the positional values and a frequency is determined from the positional profile. The frequency is compared with defined frequency values. An alarm event is recognized in case of a sudden and/or pronounced change in the frequency. In addition, a turbine is provided which is configured to carry out the method.

A measurement method for early detection of damage to a blade of an impeller of a turbine is provided. During operation, in a rotational direction of the blade along a circumference which surrounds the impeller, at a plurality of points, in each case a plurality of magnetic fields are generated next to one another substantially in an oscillation direction of the blade, which magnetic fields are influenced by a tip of a turbine blade during transit. Positional values of the tip are detected by at the plurality of points. A positional profile of the turbine blade is then formed from the positional values and a frequency is determined from the positional profile. The frequency is compared with defined frequency values. An alarm event is recognized in case of a sudden and/or pronounced change in the frequency. In addition, a turbine is provided which is configured to carry out the method.

A method of producing a paper product. A paper web is formed on a paper machine. The paper web has a plurality of sections. The web is analyzed to perform at least one of inspecting and identifying properties. The web is marked with a plurality of marks. At least one mark is marked at each of the plurality of sections. Thereafter, the web is wound with a winder to form a parent roll. A paper rating is assigned to each section based upon properties in that section that are identified. The web is unwound from the parent roll on a converting line having a plurality of operational parameters. At least one of the plurality of marks is read with a mark reading unit. The paper rating associated with the at least one mark is obtained. At least one operational parameter of the converting line is changed based upon the rating.

Techniques for implementing and/or operating a system that includes a pipe segment, in which the pipe segment includes tubing that defines a pipe bore and a fluid conduit within an annulus of the tubing, a bore device to be moved through the pipe bore of the pipe segment, in which the bore device includes an internal sensor that determines sensor data indicative of an electrical parameter that the bore device encounters while disposed in the pipe bore of the pipe segment and fluid blocking material implemented around the internal sensor, and a control sub-system communicatively coupled to the bore device. The control sub-system determines whether static charge is expected to be present in the pipe bore of the pipe segment based at least in part on the sensor data determined by the internal sensor of the bore device.

Techniques for implementing and/or operating a system that includes a pipe segment, in which the pipe segment includes tubing that defines a pipe bore and a fluid conduit within an annulus of the tubing, a bore device to be moved through the pipe bore of the pipe segment, in which the bore device includes an internal sensor that determines sensor data indicative of an electrical parameter that the bore device encounters while disposed in the pipe bore of the pipe segment and fluid blocking material implemented around the internal sensor, and a control sub-system communicatively coupled to the bore device. The control sub-system determines whether static charge is expected to be present in the pipe bore of the pipe segment based at least in part on the sensor data determined by the internal sensor of the bore device.

A vehicle scratch detection system includes a scratch detection element, disposed on a vehicle body and capable of detecting a scratch of the vehicle body, a control unit, configured to be capable of analyzing and processing detection information of the scratch detection element and determining information related to scratch, and an alarm device. The control unit is capable of triggering the alarm device to send an alarm signal according to a result of the analyzing and processing.

A vehicle scratch detection system includes a scratch detection element, disposed on a vehicle body and capable of detecting a scratch of the vehicle body, a control unit, configured to be capable of analyzing and processing detection information of the scratch detection element and determining information related to scratch, and an alarm device. The control unit is capable of triggering the alarm device to send an alarm signal according to a result of the analyzing and processing.

An inspection system serves to qualify semiconductor structures. The inspection system has an ion beam source for space-resolved exposition of the structures to be qualified with an ion beam. The inspection system also includes a secondary ion detection device with a mass spectrometer. The mass spectrometer is configured to measure an ion mass to charge ratio in a given bandwidth.