Microprocessor based system for the detection and characterization of acoustic emissions for materials testing

A microprocessor controlled device was built to record several acoustic emission (AE) characteristics, including AE event peak amplitude, duration, frequency, and time of occurrence. This device, called the acoustic emission detection and characterization system (AEDCS), is a low-cost, self-contained instrument that processes and records AE event information and can pass the information to a host computer for mass storage and further data manipulation. The system has a wide variety of applications including nondestructive testing, process monitoring, and advanced robotic sensing. A description of the system and its capabilities is given. The AEDCS is designed to be used in the AE testing of materials. It is well-suited for nondestructive applications that produce a relatively low AE count rate, such as AE monitoring of wooden structures. The AEDCS is also capable of recording AE event characteristics in destructive test applications. The results of using the AEDCS in a mechanical loading test application on several different types of wood are given as well, and it is concluded that the AEDCS is very useful in a variety of AE testing situations