New ultrasound technology to protect mechanical components
New ultrasound technology to protect mechanical components
[Posted on 28 April 2006]
A new ultrasound technology developed by researchers at the University of Bristol (Dr. Bruce Drinkwater from the Department of Mechanical Engineering) and the University of Sheffield (Dr. Rob Dwyer-Joyce) has been used in an award-winning plan and is set for commercialisation.
The groundbreaking ultrasensor technology measures the thickness of lubricating oil films on key components like bearings, pumps and seals in a non-destructive way. The brand new technology, which can measure oil films as thin as a hundredth of the width of a human hair, will prevent mechanical failure resulting from too little or too much lubrication.
The Royal Academy of Engineering and the ERA Foundation awarded a prize of £30,000 to Mr. Phil Harper from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. Mr. Harper will use the fund to work with the University of Bristol in taking the new technology to market, through the creation of a new start up company called Tribosonics Ltd.
The University of Bristol, who are leading on the commercialisation side, will licence the groundbreaking technology to Tribosonics Ltd.
James Lancaster, Technology Transfer Team leader at the University of Bristol, said: “It is exciting to see the excellent research that has come out of both universities being commercialised successfully into industry.”
Phil Harper added: “Using ultrasound technology means we can look inside machines for faults and damage linked to lubrication, without damaging the machines themselves. This really is an important breakthrough and I’m looking forward to taking it out to industry.”
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Notes for editors:
- For further information on the Royal Academy of Engineering/ERA Foundation award go to the following website: http://www.raeng.org.uk/prizes/era/default.htm
- For further information or to arrange a media interview with Phil Harper please contact Danielle Reeves in the University of Sheffield’s Press Office on 0114 222 5339 or email d.reeves@sheffield.ac.uk
- The University of Bristol is committed to combining its excellence in research and innovation with a vibrant enterprise culture. The University is working with government, industry and other partner organizations to encourage the growth of knowledge-based businesses in the South West. In particular, Bristol has joined forces with the universities of Bath, Southampton and Surrey to establish the SETsquared Partnership to encourage enterprise, build new businesses and work more effectively with industry. As research-intensive universities, these enterprise activities derive from their research base, although support is also available to entrepreneurs from outside the universities. With combined research staff of 6,400 and research budget of £266 million, the resulting contribution to the UK ‘knowledge economy’ is far greater than could be achieved individually. The partnership offers:
· Enterprise training and education
· Support for new businesses from within and external to the universities
· Access to innovative research that could lead to new products and processes
For further PR information contact:
Sadia Haq, Research & Enterprise Development, University of Bristol, Senate House, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TH
tel: 0117 928 8676, e-mail: sadia.haq@bristol.ac.uk