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This study describes an innovative complete car control system against children abandonment in unattended vehicles. Even if systems of this kind are already available in the automotive market, other solutions are currently object of intense researches by several important Research and Development centres or under patent procedure. In this study, a description of the technologies already adopted in the currently used car control systems and in those that are in research and testing phase too is provided. Then, it will be introduced to the proposed control system, which enables to improve all the described systems by providing innovative technologies and functionalities. The proposed system implements a microwave motion sensor, two infrared sensors, a carbon dioxide sensor, a temperature/humidity sensor, a vocal detector and a micro-camera. These acquisition devices are connected to a microcontroller board that is able to combine all acquired data for detecting the alarm scenario and consequently acting some warning procedures: alarm short message service transmission with vehicle Global Positioning System position, vehicle's horn activation and/or car windows lowering. Thanks to such a wide set of sensors, the system can correlate the acquired information in order to ensure a good detection capability in every condition in which it can operate.

After system assembly and integration of the lunar lander was completed, the system electrical integration test should be conducted. The integration test was an important step in development of the lunar lander, which ran through the whole process from system integration to launch. The integrated system development was composed of system design, instrument development, assembly and integration and system electrical test.

The application of computer vision to hardware security has the potential to address the limitations of both electrical testing and traditional physical inspection approaches to hardware security. This chapter begins by providing an overview of basic computer vision concepts as well as a description of pipeline tasks. Examples of three hardware security applications where the application of computer vision has been explored, namely integrated circuit counterfeit detection, hardware Trojan detection, and printed circuit board assurance, are discussed in detail. Lastly, the chapter concludes with a discussion of the challenges of applying computer vision to hardware security and provides suggestions for future research directions.

This paper will describe the development and testing of a new ARM© Cortex©-M based microcontroller for high temperature electronic systems. High temperature and electrical overstresses can cause latch-up in CMOS devices that will interfere with normal device operation or destroy the device. For reliable operation in the downhole drilling environment it was necessary to immunize this device against latch-up using an innovation processing technique. HARDSIL® technology that allows reliable latch-up free operation at extreme temperatures will be described. Details on the qualification and testing of the product to ensure that it meets the challenging environment will also be discussed. This includes electrical testing and temperature cycling testing to ensure that the different package options for the silicon device are mechanically sound in a high temperature environment that exposes the silicon and packaging materials to thermal cycling. The ecosystem for the microcontroller will also be discussed – hardware and software development tools are required to optimize the use of the device in extreme temperature embedded systems. An ecosystem of components is also required to operate with the microcontroller in the high temperature harsh environment.

Lithium-ion cells currently power almost all electronic devices and power tools; they are a key enabling technology for electric vehicles and are increasingly considered to be the technology of choice for grid storage. In line with this increased applicability, there is also an increase in the development of new commercial lithium-ion cell technologies that incorporate innovative functional components (electrode material compositions and electrolyte formulations) and designs, leading to a diverse range of performance characteristics. The uniqueness of each technology in-turn gives rise to unique evolutions of cell performance as the cell degrades because of usage. Non-destructively measuring and subsequently tracking the evolution of lithium-ion cell characteristics is valuable for both industrial engineers and academic researchers. To proceed in this regard, stakeholders have often devised their own procedures for characterising lithium-ion cells, typically without considering unification, comparability or compatibility. This makes the comparison of technologies complicated. This comprehensive review for the first time has analysed and discusses the various international standards and regulations for the characterisation and electrical testing of lithium-ion cells, specifically for high-power automotive and grid applications.

This paper will present natural ester transformer operating data with liquid test results from the units since installation. Various facts and experiences from transformers of two Olympic cities will be shared. The results of physical-chemical and electrical testing including dissolved gas analysis will provide the performance history in the field of a group of power transformers of 138 kV design and of unique designed submersible 10 kV distribution units filled with natural ester fluid, some in service for more than 4 years.

CuO@ZnO core–shell cubes with controlled shell thickness were synthesized using a facile and environment-benign two-step solution route. A bending behavior was observed when electrical testing was conducted on the CuO@ZnO core–shell heterostructure coating, demonstrating formation of heterojunction barrier. Moreover, the CuO@ZnO appears to be a superior material for p-type sensor applications, it offers 2.6 times higher response, faster recovery rate and better selectivity comparing to the pristine CuO sensor. The enhanced gas sensing performance can be attributed to the coating of ZnO shell and improvement of the effectively electrical contacts between heterojunction materials.

Electromagnetic non-destructive testing/evaluation is an important means for assessment of the performance of chairlift ropes in a mining installation. The visual method produces the possibility of inadequate inspection due to its subjectivity. Magnetic flaw detectors, which measure loss of metallic area (LMA) and detect local faults (LF), such as broken wires and other faults of the ropes, are used to determine rope wear. Regular non-destructive evaluation/testing (NDE/NDT) inspections provide a powerful tool for monitoring the rate of degradation of a rope. The effective technology for these devices depends on the magnetic properties of the steel wire rope. An attempt has been made in this paper to evaluate the performance of ropes in two chairlift man-riding systems in an incline coal mine in India.

The paper provides a technical solution and methodology for conducting automated electrical and functional testing of small series samples of multi-chip assemblies. The results of multi-chip assembly samples testing combining Wire Bond and Flip-Chip technologies are presented. Based on the test results, defects that occur during the packaging process are localized and the assembly stages at which these defects occur are determined.

Electrical testing laboratory is full of hidden hazards. Although there are various safety policies required by legislation or international standards, the accidents in electrical testing laboratory happened frequently. To eliminate the probability of these hazards and accidents, an automatic and comprehensive system is required on top of the safety policies and guidance. In this paper, the current status of hazardous areas in various electrical and electronic testing laboratories was analyzed via a survey in the testing and certification industry. Based on the analytical results, a wireless sensor network combined with various detectors and wireless technology was built to construct a targeted, automatic and convenience wireless sensor system according to the known potential hazards. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed wireless sensor network were evaluated in the real electrical testing laboratory.

Contamination exceeds the standards in certain areas within the production line of hard disk drive (HDD) manufacturing, such as in the clean room of a factory. In order to find the cause(s) and solve the problem, we decided to use the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate the airflow within the production line. The results show the cause of contamination, which is from the exhaust fan installed in the electrical testing machine in the production line of HDD manufacturing, which releases large amounts of particles. To resolve this problem, the CFD results were analyzed to design and create a new cover for the exhaust fan. Once this invention is installed to the electrical testing machine, it can control the airflow to float into other areas that do not affect nor contaminate the product. The factory utilized this research. Other than solving contamination problems that exceed standards, it also saves production costs from purchasing new machines as well.

This article reported on the pixel flaw detection properties of amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O-based active thin film transistors on flexible medical panel substrate application, which is using the non-invasive optoelectronic transforming inspection technique. The experimental data exactly showed good flaw detection rate > 90% and stable uniformity < 5%. Currently, it is a popular method with electrical testing and detection with advantages of ultrahigh resolution and small-pixel-sized medical panel, and no contact damaged to the application of flexible medical panel substrates.

The useful life of an electrical generator is directly related to the condition of the winding insulation. Non-invasive methods to assess the condition of insulation systems are typically limited to physical inspections, drawing inferences from a review of operating conditions and maintenance records, and from the results of on-line and off-line electrical testing. This paper identifies when to perform off-line electrical testing, notes testing standards and fundamentals, provides a description of the commonly performed tests and pass/fail criteria, supplies some framework to aid project staff in deciding over-potential test voltages, and articulates the implicit trade-off in over-potential testing.

In this work, a CMOS transistor array is presented, which allows performing process variability, Random Telegraph Noise and BTI/CHC aging characterization in a single chip. The array, called ENDURANCE, integrates 3136 MOS transistors, for single and massive electrical testing. This chip, together with a dedicated measurement set-up, allows programming any of these electrical tests, considerably reducing the total time needed for aging measurements by using a parallelization technique.

A PoF approach to mitigating infant mortality is proposed which includes (1) conducting reliability capability and product maturity analyses; (2) identifying defects through non-destructive analysis, if possible; and (3) developing electrical tests to screen out early failures. The non-destructive analysis approach was outlined using die attach in a power module as a test bed, while the electrical testing approach was outlined using film capacitors. More data is being gathered to validate that the electrical test provides an early differentiation of change in capacitance over time between good and defective capacitors.

Novel freestanding foils of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays (VANTAs) fused with metals are fabricated in a scalable four-step process of (1) VANTA synthesis, (2) deposition of partially infused metal film, (3) removal from growth substrate, and (4) optional deposition of a second metal film on the back side. Mechanical and electrical testing demonstrates excellent contact between the VANTA and the interface-infused metal layers.

Copper pillar WLCSP device embedded in large PCB module with passive devices to create one hybrid package are growing widely in smart communication and mobile electronic devices. The crucial challenges in electrical testing and failure analysis on it are to remove the embedded copper pillar CSP device from the module without inducing mechanical defects, and solder ball placement on the CSP for ATE testing. This paper discusses the sample preparation process step-by-step, which includes de-soldering of external components from the PCB, top side up and down parallel polishing to remove copper pillars, chemical etching the PCB module, solder ball placement on CSP devices and the soldering process on a plain coupon board. The established process enables electrical testing, evaluations and failure analysis performed on a demounted CSP device. A simulation of an electrical testing and failure analysis will also be highlighted in this paper.

Nondestructive testing is an important means for assessment of performance of winder ropes. The visual method produces a possibility for inadequate inspection due to its subjectivity. Wire ropes wear out eventually, gradually losing work capability throughout its useful life making periodic inspections, lubrication and tensioning necessary. Magnetic flaw detectors are used to determine rope wearing. They measure loss of metallic area and detect the local faults like broken wires and other faults of the ropes. An attempt has been made in this paper to evaluate the performance of one cage winder rope in a mechanized coal mine in India using nondestructive testing instrument.

The improved safety margins in complex systems have attained prime importance in the modern scientific environment. The analysis and implementation of complex systems demands the well quantified accuracy and capability of measurements. Careful measurement with properly identified and quantified uncertainties could lead to the actual discovery which further may contribute for social developments. Unfortunately most scientists and students are passively taught to ignore the possibility of definition problems in the field of measurement and are often source of great arguments. Identifying this issue, ISO has initiated the standardisation of methodologies but its Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) has yet to be adapted seriously in tertiary education institutions for understanding the concept of uncertainty. The paper has been focused for understanding the concepts of measurement and uncertainty. Further a case study for calculation and quantification of UOM for high voltage electrical testing of ceramic insulators has been explained.

“RTCA DO-213 Minimum Operational Performance Standards For Nose-Mounted Radomes” [1] is a document frequently referenced in nose-radome testing requirements for commercial aircraft. This document was produced and is maintained by the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA). The specifications of weather-radar systems have recently changed within RTCA's D0-220A [2], and as a result DO-213 was updated to DO-213A [3] in March, 2016, to ensure that radome requirements are consistent with those of the weather radar. In addition to the new requirements for radome evaluation, several existing requirements were clarified. These clarifications addressed such topics as suitability of near-field measurements, proper procedures and processing, and appropriate measurement geometries. RTCA coordinated the document revision, with the bulk of the technical inputs coming from a broad-based working group. This working group had representatives from radar, aircraft, and radome manufacturers, government agencies, and providers and users of radome-testing systems. When requirements were added or when common practice conflicted with existing requirements, considerable effort and analysis were employed to ensure that each change or clarification was truly required. Nevertheless, DO-213A has some significant impacts to many existing radome-testing facilities. This paper discusses the significant changes from DO-213 to DO-213A and their implications for radome-testing facilities, concentrating on after-repair radome electrical testing.

This paper provides a summary of the testing of Underwriters Laboratories (UL) certified connectors to the electrical requirements of IEC 62561-1, Edition 1. The connectors were tested in configurations interconnecting Class I UL-certified stranded conductors. A discussion of deviations to the pass/fail criteria is provided along with recommendations on modifications to IEC 62561-1, including considerations on modification of pass/fail criteria for connectors used with stranded cable. Observations from the results of the testing reported also identify lightning protection system maintenance and inspection considerations that should be addressed in national and international lightning protection system standards.

A novel uni-body composite pylon has been proposed for 400 kV transmission lines with advantages of compacted size, friendly looking and cost competitiveness. As its configuration is quite different from the traditional lattice pylon, its electrical performance needs in-depth investigation and evaluation, for which electrical testing methods are essential. However, as research on composite-based pylons is still in initial stage, leaving international standards and theoretical analysis on this topic very limited, effective testing methods to evaluate the fully composite pylon’s electrical performance need to be studied. This paper sums up experience and key advances on testing methods to evaluate electrical performance of composite cross-arms and composite-based pylons. Based on state of the art review, several feasible testing methods that can be used to verify the feasibility of the novel uni-body composite pylon are put forward.

The author always believed that businesses are either growing or shrinking. While you might have run across one that seems to be an anomaly to that statement, it is an exception. In the short run, even those constant size businesses have their ups and downs due to economic conditions. It is just easier to manage a firm for growth, and therefore be successful, than taking the other course. However, growth brings on new challenges, so the business owner must constantly be in a learning mode. Earlier in this article, the author mentioned the electrical testing organization known as NETA. Having been associated with NETA for almost 40 years, the author have met and talked with many dozens of business owners in this particular niche of the electrical industry. And having watched their performance in the business world, the author come to realize that these firms tend to be more statistically successful than the typical start-up firm in America. Why is this? It is because NETA helps them in those areas most desperately needed for success, such as quality of service, marketing, networking, and education. In today's world, engineering service firms have an advantage in the quest for success. The world is short on engineering people and the technical talents they possess. Entrepreneurs and business owners just need to combine the right business elements and characteristics along with their technical capability and success will follow.

Purpose We performed a retrospective study of lingual nerve injury assessment comparing the techniques of current perception threshold testing versus clinical sensory testing. Patients and Methods We designed and implemented a cross-sectional study and enrolled a patient sample with lingual nerve injuries presenting for treatment to the principal investigator. The predictor variables were clinical sensory testing modalities (ie, temperature, nocioception, vibration, 2-point discrimination, brush stroke, and von Frey monofilament perception). The primary outcome variable was the electrical current perception thresholds of the tongue dorsum (neurometer measurements at 5, 250, and 2,000 Hz). Comparisons were established with the ipsilateral affected and contralateral unaffected lingual nerve distributions. The associations between the clinical sensory testing and current perception threshold measurements were assessed using correlation coefficients, with the level of statistical significance set at P Results A total of 40 patients (13 males and 27 females) were included in the present study. The average age of these patients was 34 years (range 13 to 66). Significant correlations were observed between the electrical stimulation thresholds at 2,000 Hz and the 2-point discrimination, reaction to brushing, reaction to vibration, and von Frey fiber thresholds, between the electrical stimulation thresholds at 250 Hz to the nociceptive and thermal thresholds, and between the electrical stimulation thresholds at 5 Hz to thermal stimuli. Conclusions The significant correlations observed in the present study indicate that current perception threshold can be a complementary or alternative tool in the assessment and evaluation of lingual nerve injuries.

This paper proposes a 3D IC integration TSV testing apparatus, primarily using at least one set of TSV component testing devices with a specific design. Under complex technological conditions, such as varying depth-width ratios of TSVs and heterogeneous IC integration, as well as the principle of different coupling parasitic parameters between TSVs, the TSV coupling measuring device designed for specific purposes in coordination with a measuring method for high-frequency coupling TSV S-parameters, achieves the function of monitoring the SiO2 thickness completeness of TSVs. This feasible approach further allows judgment of whether subsequent processes can continue, effectively reducing costs.

PurposeThis paper aims to address the various issues of board‐level (off‐chip) interconnects testing. A new algorithm based on the boundary scan architecture is developed to test off‐chip interconnect faults. The proposed algorithm can easily diagnose which two interconnects are shorted.Design/methodology/approachThe problems in board‐level interconnects testing are not simple. A new algorithm is developed to rectify some of the problems in existing algorithms. The proposed algorithm to test board‐level interconnect faults is implemented using Verilog on Modelsim software. The output response of each shorting between different wires of different nodes is different, which is the basis of fault detection by the proposed algorithm. The test vectors are generated by the test pattern generator and these test vectors are different for different nodes. This work implements built in self test using boundary scan technique.FindingsThe dominant‐1 (wired‐OR, denoted as WOR), dominant‐0 (wired‐AND, denoted as WAND) and stuck‐at faults are tested using the proposed algorithm. The proposed algorithm is also compared with the several algorithms in the literature, i.e. modified counting, walking one's algorithm and others. This paper's results are found to be better than the existing algorithms.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation of the proposed algorithm is that, at any time, the faults on any seven nodes can be tested to avoid aliasing. So, the groups are formed out of total nodes, in a multiple of seven to carry out the testing of faults.Practical implicationsThe proposed algorithm is free from the problems of syndromes and utilizes a smaller number of test vectors.Originality/valueVarious existing algorithms namely modified counting, walking one's algorithm and others are discussed. A new algorithm is developed which can easily detect board‐level dominant‐1 (WOR), dominant‐0 (WAND) and stuck‐at faults. The proposed algorithm is completely free from aliasing and confounding syndromes.

This paper presents an integrated model based upon the fuzzy approach and evidential reasoning decision-making approach to condition assessment of power transformers. An assessing index system, including the DGA data, electrical testing, and oil testing, is established to facilitate the assessing model. The model is composed of two levels, that is, the fuzzy model and evidential reasoning model. The fuzzy model is proposed for generating the original basic probability assignments for the second-level model. Afterwards, an evidential reasoning decision-making model is utilized to combine all of the evidence and give an overall evaluation conclusion. Based upon this integrated model, a decision-making procedure is put forward to serve as an effective tool for transformer condition assessments. The results show that the assessing model is capable of offering an overall evaluation of the observed transformer condition.

Nondestructive assessment of haulage ropes is essential for aerial ropeways. An attempt has been made in this paper to compare the performance of drive and counter haulage ropes in a zig-back bi-cable aerial ropeway. The study has been carried out over two life span of ropes in the installation.

A technology was developed for the fabrication of very thin, chip-sized lithium secondary micro batteries. Based on wafer level processing the batteries can be directly implemented into silicon chips, 3D chip stacks or MEMS devices. The batteries were packaged in 200 µm deep cavities of the silicon wafer and encapsulated with a glass substrate. Battery demonstrators with 7 and 12 mm2 and round foot print were realized.

This paper updates the long-term 500 °C electrical testing results from 6H-SiC junction field effect transistors (JFETs) and small integrated circuits that were introduced at ICSCRM-2007. Two packaged JFETs have now been operated in excess of 7000 hours at 500 °C with less than 10% degradation in linear I-V characteristics. Several simple digital and analog demonstration integrated circuits successfully operated for 2000-6500 hours at 500 °C before failure.

Steel winding ropes used in aerial ropeways, deteriorate with use. Visual inspection is the most conventional method for evaluation of aerial ropes. But this method cannot evaluate the inner failure such as corrosion and other flaws. Nondestructive testing method is the only means for assessment of haulage ropes in terms of local faults (LF) and loss in metallic area (LMA). An attempt has been made in this paper to evaluate and monitor the condition of a 6X19 Seale preformed haulage rope by nondestructive technique.

Electromagnetic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of wire rope has been in use for over fifty years. Regular NDE inspections provide a powerful tool in monitoring the rate of degradation of a rope. Wire defects and condition of a haulage rope (construction 6X25 FW) have been studied and presented in this paper.

The theoretical basis of detecting wire rope anomalies using permanent magnetic field has been fully established. The local faults (LF) such as broken wires and loss of metal area (LMA) signals are provided by nondestructive evaluation instruments. These signals represent the electronic equivalent of the mechanical anomalies present in the wire rope. The saturating magnetic field of the instrument makes the anomalies visible to the magnetic sensors placed around the rope. The condition of a haulage rope (construction 6X19) in a monocable continuously moving passenger ropeway has been studied using this nondestructive method, and the results are presented in this paper.

The most widely used method to study the condition of winder ropes is the magnetic nondestructive method. Localized and distributed flaws in winder ropes can be detected by this method. This paper is intended to highlight the findings using such a technique in the case of independent wire rope core rope in two cage winders in a coal mine.

For automotive qualification of Integrated circuits (ICs), multi-temp testing is required by AEC-Q100. In this paper, we demonstrate the importance and necessity of this multi-temp testing in automotive qualification and zero defects program. During the qualification of one of our new products, we found that all samples could pass electrical testing at room temperature after high temperature operating life test, but a few of them failed at hot temperature. One transistor in the circuit was found to have large leakage current. Only at hot temperature, this leakage current was increased (>50 μA) and the fail was detected during hot electrical testing. Root cause was identified and design error is corrected before the release of the product. No failures are observed anymore.

Magnetic nondestructive evaluation is being used to assess the condition of full locked coil ropes used in cage and skip winders. Four locked coil ropes were studied for a period of 4 years. This paper focuses on the determination of the in situ condition of full locked coil ropes in cage and skip winders throughout this 4-year period.

In semiconductor industries the detection of process deviations (especially in the first phase of the manufacturing) has become mandatory before the final electrical testing. The aim of this work is to demonstrate that it is possible to use a Dual Beam (BD) system to provide detailed feedback at critical process steps without scrapping wafer also when the information is in the buried layers. The possible influence of the FIB cut process on yield variation was evaluated and three cases of monitoring are shown. In particular examples of classical cross-section to find some buried target, of 3D FIB reconstruction and of in-line monitor using TEM across a sample preparation by means of FIB chunk methods are discussed.

Design and manufacturing of a curved stiffened panel has been carried out within WP135 in SARISTU Integration Scenario IS13. The aim of this fuselage panel is the integration and validation of electrical structure network (ESN) technologies developed within Application Scenario AS10. The assembled panel includes premanufactured braided frames with cocured metallic strips aimed at improving electrical performance, impact detectability and damage tolerance. The panel will be subjected to electrical testing to verify the ESN solution, with additional frames used for impact testing and evaluation.

Modern day manufacturing practices are focusing on maximizing production while actively pursuing ways to mitigate potential failures in their products. With rotating machinery, part of this pursuit requires qualification checkpoints during manufacturing processes. For motor stators, it is essential to perform in-process insulation testing to ensure the dielectric integrity of the system is maintained. This paper provides detailed technical analysis of the types of electrical testing performed during the stator manufacturing process. It also provides full detail as to how each test type can mitigate issues leading to electrical failure while maintaining insulation quality assurance.

Synchronous motors are installed in numerous applications within the Pulp and Paper industry, and their reliability is essential to the successful operation of a mill. Critical steps in the installation of synchronous motors are frequently misunderstood and maintenance practices often overlook the most-common causes of motor failure. Limitations on time and resources may exacerbate these deficiencies, but a carefully-planned installation and maintenance program will not burden a mill with excessive work and will ultimately increase reliability of the equipment. The purpose of this paper is to present basic installation theory, as well as a summary of maintenance practices for optimal reliability. Grouting, alignment and protection methods will be discussed to achieve correct installation. Maintenance practices including electrical testing will be discussed along with examples and references.

This article focuses on a range of elements critical to this process; form the fundamental chemistry, through computational and measurement techniques to the solutions that are in use today. Degassing contributes greatly to the quality of power cables by improving the certainty in electrical testing and improving the dielectric properties. To ensure that the degassing process delivers the expected benefits, it is important to measure and model the process by which the crosslinking byproducts are desorbed from the cable polymers. Weight loss and HPLC have shown themselves to be the most effective and practical measurement techniques

The problem of excessive short-circuit currents has become an important issue for power systems operators and there are clear indications for a growing interest in superconducting fault current limiter devices for MV and HV grids. In this work, we report on both simulation and electrical testing on single-phase SFCL prototypes developed in the framework of an Italian RTD project to be completed with a 3-phase SFCL unit by the end of 2005.

PurposeTo present and discuss open trace defects uncovered in an FR4 assembly during electrical testing.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents open trace defects observed in FR4 assemblies and analyses the distribution of defects. The paper also discusses possible root causes for their occurrence.FindingsThe open trace defects that occurred during printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication should have been observed by the board manufacturer. It appears that the PCB manufacturer did not perform automatic optical inspection (AOI) and electrical testing during the manufacturing of the boards. The cost due to the rejected PCBAs was approximately 3x times that of the PCB cost.Originality/valueThe paper highlights the costly impact of uncovering a PCB defect after assembly. Based on the results of this study, the implementation of electrical testing and AOI for PCBs is recommended.

The wafer defect inspection is an important process before die packaging. The defective regions were usually identified through visual judgment with the aid of a scanning electron microscope. Dozens of people visually check dies and mark their regions manually. Thus, potential misjudgment may be introduced due to human fatigue. In addition, the process can incur significant personnel costs. Self-Organizing Neural Networks (SONNs) have been proven to have the capabilities of unsupervised auto-clustering. In this paper, a hierarchical self-organizing neural networks (HSONN) with consideration of multiple textural information is proposed to replace the traditional electrical testing and the human inspection processes. The proposed HSONN is consists of 3 layers, each layer is a specific cluster to separate the block of wafer image into normal and defective regions. The suspicious defective regions are used as inputs to the next layer of HSONN for subsequent classification of the defective regions. Through the hierarchical classify, the output of the 3th layer denotes the detecting defective regions. Based on real-world data, the experimental results show that the proposed method successfully identifies the defective regions on wafers with good performances.

Steel winding ropes which are heterogeneous in nature are subjected to severe working conditions and their behaviour vary on different environment and nature of service. Due to this, they are subjected to rope deterioration such as corrosion, abrasion and broken wire leading to rope failure (Singh, S.D. and Ghara, B., Steel Wire Rope Condition Monitoring by Non-Destructive Investigation and Evaluation while on Installation/Service, 15th World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing, Rome, Italy, 2000). Deterioration of a rope during its lifetime leads to a reduction of the rope safety and to its possible destruction. There are rejection criteria for ropes in national and international rules on the safe use of drive ropes. All wire ropes wear out eventually, gradually losing work capability throughout its useful life making periodic inspections, lubrication and tensioning necessary. Defects detected during a non-destructive evaluation can help pinpoint the factors leading to an eventual rope failure. Many ro...

High-stress design 35-kV ethylene propylene rubber (EPR)-insulated cables with 1.14-mm (45-mil) wall reduction have been in service for more than ten years. In the mid 1990s, an extensive cable testing program was initiated to demonstrate that high-stress designs up to 4 kV/mm (101.6 V/mil) exhibit a significant electrical and mechanical safety margin to operate on typical utility network systems. Investigations were also undertaken to demonstrate the suitability of accessories for high-stress designs. This paper will present the results of six-year, long-term wet electrical testing conducted to demonstrate that with proper design, the aging performance of standard wall and high-stress design cables provide satisfactory results and suitable performance for the intended application. Additionally, utility field experience is presented on 35- and 15-kV cables operating at high stress. The experience for these 15-kV medium-voltage EPR cable designs employ the highest recommended stress for cables of this class, as well as taking into account the complete system performance.