Thin Film-Based Gauges Monitor Local Environments
Reynard , a supplier of optical components and custom thin-film coatings, has introduced thin film-based environmental gauges. Thin film-based environmental gauges are manufactured by depositing environmentally susceptible coating materials onto an inert substrate. Coating materials are typically deposited in a custom-defined quasi-grid pattern of lines. Redundant traces, matched in length and size, can be implemented to monitor environmental changes over a small region, such as for rising gas or fluid conditions, or to provide damage protection when used in abrasive conditions. Unmatched lines allow for the variable open-space monitoring of growing corrosion levels, or for the monitoring of different types of corrosive elements. Grid configurations are designed for specific operational environments and can utilise a combination of matched and unmatched lines to achieve the required electrical characteristics. The detection of environmental-caused degradation is accomplished by monitor...