1. TPP (Thermal Protective Performance) Test Device
2. RPP (Radiant Protective Performance) Test Device

The TPP device includes two propane burners and a 9-bulb quartz infrared heat lamp assembly to generate the heat profile, while the RPP uses a 5-bulb quartz lamp array.

Both devices were developed to measure the time elapsed for convective and/or radiant heat to penetrate through a protective composite fabric system – resulting in damage to human skin. The new TPP and RPP models include features not available in units built by other manufacturers, such as automatic (or manual) test operation, support for up to three copper disk calorimeter sensor assemblies, and an integrated air-cooled sensor stand that quickly prepares calorimeter sensors for next test. The TPP’s propane burner system includes flame detection auto ignition, plus a mass flow controller and panel for monitoring gas pressure and usage. A tinted acrylic shield (not shown) protects the operator, while software safety interlocks monitor water flow, carriage position, and burner ignition.

During testing, our ThermDAC control software will continuously record and display a real-time graph of the average temperature rise, depicted as a curved line representing higher and higher temperatures as heat penetrates through the composite fabric materials to the sensor. After the test is completed, the results are automatically compared to Stoll’s curve, which represents the blister point of human skin as a function of heat and time. The point of intersection between these two curves provides the composite fabric’s TPP (or RPP) rating.

The TPP complies with the NFPA 2112, ASTM F2700, ASTM F2703, and ISO 17492 test standards. The RPP complies with ASTM F1939 and F2702.

To learn more about these new products, go to TPP Product Page or RPP Product Page.

MTNW provides aerostat monitoring hardware and data-logging software to several manufacturers involved with aerostat ground systems here in the United States.

One of our long-time partners, Allied Power out of Beaverton, OR (www.alliedpower.com), is using our LCI-90i smart display to view tension, speed, and payout data from the winches that power their aerostat ground station controls.

For this application, Allied Powers’ winch (EHS-5-43D hoist system) can store up to 4,400 feet of 1/2 ” diameter fiber optic cable and control the ascent and descent of the aerostat balloon at speeds up to 115 feet per minute while providing up to 5,500 lbs. of single line pull capacity.

You can see our LCI-90i display in the image above just to the left of the control joystick. Our display provides Applied Power and their customers with unmatched durability, reliability, and accuracy, thanks to features that include fast line tension sampling rates (up to 200Hz), a rugged and high-temp range capability (-45ºC to 75ºC), and direct sunlight viewability with our industry-leading electroluminescent screen.

Allied Power’s system includes variable speed payout and recovery via proportional joystick controls, and to support these functions the LCI-90i provides programmable alarms (high and low limits to tension and speed/payout settings) to allow for ease of use and additional operator safety.

MNTW is excited about our partnership with APPI and their 25 year history of providing winches, hoists, and positioning systems to industrial, commercial, and military customers. We are proud to be part of a rapidly growing solution for our nations critical communications infrastructure.

Recently, DynaWinch has incorporated our displays (both the LCI-90i and the LCI-80) into their new product line of slickline skid units. They now manufacture electrically, hydraulically, and diesel driven skid based units for all types of environments and needs.

Their product line includes aluminum wireline van bodies for slickline, case hole, and open hole logging, mast units, swabbing rigs, and wireline skids for on-shore and off-shore applications. And, their wireline accessories include hydraulic drawworks packages, customized control panels, measuring systems, spoolers, and down hole tools.

The picture below shows Tom Rezanka, Managing Director of MTNW’s LCI product line, sitting at the controls of a DynaWinch wireline van built for one of their customers. Notice the beautiful display immediately in front of Tom. If Tom were an operator, that display would provide him with line tension, speed, and payout information through its electroluminescent (day-light readable screen) at line data sampling rates of over 200Hz! The display will also provide the operator with the ability to store up to 14 different tension and payout calibrations with automatic recall.

Michael Fernquist, Technical Project Manager for DynaWinch, explains to Tom how the operators use the controls and display information in their job.

Here is a picture of the MTNW 90i display incorporated into a an electrically driven wireline skid unit. You can see that our displays are built for rugged, all-weather conditions. If you thought our electroluminescent displays look good in the sun, you should see them in the rain!

Measurement Technology NW’s role is to develop IPEMS’s skin surface segments and thermal control systems, while other partnering companies developed the robotic mannequin’s internal structure. Integrating full-function thermal, perspiration, and chemical sensing controls into a 50th percentile body form, while also fitting it over an internal robotic structure capable of ranges of movement far beyond that of existing mannequin systems, presented some significant challenges. Adding more complexity to this challenge was the need for sealed skin surfaces and joints to prevent chemical agent contamination, while still allowing internal access for service and repairs.

The IPEMS mannequin design that emerged from Phase 1 – the design phase – included a body surface segmented into 17 separate hard-shell regions (14 independent thermal zones), each with sweating capability and chemical sensing ports. Overall, Phase 1 was a successful effort. Phase 2 – the fabrication phase – will include first-article build up of a mannequin shell region and joint sleeve. After decontamination testing and safety/operational procedures are finalized, work will begin on building the first IPEMS mannequin.

Had the pleasure of visiting Victoria, BC, Canada last week to hold some pre-event meetings for the 8I3M conference (Eighth International Meeting for Manikins and Modeling). After a review of the excellent facilities at PISE (Pacific Institute of Sports Excellence, our conference site) and the Hotel Grand Pacific – confirming the room layouts, choosing menu selections with the caterers, and finalizing the details on shuttle bus transportation between the Hotel Grand Pacific and PISE – I had a little time to walk around and see the beautiful city of Victoria. My visit happened to coincide with “Fleet Week” and the 100th anniversary celebration of the Canadian Navy. Naval ships from Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and the USA were in port, and the streets were full of happy sailors enjoying a day off. They, and I, had a wonderful time, as will everyone attending the 8I3M conference.

For those of you who plan to attend, please register (www.i3mmeeting.com) and make your hotel reservations NOW. The room block we have reserved at the Hotel Grand Pacific (www.hotelgrandpacific.com) is filling up, and we are also getting close to the deadline for confirming the 8I3M space requirements at PISE.

Don’t delay or you will miss out on the year’s premier conference for research involving thermal manikins and human modeling.

There is no shortage of dining choices here in Seattle, and our shipping lunches tend to reflect the diversity of the local cuisine. Greek, Italian, Mexican, Southern BBQ, Indian, Thai, Cuban, Japanese (sushi) and good ‘ol American fare have all taken turns on the menu, but I have to reserve special mention for last week’s shipping lunch, featuring burgers from the Lunch Box Laboratory. These incredible burgers (mine was the bacon-topped “Hothead”) were easily the biggest and tastiest I have ever had. Satisfying enough to induce a food coma – especially when washed down with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup shake – it was an experience that will have to be repeated someday. If, that is, I ever feel hungry again.

Ministry researchers had been try to secure funding for NEMO since 2006, but after years of negotiations things came together quickly in late 2009 and, by February 15th, we had an order in-hand along with an extremely challenging delivery date. Because of government procurement regulations associated with the end of Japan’s fiscal year, MTNW engineers had to design, build, test, and ship a custom 50th percentile (Japanese Male) sweating NEMO system in less than 14 weeks!

I’m not kidding when I say that our Japanese agents (IDS) and the whole MTNW team went into overdrive on this project. Thanks to everyone’s efforts we successfully met the deadline and last week’s installation went very smoothly. Now the customer is happy, our agent is happy, and we’re happy. Dazed and more than a little bit tired… but happy.

Over the years we’ve often thought about how ADAM is an only child and how good it would be to build him a brother. But, as fate would have it, no other customer has had the budget or needed the sensitivity and features that make ADAM unique. So we have decided to move ADAM from the Full Body Manikin product pages to a new (and probably more fitting) home on the Custom Implementations page. ADAM product information and specifications are still available, just at a different place.

Now this doesn’t mean we can’t or won’t build another ADAM. Of course we would, if his capabilities were needed in another cutting-edge research simulation involving human metabolic response to non-uniform and transient environments. But until that day comes, we’ve decided that ADAM is one-of-a-kind…

It is also important to understand the technical challenges of calibrating the tension line parameter of your winch monitoring system.

The calibration of a tension measurement system can be achieved through several methods.

MTNW employees calibrate two Foss tugs in Puget Sound by having them pull against each other

It’s always best to conduct a live calibration of the winch monitoring system once the sensors, displays and line have been installed and the wrap angles determined and identified to be fixed (more on the wrap angle in another blog).

Since tension sensors behave in a very linear fashion, meaning that their electrical output has a linear relationship with the load applied to the sensor itself, a single, two-point calibration (a low tension and high tension reading) is often sufficient to calibrate a tension monitoring system.

We typically can calibrate a system to better than ±0.5% without too much trouble.

Calibrating a winch monitoring system requires the use of an additional (previously) calibrated tension sensor, typically a tension link. Make sure that the tension link has a valid certificate, that it is not expired. You can often rent these for days or weeks at a time.

Calibrations are typically good for a year for these types of devices.

Winch tension calibration often requires additional support from your marine operations group because they will need to provide the winch operator, a previously calibrated tension sensor, deck hands to rig the tension link to the winch line and winch time to complete the calibration procedure.

There have been many times we have been scurrying around the deck to get this done before the vessel leaves the port or the fuel truck shows up (all deck work ceases when the vessel is fueling).

One side of the tension link should be secured to the winch line and the other should be secured to either a rigid solid structure like the deck or weights of known values.
The winch operator can now carefully haul in the line slowly till the desired tension is reached or the weights have been lifted off the ground.

We prefer to use weights as they provide a more stable measurement platform. Because the winch line is basically a big spring, if you are securing your winch line to the deck the system can relax causing the tension link reading to change before the data is applied to the display.

Our method is to collect the tension sensor analog output (mA, volts, mV, etc) at two known line tensions, one high and one low. The low value can be either zero or near zero, depending on the application. The high point can be either the breaking strength of the line or the maximum tension the deployment can expect. It should be noted that the breaking strength of the line is a much higher value than the working tension range of the winch operations. Setting the high calibration point to the breaking strength will reduce the accuracy of the system at lower tension ranges.

We hardly ever calibrate to the maximum breaking strength of the wire rope as the forces required make the rigging difficult and increases the likely hood of something breaking and creating a safety hazard.

Always remember to stand way from the direction of the winch.

I was fortunate once to be able to walk away from an installation in Chile were I was not positioned properly and a snatch block gave way shooting across the deck and denting the bulkhead between myself and the Chief Engineer.

In terms of calibration, note the sensor output at the low and the high points and enter the data into your display. The LCI-90i display will automatically calculate the slope and offset of sensor output verses applied load and apply this over the complete working range of the sensor.

The LCI-90i makes calibration easier than most other systems because the input fields and buttons are right on the main face of the display. Inputs can be changed and updated on the fly without the use of an additional computer. Analog sensor values are displayed during the calibration making the calibration quick and easy.

If higher levels of accuracy are required, you can input more calibration points to develop a “look up table”. This can also be used if the sensor is exhibiting non linear characteristics. Synthetic ropes often will deform under tension and will perform non-linearly. The LCI-90i display allows the end user to develop and reference a “look-up” table without additional programming or a PLC interface.

Other calibration techniques can be used such as shunt calibration, voltage substitution, etc. These techniques, however, are hardly ever used and not worth learning about.

Good luck in your calibration. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.

This non-thermal manikin system features our popular 50th percentile Western or Asian male body form along with the addition of high-accuracy surface-mounted sensors to evaluate the environmental comfort conditions of automotive passenger cabins.

An integrated matrix of sensors measures air velocity, air temperature, radiant heat flux, and relative humidity. Wireless communication capability is included, and each manikin separates into upper and lower halves at the waist for easy insertion into a variety of vehicles. Newton is a fully jointed manikin, and this model is built with shoulder joints that allow the manikin’s elbows to move in or out from the torso, reflecting a range of typical driver positions.

Mitten-shaped manikin hands in a curved, gripping shape allow for easy positioning of the hands onto the vehicle steering wheel. Their shape does not impact air movement, but permits airflow similar to that of a human grip/fist. Thigh backs are flattened to simulate seat compression, for more realistic airflow patterns.

The ambient sensor matrix includes:

60 – Custom airflow/velocity/temperature sensors, developed by MTNW for this specific application. Protective caps are included for use during vehicle installation or storage. Measurement range:

• -20°C to +70°C
• +/- 1.0°C calibrated accuracy
• +/- 0.1°C resolution
• Airflow rates: 0.1-5.0 M/sec
• Temperature compensated from -20°C to +70°C

30 – Thermal radiation sensors, each mounted in a protective recess with the sensor at skin level. Measurement range is from near zero to >3,000 W/m², 1-20 um wavelength.

5 – Relative humidity sensors, 0 to 95% RH, non-condensing.

Interested in having one or two, or four of your own? No problem – we can build more!