Many people have been researching the group of six to eight drones that continue to appear in the night sky in the midwest. States such as Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and North Dakota have all had reports. The theories range from the suspicion that the military is collecting data for establishing an aerial mesh network, and that they are basically preparing to use drones to relay communications after a nuclear strike, or cyber attack. Others think that these drones are the government’s new way of gathering some kind of topographical data to use instead of satellite positioning, because the current satellites will easily be destroyed in a war.
The newspaper articles and social media posts do not all, however, focus or speculate on such official uses of these drones. In fact, as a state neighboring Colorado where marijuana is legal, some Nebraska residents joke that perhaps this is an after dark delivery system to residents in the Cornhusker state who do not have a legal way to make this purchase. Others wonder if these flying drones, which sometimes actually turn out to be airplanes, are really just very innocent. With the latest cameras that are included on these drones and the updated technology providing clearer night vision, there are some who believe that the drones are simply a product of people wanting to test their new equipment.
Technology Needs Continue to Expand
From measurement devices that are used to understand the land surface across the country to other kinds of measurement services that are available with today’s drones, it should come as no surprise that there are many entrepreneurs who are looking for ways to use the latest technologies in ground breaking ways. And whether or not the curious sitings of these drones in the midwest at the beginning of the new decade is anything scientific or whether they are purely recreational, there is no denying that understanding detailed information about both areas of the country and specific machines is important. From torque sensors inside a plant to surveillance methods aboard a drone, the available technology continues to expand. For the most part, of course, torque sensors and other kinds of devices that allow for strain gaging services, rotating equipment checks, and load cell calibration can serve as both a great technology and a challenge for the work force. Finding a way to stay informed on the latest kinds of torque measurement products, for example, is a challenge for some individual workers and companies.
Much of the construction and engineering that our world relies on today is very detail oriented and requires a way for more and more people to make use of these technologies. For this reason, it is important that companies are willing to invest in continual training for employees so that the latest tools are used to the fullest extend. Consider some of these facts and figures about the importance of exact measurements when it comes to load cell calibration and precise torque readings:
- Hydraulic load cells can and do operate at temperatures of -60 degrees C (-76 degrees F). Temperatures below this range, however, can cause costly damage to expensive equipment.
- A torque wrench is a tool used to precisely apply a specific torque to a fastener such as a bolt or nut. This device was invented in 1918 by Conrad Bahr while he was working for the New York City Water Department, but it is still an important tool used more than a century later.
- Careful calibration of an instrument involves comparing the measurements of two instruments: a standard device with a known magnitude or correctness, against which you measure the unit under test.
- Frequently used as part of a weighing system because they offer non-intrusive, load cells provide highly accurate load measurement data, with properly installed and calibrated models routinely achieve accuracies of approximately 0.03 to 1%, depending on load cell type.
- Strain gauge type load cells, hydraulic load cells, diaphragm load cells, spool type load cells, and ring type load cells are the five types of the load cells depending on the primary and secondary element that is used to sense the force.