Engineering Consulting Services
Kicher & Co has a long history of consulting services, which focus primarily on mechanical devices and structural elements. Over the years, we have concentrated on the unusual rather than the routine. We have been particularly successful in the analysis, design and development of new products and the introduction of new technologies to old products. The range of our consulting experience includes medical devices, sports equipment, snow removal equipment, automotive crash barriers, as well as numerous specialty machines for manufacturing, such as rolling mills and mechanical presses.
Strain Gage Services
The successful implementation of strain gages for measuring strains in mechanical devices and structural components requires a combination of unique engineering tools and laboratory skills. Locating the most appropriate site for the installation of a gage, selection of the gage size and configuration and specifying the electrical characteristics of the installation requires the command of several engineering disciplines, including applied mechanics, heat transfer and electrical circuits. Attaching the strain gages and associated wiring demands an artful combination of several laboratory skills. Many engineering companies, who have attempted to use strain gages as an investigative method have abandoned the attempt in frustration or have collected data of questionable accuracy. Our strength in strain gage applications comes from our extensive experience in utilizing strain gages in making meaningful measurements.
We have installed a wide variety of foil and piezoresistive strain gages, as shown in the photo, to mechanical devices and structural components ranging from 0.5" OD accelerometer diaphragms to large space structures. These installations were operated in various environments from high pressure chambers at ambient pressures of 100,000 psi to impact loading in Arctic Test Sites.
We assist our clients in every aspect of strain gage applications from selection of the gage site to the collection and interpretation of the data.