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Investigative Science and Engineering, Inc. (ISE) has been providing scientific consulting, research and development (R&D), and mission support to the engineering, legal, forensic, environmental, industrial, military, and scientific communities. We specialize in solving highly complex engineering problems utilizing innovative, state-of-the-art methods. ISE has a versatile, dedicated team of researchers, and is one of the best-equipped technical firms of its type in San Diego County and in the State of California. Further, as a certified California Small Business (CA-SB), and a CPUC certified Woman-owned Business Enterprise (WBE), we help businesses and government agencies meet their small business participation requirements, while providing them with superlative scientific services. |
Recent Events and Projects
ISE is always developing new and innovative technologies and solutions to assist our clients as well as our own research and development projects. Here's a small sampling of some of the recent things we've been up to over the past couple of months ...
Laser Optics Test Bench Development Complete
ISE has completed work on our laser optics test bench. The focal point is our newly built Class IV 1W 655nm continuous wave laser capable of high levels of visible illumination and particle scatter in our laboratory research. Our big scary laser, besides being used for holography experiments of various gas transition phases under examination in the lab and the detection of damage in specially and generally orthotropic composites, has the uncanny ability to burn through gloved hands, ignite dark objects, ruin digital cameras (if not properly positioned), heat water, and oh yes, blind you instantly.
Needless to say, an entire set of safety protocols and interlocks has been incorporated into the design to keep the experiments safe. The photo shows the effect of the laser being shined lengthwise through a simple glass prism.
Rubidium Atomic Time Standard Added to ISE Laboratory
ISE has added a Stanford Research Systems Model CG635 in-house atomic clock to our physical sciences laboratory as a redundant calibration standard independent of other sources (actually allowing ISE's research lab to function as its own independent time and frequency benchmark for very long periods of time). Our atomic clock, which is the same type as those used in GPS navigation satellites, would be classified as a secondary frequency standard, which works through the measurement of electron transition in Rubidium-87 atoms.
It's long term stability is roughly 1x10-10 seconds, more than accurate for our needs. It is periodically cross-checked against our LORAN-C standard which has an accuracy of 1x10-12 seconds.
The photo is of the unit under normal operation.
Dynamic Stability Assessment of the Pleasureway Excel Motor Coach
Just how safe is the Class B RV Motorcoach you're driving in? That's a question we recently answered for a client experiencing some stability problems with a particular vehicle. ISE recently performed a kinematic, kinetic, and operational dynamic assessment of a new Pleasureway Excel MMX Class B motorcoach which was experiencing some classical aerodynamic flutter (and subsequent stability loss) at highway speeds. Our testing came up with some interesting findings, which will be published online in the upcoming months.
Stay tuned...
SRS 300 AMU Mass Spectrometer Added to Physical Science Laboratory
ISE has again raised the bar to new levels by adding Mass Spectrometry to our list of in-house services. Our SRS UGA300 mass spectrometer allows our research staff to expand its investigative research capabilities down to the atomic level. With the ability to detect materials having weights up to 300 atomic mass units (AMU's), and rapidly compare test samples against 192,262 different chemical compounds using the NIST08 Mass Spectral Library, the use of mass spectrometry allows ISE to quantify with great accuracy test samples for heavier and more difficult to detect elements and compounds such as lead, mercury, arsenic, as well as radioactive isotopes.
The photo shows a standard Tedlar bagged air sample being tested.
Lightmap Illumination Modeling Program Brighter than its Competitors
The diffractive technology developed over the years within the IS3 model has also been revisited in our new Lightmap 3.0 program which provides foot-candle intensities across any surface. LightMap is an effective tool in identifying artificial and natural light distribution across an area of interest and is readily capable of capturing the smallest details of shadow and glare. The program need not be limited to just the visible spectrum of light (roughly 700 nm to 400 nm) and can in fact generate field patterns for any non-ionizing radiation source (i.e., wavelengths from 1 mm to approximately 750 nm – the boundary of the near infrared).
The new LightMap 3.0 program was recoded with an eye towards massively parallel processing. The photo is a sample output (in horizontal foot-candles at 36-inches) for a large auto plaza project.
IS3 Model Tackles the Toughest Environmental Noise Problems
The latest version of the ISE Industrial Source Model (IS3) is sure to make the competitors cringe. Version 3.9 touts some highly advanced features such as the ability to model complete internal reflection, multiple material attenuative sources, variable propagation rates and source types, and atmospheric scattering. In addition, a complete overhaul of the code was performed streamlining the computational task for the end user. Adaptation of the Apple XGRID technology is currently being examined as a variant to the IS3 program, since most internal tasks can be performed in a parallel fashion.
Other firms merely talk about being able to do noise contouring; ISE is raising the bar by developing the technology and taking the visualization process to levels 'unheard of' before. Imagine what IS3 could do for your project...
R-Wave Seismic Blasting Prediction Model Hits another Milestone
Our R-Wave ground vibration prediction model hit another milestone this year in development by being able to accurately predict surface freight and commuter rail motion to within an accuracy of one-foot. For years, the model has been routinely able to handle multiple blasting sources with accuracy far greater than that predicted by the DuPont equation. Now, incorporating the eigenfunctions from years of modal analysis of different soil types has improved the accuracy of less-impactive sources.
The photo is a sample output showing a high-confinement blast.
Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) of Large Scale Composite Structures
ISE is currently developing a robust method for the determination of structural defects within laminated composite aerospace structures. The current method under development uses a mathematically derived specially-orthotropic lamination model subjected to sensitivity perturbations from empirical dynamic transfer-function data. Predicted failure areas, precipitated by the loss of signal coherence between test points, are screened under a statistical failure model using the maximum strain energy (Beltrami) theory and maximum distortion energy (von Mises) theory as indicators of areas of delamination of plies, disbonding of joints, or void detection.
The photo to the right shows one of the many tests being performed to quantify the extent of disbonding and delamination within an eight-ply woven composite panel specimen having a NASA ply configuration of [0/45/0/-45]S and an EA-956 resin.
