Modification and upgradation of corrosion fatigue testing system

Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) and Corrosion Fatigue (CF) are important tests which are performed to check the integrity of structural materials operating in different environments, such as nuclear power system, steam and gas turbines, aircraft marine structure, pipelines and bridges. To establish the environmental testing facility on laboratory scale, NMD acquired a computerized (286 Based PC) electromechanical testing machine from M/S CorTest, USA. This machine was commissioned at NMD in 1989. Since then it has been utilized to test and qualify the materials provided by different establishments of PAEC for SCC and CF behavior. However, in October 2004, computer attached to the machine was corrupted and became out of order. Users were handicapped because there was no any alternate system i.e. Manual control tower to operate the machine. Then users approached to Computer Division to investigate the malfunctioning at the computer. Therefore, upon complete checkup of system, it was diagnosed that there was a serious problem in the hard disk and mother board of the computer. Much difficulty was faced in retrieving the application software from the obsolete 286 computer system. Then the basic aim was to replace the old computer with Pentium System. But with Pentium system application software was not working. Since we have already recovered full application software package including source programs, so all the seventeen programs has been thoroughly studied. Four programs had to be modified according to the new hardware. Now the new Pentium system with modified software has been interfaced with the machine. Machine was tested for the both types of above mentioned tests and compared with previous results. The performance of machine was confirmed satisfactory on the new setup. (author)