Intelligent Information-Measurement System for Measuring the Parameters of Oxide Coatings in the Process of Microarc Oxidation

Questions of raising the efficiency and controllability of the process of depositing protective microarc oxide coatings with specified properties on products made of light metals and alloys (aluminum, magnesium, titanium) are examined. An intelligent information-measurement system is developed for measuring the parameters of microarc oxide coatings which contains unique hardware, program, and information support. For the hardware support of the system a technological current source is created that specifies the technical regimes, strength and shape of the current (a sinusoidal or pulsed signal is possible) which to a great extent determines the parameters of the formed coatings. Original circuit solutions in the area of pulsed power electronics, along with modern electronic components, are used for developing the source. The technological current source has a high efficiency and provides a complete range of regulation of the parameters of the energy effect on a test sample where a coating is being formed. The developed intelligent informationmeasurement system is intended for high current measurements of the process parameters and properties of the resulting coatings; it can be used for automatic monitoring of microarc oxidation, as well as for scientific studies. Intelligent application and the knowledge bank of the system ensure intelligent choice of the optimum technological parameters of microarc processing, along with automatically controlled synthesis of microarc oxide coatings with specified properties.