New applications drive growth in the fibre-optic stress/strain measurement equipment markets

Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration

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October 2007 Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration

The need for sophisticated equipment continues to gain significance as new applications for stress/strain measurement increase in the oil and gas, as well as building sectors. Accordingly, the stress/strain measurement equipment markets, comprising conventional and fibre-optic methods, appear set to achieve growth.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (www.testandmeasurement.frost.com) reveals that the world stress/strain measurement equipment market earned revenues of $3,2 billion in 2006 and estimates this to reach $4,5 billion in 2013.

"Technologies such as Fibre Bragg Gratings (FBG), the Brillouin scattering method, Fabry-Pérot fibre-optic sensing technology and Rayleigh scattering methods contributed to the growth of the fibre-optic measurement equipment market in 2006," notes Frost & Sullivan senior research analyst Sujan Sami. "Moreover, these technologies are expected to assist the fibre-optic methods in exceeding customer requirements more effectively when compared to conventional technologies."

Currently, the FBG technology contributes about 70% of the total fibre optic market revenues, followed by the Fabry-Pérot fibre-optic sensing technology and the Rayleigh scattering method. In the long term, the Rayleigh scattering method will likely increase its potential and generate larger revenues for this market segment.

In the future, these products will compete with conventional methods such as strain gauges and load cells. Fibre-optic equipment reliability and high competition with conventional methods represent the key challenges affecting the growth of this market.

"Conventional methods have existed for over six decades and the impact of the fibre-optic products will likely take at least another decade to overcome the growth of the mature conventional-type measurement equipment market," says Sami. "Moreover, the high cost of fibre-optic equipment remains a deterrent to market growth."

Remote monitoring represents one area of concern for the conventional methods, especially in situations where the sensor and instrument are placed several miles apart. Therefore, remote monitoring is a key driver for the fibre-optic equipment market.

Given these factors and the growth potential of fibre-optic methods, vendors' continuous efforts to educate end-users about the features of these devices will prove beneficial.

To receive a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants, and an overview of the latest analysis of the World Stress/Strain Measurement Equipment Markets, e-mail Patrick Cairns - Corporate Communications with the following information: full name, company name, title, telephone number, e-mail address, city, state, and country.

For more information contact Patrick Cairns, Frost & Sullivan, +27 (0)21 680 3274, [email protected], www.frost.com

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Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration

New applications drive growth in the fibre-optic stress/strain measurement equipment markets

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