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Rapid Identification of Saber Steel Flexibility, Microhardness, and Chemical Composition by Analyzing Electromagnetic Signatures

Received: 18 March 2020     Accepted: 3 April 2020     Published: 17 April 2020
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Abstract

Modern fencing sabers are made of composite steel alloys. Although there are regulations standardizing blade dimensions and stiffness, fencers often find blades having variable flexibility and tensile strength from vendor to vendor and, occasionally, from batch to batch of production. Due to the absence of an objective test to assess blade quality, fencers often resort to testing blades with simple visual or physical whip tests. These manual blade assessments, however, are unsatisfactory due to subjective inconsistencies as well as unreliability due to similar blade weights, colors, and appearances. The ability to properly and accurately test blade quality is of utmost importance, not only for competition, but more importantly, to prevent injuries which have occurred as a result of broken blades. Traditional industrial methods of steel alloy identification involve spectrometry or machine tensile strength assessments, which are both destructive to the blade and impractical in a competition arena. We previously reported a method to use the smartphone magnetometer to differentiate fencing steel alloys. This manuscript now demonstrates the correlation between electromagnetic signatures to the flexibility, microhardness and chemical composition of steel blades.

Published in American Journal of Sports Science (Volume 8, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajss.20200802.11
Page(s) 29-32
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Fencing, Saber, Steel, Alloy, iPhone, Magnetometer, Magnetism

References
[1] International Olympic Committee. Fencing: History of Fencing at the Olympics Games. Olympics Studies Centre. March 2015.
[2] AZOM. Advanced Materials in the Sport of Fencing. AZO Materials. March 15, 2001. https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=179.
[3] Science Encyclopedia. Steel: Raw Materials. Downloaded September 18, 2019. http://science.jrank.org/pages/6483/Steel-Raw-materials.html.
[4] Smith, William F, Hashemi, Javad. Foundations of Material Science and Engineering. McGraw-Hill, 2001. p. 394.
[5] Vericheck Technical Services. Common Metal Detection Methods. December 1, 2016. https://verichek.net/common-metal-identification-methods.html.
[6] Chen, Lucas. Determining Fencing Blade Quality using Dynamic Magnetic Field Measurements. The United States Trademark and Patent Office, U.S. Serial Number 16/422, 731. May 24, 2019.
[7] Wallulis, Karl. List of Metals That Are Attracted to Magnets. April 17, 2018. https://sciencing.com/list-metals-attracted-magnets-7501815.html.
[8] TechBlog. Using techBASIC to Turn Your iPhone or iPad into a Metal Detector. November 30, 2011. http://www.byteworks.us/Byte_Works/Blog/Entries/2011/11/30_Using_techBASIC_to_Turn_Your_iPhone_or_iPad_into_a_Metal_Detector.html.
[9] USA Fencing Rules, June 2018. https://cdn3.sportngin.com/attachments/document/7c68-1570818/2018-USA-Fencing-Rules.pdf.
[10] Chen, Lucas. Differentiation of Fencing Blade Alloys Using iPhone Magnetometer. J Experimental Techniques and Instrumentation. April 2020 (in press).
[11] Vickers Hardness Test. https://www.gordonengland.co.uk/hardness/vickers.htm.
[12] Delfini, Ron. Rockwell, Brinell, and Vickers Metal Hardness Tests: What’s the Difference? Engineering Specialties, June 14, 2018. https://www.esict.com/blog/rockwell-brinell-and-vickers-metal-hardness/
[13] Korolef, Alexander I. On electromagnetic induction in electric conductors. General Physics. February 22, 2013. https://arxiv.org/abs/1303.0785
[14] Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency. Measuring Magnetic Fields. 2020. https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/more-radiation-sources/measuring-magnetic-fields
[15] Alvarado, Lucinette. Electromagnetic Fields in the Steel Industry. Iron & Steel Technology. June 2014, p36-39.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Lucas Braddock Chen. (2020). Rapid Identification of Saber Steel Flexibility, Microhardness, and Chemical Composition by Analyzing Electromagnetic Signatures. American Journal of Sports Science, 8(2), 29-32. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20200802.11

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    ACS Style

    Lucas Braddock Chen. Rapid Identification of Saber Steel Flexibility, Microhardness, and Chemical Composition by Analyzing Electromagnetic Signatures. Am. J. Sports Sci. 2020, 8(2), 29-32. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20200802.11

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    AMA Style

    Lucas Braddock Chen. Rapid Identification of Saber Steel Flexibility, Microhardness, and Chemical Composition by Analyzing Electromagnetic Signatures. Am J Sports Sci. 2020;8(2):29-32. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20200802.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajss.20200802.11,
      author = {Lucas Braddock Chen},
      title = {Rapid Identification of Saber Steel Flexibility, Microhardness, and Chemical Composition by Analyzing Electromagnetic Signatures},
      journal = {American Journal of Sports Science},
      volume = {8},
      number = {2},
      pages = {29-32},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajss.20200802.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20200802.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajss.20200802.11},
      abstract = {Modern fencing sabers are made of composite steel alloys. Although there are regulations standardizing blade dimensions and stiffness, fencers often find blades having variable flexibility and tensile strength from vendor to vendor and, occasionally, from batch to batch of production. Due to the absence of an objective test to assess blade quality, fencers often resort to testing blades with simple visual or physical whip tests. These manual blade assessments, however, are unsatisfactory due to subjective inconsistencies as well as unreliability due to similar blade weights, colors, and appearances. The ability to properly and accurately test blade quality is of utmost importance, not only for competition, but more importantly, to prevent injuries which have occurred as a result of broken blades. Traditional industrial methods of steel alloy identification involve spectrometry or machine tensile strength assessments, which are both destructive to the blade and impractical in a competition arena. We previously reported a method to use the smartphone magnetometer to differentiate fencing steel alloys. This manuscript now demonstrates the correlation between electromagnetic signatures to the flexibility, microhardness and chemical composition of steel blades.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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    T2  - American Journal of Sports Science
    JF  - American Journal of Sports Science
    JO  - American Journal of Sports Science
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    AB  - Modern fencing sabers are made of composite steel alloys. Although there are regulations standardizing blade dimensions and stiffness, fencers often find blades having variable flexibility and tensile strength from vendor to vendor and, occasionally, from batch to batch of production. Due to the absence of an objective test to assess blade quality, fencers often resort to testing blades with simple visual or physical whip tests. These manual blade assessments, however, are unsatisfactory due to subjective inconsistencies as well as unreliability due to similar blade weights, colors, and appearances. The ability to properly and accurately test blade quality is of utmost importance, not only for competition, but more importantly, to prevent injuries which have occurred as a result of broken blades. Traditional industrial methods of steel alloy identification involve spectrometry or machine tensile strength assessments, which are both destructive to the blade and impractical in a competition arena. We previously reported a method to use the smartphone magnetometer to differentiate fencing steel alloys. This manuscript now demonstrates the correlation between electromagnetic signatures to the flexibility, microhardness and chemical composition of steel blades.
    VL  - 8
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Author Information
  • West Coast Fencing Academy, US Fencing, Monrovia, USA

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