25 Jul 2006 - 25 Jul 2006,
Film about ProBell
A short film about the project was made by Bayerischer Rundfunk and will be
presented in BR 3 (bavarian television) on 2. September 2006 at 18:05 o’clock.
Posted on 25 Jul 2006
Company Hammerwerk Baumann KG forges a clapper for ProBell
The Co. Hammerwerk Baumann KG forged a clapper for the ringing tests at UniAS Kempten. The delivery time was two weeks versus more than 6 month of other
forgers – Thank you!
Posted on 25 Jul 2006
Long term ringing at UniAS Kempten
The long term ringing in anechoic laboratory resulted in a first clapper crack after
230 hours of ringing.
While the bell was ringing, the clapper cracked at its shank and fell on the ground.
Posted on 25 Jul 2006
Midterm meeting of all Probell partners in October 2006
On 16. and 17. October 2006 the midterm meeting of all Probell partners will take
place in Villedieu les Poeles at Cornille Havard in Normandy – France.
During this meeting the work will be presented and discussed, which was done
within the first 12 months of the project.
Posted on 25 Jul 2006
Measurements on a bell at "Hamburger Michel" in September 2006
The UniAS Kempten will perform measurements on the millenium bell (7542 kg) at
the most famous bell tower in Hamburg – the ”Hamburger Michel”.
The intensity of clapper impact the stresses and the sound of bell will be evaluated
in view of wear and durability.
Posted on 25 Jul 2006
2nd Measurement in Oberbueren (CH)
UniAS Kempten has measured on 17. and 18. July 2006 on the welded bell in
Oberbueren / St. Gallen in Switzerland stresses, clapper impact and sound.
These measurements repeated the investigations of January 2006, on the recently
welded bell to investigate the influence of the crack of the sound and the stress
conditions with the new clapper.
The structure of bell bronze was analysed non destructively in the welded area in
comparison to material as casted by the TÜV.
Posted on 25 Jul 2006
21 Apr 2006 - 21 Apr 2006
Exhibition at trade fair HANNOVER MESSE 2006
The UniAS Kempten will present the EC – Project PROBELL at the HANNOVER
MESSE, 24 – 28 April 2006, in Hall 2, Stand A54. It will be exhibited a bell with
belfry applicated for measurements.
Posted on 21 Apr 2006
23 Mar 2006 - 23 Mar 2006
Rüetschi bell cast
On March 31, 2006 partner Rüetschi in Aarau / Switzerland will cast a bell for the
project.
Posted on 23 Mar 2006
Temperature curves
12 bells have been cast especially for the measurements and tests during the
project. On each of these bells the cooling temperature was measured during
casting and subsequent cooling down. In the private area, the dimensions are
given in the table of materials and the temperature time histories in 3 areas of the
bell during cooling as well as the temperature gradients during cooling are provided for each bell.
Posted on 23 Mar 2006
Clappering test
A test was designed and set up to simulate the ringing of a bell in view of the
repeated strokes of the clapper on the bell. A cylinder with about the weight of a
clapper of a medium sized bell is hammering on a bronze block with rather the
dimensions of a bell. The hammering is done under similar conditions as they are
measured during the ringing. The hammering is performed with a high frequency,
so that the ringing of about 100 years can be simulated in the test within a few
weeks.
Posted on 23 Mar 2006
Verification of local computer model
A cylinder falling test was designed to measure the important quantities describing
the clapper impact on the bell under well defined test conditions. Pictures about
the test setup are provided in the gallery. In the private area the documentation of
the first tests and its results are presented together with the computer simulation
of this test. The results show, that the test leads to rather the same impact
conditions as are found during the clapper impact on a bell. The test is therefore
considered as relevant for the verification of simulations. The computer simulation
with a model of the local contact is described in an extra report in the private area.
Posted on 23 Mar 2006
Materials under investigation
In the private area an overview of bells, clappers and belfries provided by the
partners is given with the respective data about weights materials etc.. About
25 bells more than 30 clappers and 10 belfries are available for measurements
and long term ringing tests.
Posted on 23 Mar 2006
Measurements on a cracked bell in Switzerland
In the private area the documentation of the measurements of a cracked bell in
Oberbüren / Switzerland is presented. Global parameters of the bell for a global
dynamic model and stresses, accelerations and the sound during ringing were
recorded for the local analysis of the clapper impact and the sound analysis. After
the bell will be repaired, the measurements will be repeated to identify the
changing parameters due to a crack.
Posted on 23 Mar 2006
08 Feb 2006 - 08 Feb 2006
Delivery of first casted bell by bellfoundry Rincker
On 6. February 2006 the first bell, specially casted for the project PROBELL by the
foundry Rincker, Sinn was delivered to the UniAS Kempten. On this bell measurents of stresses and ringing conditions as well as long term ringing tests are planned.
Posted on 08 Feb 2006
Clapper forging at Company Edelstahl Rosswag
On 18. February 2006 our partner Edelstahl Rosswag will forge a new clapper for
the famous bell Gloriosa of the cathedral in Erfurt.
Posted on 08 Feb 2006
Delivery of bells and belfry of bellfoundry Grassmayr
On 1. February 2006 two bells of the bellfoundry Grassmayr Innsbruck were
delivered to the UniAS Kempten for measurements. The bells have a weight of
2500 kg and 1100 kg.
The setup of the belfry and the installation of the bells in the sound deadening
laboratory are presented with pictures in the gallery.
Posted on 08 Feb 2006
13 Jan 2006 - 13 Jan 2006
Bell founding at J. Taylor Bellfounders Ltd.
The bellfoundry Taylor will cast two identical bells on 16. January 2006 to be
investigated under continental european ringing and change ringing style. During
cooling down of the casted bells will measured the temperature history.
Posted on 13 Jan 2006
12 Jan 2006 - 12 Jan 2006
Measurements in Oberbueren (CH)
On a cracked bell in Oberbueren / St. Gallen in Switzerland Uni Kempten will
measure stresses, clapper impact and sound on 23. and 24. January 2006.
Subsequently the bell will be repaired by welding. The measurements will be
repeated on the welded bell to gain informations about procedures of crack
detection.
Posted on 12 Jan 2006
22 Dec 2005 - 22 Dec 2005
New pictures of bell-founding in the Gallery
The bell foundries Grassmayr, Rincker and Bachert have cast six bells for the
Project PROBELL within the last weeks. In the folder Gallery some pictures of the
moulding, preparation and casting of these bells are presented.
Posted on 22 Dec 2005
20 Dec 2005 - 20 Dec 2005
Temperature Measurements
Within the project 12 bells are casted by the participating foundries for
investigations. On each of these bells thermocouples are installed to measure the
temperature history during cooling down. The measurements are performed in
the most interesting area of clapper impact inside and outside as well as at the
thinnest cross section of the profile.
Posted on 20 Dec 2005
20 Dec 2005 - 20 Dec 2005
Welcome
Dear bell friends and all who are interested in the life of bells.
We are glad to present this new website about PROBELL-Maintenance and Protection of Bells, a project funded by the European Commission within the 6 Framework Programme. 8 European bell foundries joint together to investigate the reasons for damages and wear on bells. The new knowledge shall be used to set up the ringing conditions of bells most smoothly and at the same time provide a high musical quality.
We would like to invite you, to contribute to the project with own experience and
knowledge in our forum. You may follow the activities in the project in the news
and the press releases. For your information we provide the links to the partners
of the project and to organisations of interest. With the ongoing project we also
hope to present an overview on the literature about the life of bells and links to
libraries of importance.
We would welcome your contribution and expect an interesting discussion.
Best regards
Prof. Andreas Rupp
University of Applied Sciences Kempten, Germany
Posted on 20 Dec 2005
Catalogue of library "Deutsches Glockenmuseum"
Ringing Bells-LAVEK Colloquium 03.03.06 (PDF, 1,3 MB)
