Environmental and Agricultural Sciences

PSL has had a long relationship with organizations that help reduce the impact of human activity on our environment. PSL has helped design and construct various instruments that monitor and evaluate such impact.

Samples of PSL Projects in the Environmental and Agricultural Sciences

Water Sampler PSL designed and constructed a sheet flow sampler for the United States Geological Survey. The device is designed to take samples of water flowing across a flat surface such as a parking lot, building site, road or walkway. It is designed to open and close a plug in the lid periodically so as to collect water samples throughout a rainstorm instead of becoming filled within the first few minutes. The device is placed in a hole such that the top is flush with the surface. This allows both water and traffic to flow easily over the sampler. PSL developed the prototype and 15 improved units through the support of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Force Transducer for the Forest Products Lab The force transducer built for the Forest Products Laboratory is a device designed to measure the three axis forces sustained by a high- powered saw while cutting wood. The high frequency transducer is capable of measuring forces while the saw is operating at industrial speeds (about 55 meters/sec) and when the saw is cutting through wood at various angles to the grain. Understanding saw tooth forces aids in the development of more efficient cutting techniques and the reduction of waste.