Patent ID: 8531305

Claim:
A method for measuring electrical resistance of a joint, comprising: supplying a first electrical current between a first end of a first member of the joint and a first end of a second member of the joint; measuring a first electrical voltage between a second end of the first member and a second end of the second member; wherein the first end and the second end of the first member are situated on opposing sides of the joint, and the first end and the second end of the second member are situated on opposing sides of the joint calculating a first joint resistance of the joint from the supplied first current and the measured first voltage; comparing the calculated first joint resistance to a predetermined minimum joint resistance; comparing the calculated first joint resistance to a predetermined maximum joint resistance, wherein the predetermined maximum joint resistance is greater than the predetermined minimum joint resistance; and outputting a result of the comparison to a receiver, wherein the result includes: a measurement error, if the calculated first joint resistance is below the predetermined minimum joint resistance, a failed joint, if the calculated first joint resistance is above the predetermined maximum joint resistance, and an acceptable joint, if the calculated first joint resistance is above the predetermined minimum joint resistance and below the predetermined maximum joint resistance.