Ultrasonic Bearing Inspection

Written by afri-can on 20th October 2015. Posted in Aerospace

Ultrasonic Bearing Inspection

ScanMaster has enhanced and adapted its line of immersion scanners to meet the stringent inspection requirements set by the bearing industry.

ScanMaster immersion scanners service the full range of industrial bearing rings, from those used in high-speed trains to those integrated in windmills. These fully integrated, high throughput automated ultrasonic bearing inspection systems provide the best bearing inspection solution, both performance- and productivity-wise.

Ultrasonic Bearing Inspection

ScanMaster has enhanced and adapted its line of immersion scanners to meet the stringent inspection requirements set by the bearing industry.

ScanMaster immersion scanners service the full range of industrial bearing rings, from those used in high-speed trains to those integrated in windmills. These fully integrated, high throughput automated ultrasonic bearing inspection systems provide the best bearing inspection solution, both performance- and productivity-wise.

Ultrasonic Bearing Inspection: Systems Gallery

Features and Benefits

Rugged immersion tanks with high-precision mechanics
chucking and centering of the rings
Fast two-position lifting device (operated from the HMI screen) for easy loading and unloading of bearings
Motorized turntable chucks for automated
Provision for interfacing with a loading-unloading robot
Multi-transducer probe holder for increased inspection throughput
Fully automated inspection process requiring no operator intervention maximizes efficiency and helps prevent operator errors
Efficient "Teach-In" function for programming of spherical and ball bearings
Off-line part programming through importing part models from CAD files
A, B, and C-scan data analysis tool kit, including a tool library for analysis and evaluation of scan results
3D display of bearing model and scanning robot
Comprehensive inspection reports with standard and customized versions

The Crucial Role of Ultrasonic Inspection in Bearing Manufacturing

Ultrasonic inspection plays a pivotal role in ensuring the reliability and performance of bearings, a critical component in various machinery and equipment. By utilizing advanced ultrasonic testing techniques, potential defects in bearings can be detected without causing any damage to the components.

The significance of ultrasonic inspection for bearings lies in its ability to identify hidden flaws, such as cracks, or material defects, with high accuracy and precision. Ultrasonic waves are used to penetrate the bearing material, providing detailed information about the internal structure and integrity. This allows maintenance teams to proactively detect and address potential issues, preventing costly downtime and minimizing the risk of equipment failure.

By prioritizing ultrasonic inspection of bearings, industries can enhance operational safety, reduce maintenance costs, and increase productivity. It is an indispensable tool for ensuring the reliability and efficiency of rotating machinery in diverse sectors, including manufacturing, power generation, transportation, and more.

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Plate Inspection

Written by afri-can on 14th October 2015. Posted in Aerospace

Plate Inspection

Rolled aluminum and titanium plates intended for aerospace applications are inspected in accordance with stringent industry standards. The large size of the plates and their wide thickness range demand high inspection productivity. Defect evaluation and comprehensive inspection reports are common requirements.

ScanMaster offers a variety of field proven, high throughput plate inspection systems designed to provide a complete solution for material testing and handling. ScanMaster systems use either phased array or conventional transducers for defect detection, and include advanced features for plate scanning, data acquisition, defect evaluation and reporting.

Plate Inspection

Rolled aluminum and titanium plates intended for aerospace applications are inspected in accordance with stringent industry standards. The large size of the plates and their wide thickness range demand high inspection productivity. Defect evaluation and comprehensive inspection reports are common requirements.

ScanMaster offers a variety of field proven, high throughput plate inspection systems designed to provide a complete solution for material testing and handling. ScanMaster systems use either phased array or conventional transducers for defect detection, and include advanced features for plate scanning, data acquisition, defect evaluation and reporting.

Plate Inspection: Systems Gallery

Rolled aluminium plates intended for aerospace applications are inspected in accordance with stringent industry standards, such as the AMS-STD 2154, the ASTM B594 and the Boeing BAC 7055. The large size and considerable thickness of the plates demand high inspection productivity. Defect evaluation and categorization, comprehensive inspection reports, and interfaces to various MES (manufacturing execution system) types are common requirements.

Automation of standart-driven functions:

Non-contact surface tracking
Automated UT calibration and verification procedures to reduce pre-scanning time
Generation of beam profile data for accurate sizing of defects
A configurable defect evaluation procedure complying with applicable standards, using a fully automated rescan
Automated defect classification and sizing

The System

The inspection system design is based on a loading roller table, from where the plates are transported onto the lifting platform and immersed into the tank. After inspection, the plates are lifted up and proceed through the dryer to the unloading table.

UT inspection is done in immersion based pulse-echo mode using two 128 element phased array transducers that scan simultaneously with the required overlapping.

Automated UT calibration and verification procedures to reduce pre-scanning time

Sensitivity calibration and verification procedures are among the most time consuming processes of UT inspection.

The initial stage involves setting the uniformity of the virtual probes’ (VP) ultrasonic beams across the depth, using a reference block with side-drilled holes of different depths. As the system operates with two probes, this procedure is extremely important.

Once VP uniformity is achieved, Distance Amplitude Correction (DAC) calibration and verification is automatically performed for a single VP by dynamically scanning a designated set of calibration standards. Once the DAC is created, the system automatically updates it in all setups, as necessary. The sensitivity check (dynamic check) is usually done every four hours and is executed automatically.

Automatic inspection procedure

1. The Main Scan

The main scan begins after the plate is inside the tank and the "Clearance" command is received. The main scan is done using a UT setup for the required inspection class. C-Scan images of the material gate and back-wall gate (with separate attenuation mode) are collected.

Based on this scan, the software generates an intermediate report that shows detected indications on the C-scan. The Indications table of the report includes details about the location, amplitude and ToF of each indication, and provides a preliminary list of indications with defect categorizations according to the guidelines of the relevant standard.

2. Indications rescan

Following the main scan, some of the indications found in the plate need to be rescanned.

According to ASTM B594 2.2.1 and 10.5.1 specifications and Boeing specifications, all indications exceeding a predefined level of the adjusted reference size must be inspected by means of angle manipulation. This evaluation is done by angulation and movement of the sound beam around the indication.

In systems based on conventional UT probes, this inspection is generally done using a probe manipulator that mechanically rotates the probe. In the system described in this paper, the phased array probe performs the procedure using a combination of electronic sectorial and linear scanning.

The procedure generates a combined "Top C-Scan".

Defects can be evaluated one at a time, or automatically (as a set). Following the evaluation process, the Indications table is updated with the maximum acquired amplitude of the defect and its proper categorisation.

Plate Surface Tracking

Due to the production process of these plates, there may be occasional slight waviness of the plate surface that affects the UT refraction angle. Misalignment of plate placement relative to the scanning gantry may also affect the relative position of the plate surface to the transducers’ scanning plan. To prevent misalignment issues from influencing the UT data, the system tracks the surface of the plate during scanning, using a specially designed surface tracking subsystem.

Distance monitoring is based on measurement of the water path of each of the three probes to the inspected surface. A designated software algorithm monitors the distance and calculates the offsets to be applied to the azimuth or elevation axis of the manipulator. In addition, the software generates the necessary offset to be applied to the Z axis in order to maintain the water path within a predefined tolerance.

Use of the surface following algorithm does not affect scanning speed.

In order to utilize the full scale of the system scanning envelope while maintaining high productivity, the system supports inspecting multiple plates of the same thickness in one scan. During the multi-plate full scan, one C-scan of all the plates scanned in a batch is produced. After the scan is finished and the overall C-scan has been completed, the software automatically divides the overall C-Scan into separate C-scan files of each plate. To prevent data loss, the division is done using an edge recognition algorithm. The separate C-Scans therefore include part of the edge and the stretcher marks (if any).

The operator may define the ROI (Region of Interest) of a C-scan of an individual plate to define an area in which defect evaluation will be done. From this point, each plate is evaluated separately, and an individual report per plate lot number is issued.

Features and Benefits

‘One stop shop’ providing fully integrated, high throughput automated inspection systems.
To provide a comprehensive inspection solution, systems may include material handling devices such as lifting platforms and rolling tables in addition to the immersion tank and scanning robot.
Full communication with plant computer for material handling, transfer of material information and test requirements, and handover of inspection results.
Advanced, unique features assure accurate scanning, reliable data acquisition and automated defect evaluation, as well as high inspection throughput.
Automated DAC calibration to reduce pre-scanning time.
Non-contact surface tracking to ensure perpendicularity of the ultrasonic beam on the plate surface.
Automated defect evaluation procedure complying with applicable standards.
Compliance with major standards, such as AMS STD 2154, ASTM B 594, ASTM E 2375, BSS 7055 and ABP-6-5232.

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Billets and Bars Inspection Systems

Written by afri-can on 30th August 2015. Posted in Aerospace

Ultrasonic Testing of Bars and Billets

ScanMaster offers a variety of immersion scanners for ultrasonic testing of round and square bars and billets, as well as tubes and shafts intended for use in aerospace, steel and other industries.

These ultrasonic bar testing systems can support a wide range of part dimensions, accommodating bar diameters of 8 mm –
1,000 mm (5/16" – 40") and different bar lengths, according to customer requirements.

Both conventional and phased array transducers are incorporated in such scanners. System configuration is depending on the geometry and size of products to be inspected, as well as on the applicable standards and specifications of requirements. Custom design assures full system compliance with specific geometrical parameters and inspection requirements.

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Ultrasonic Bar Testing: Systems Gallery

Supported Scanner Configurations

ScanMaster ultrasonic bar testing systems support a number of scanner configurations.
The implemented configuration is based on the geometry and size of products to be inspected as well as
on applicable standards and specifications of customer requirements.

Some supported configurations include:

Search tube with gimbal/gimbal probe manipulator supporting quick exchange between conventional
and Phased Array transducers
Multi transducer heads with surface following mechanism for:
a. Multi Zone inspection with either single element or Fermat probes
b. Combined composite scan using multiple transducers to enhance productivity
c. Probe adjustment allowing combinations of shear scan in circumferential and axial mode
Dedicated rotator for calibration bars

Other configurations that support devices such as bar indexers, drop-in platforms for flat parts and more can be provided.
Add-on jigs for accommodation of rectangular and square bars of various dimensions are also available.

Features and Benefits

Modular configuration, both hardware- and software-wise

Adherence to major aerospace and steel standards: AMS 2628, P3TF31, DMC 0022, SIM-16, RPS 707, ASTM E-588, SEP 1927 and others
Rugged immersion tanks with high-precision mechanics and integrated water circulation system
Universal inspection head permits multi-zone or conventional inspection, as applicable
Customized multi-transducer holder for simultaneous inspection using longitudinal and shear waves
Quick exchange between phased arrays and conventional transducers
Mechanical surface follower

Multi-channel programmable ultrasonic instrument with exceptional performance
Helical (spiral) scan mode used for inspection of round bars and billets significantly increases inspection throughput

A, B and C-scan data processing and analysis tool kit. Includes a reach library of tools for analysis and evaluation of scan results
Comprehensive inspection report, standard and customized versions in accordance with applicable aerospace and steel standards: ASTM E-588, SEP 1927 and others
Automation of major functions provides time savings and prevents operator errors

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Ultrasonic Inspection of Composites

Written by afri-can on 30th August 2015. Posted in Aerospace

Ultrasonic Inspection of Composites

The extensive use of glass and carbon fiber composites in manufacturing of modern aerospace components is raising the need for reliable, cost-effective NDT systems for the ultrasonic inspection of such components in the manufacturing stage.
The complexity of the new multilayered parts of complicated geometry with high curvatures and varying thicknesses and the requirement to inspect the parts on a 100% rate are posing serious challenges to such systems.
For example, stringer webs, flanges, edges, radii and chamfers as well as untrimmed part and parts drilled with holes must be completely inspected.

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Ultrasonic Inspection of Composites: System Gallery

Supported Scanner Configurations

Travelling bridge type scanners

suitable for inspection of single curvature parts (one bridge systems) or double curvature parts (two bridge systems). This configuration requires minimal floor space and permits use of a turntable for high throughput inspection of round structures. A removable immersion tank can be provided as required.

Dual tower scanners

appropriate for scanning complex double curvature parts. A removable immersion tank can also be provided in this configuration.

Flatbed systems

used for inspection of flat parts or parts of moderate curvature. These scanners of ultrasonic inspection of composites, are usually equipped with multiple squirters for productivity enhancement.
Parts of complex shape can also be inspected by squirter systems using industrial robots.

Features and Benefits

Fully integrated systems: All system components are designed, manufactured and tested by ScanMaster, ensuring smooth, reliable operation of the system as a whole
Scanning speeds of up to 1,000 mm/second
Simultaneous inspection in through transmission and pulse echo modes
Simultaneous inspection with linear and logarithmic amplifiers
Dual squirter, dual frequency features for high throughput
Easy part programming through intuitive Teach In tools, including import of CAD files such as CATIA
Advanced image analysis and processing tools
Adherence to Airbus and Boeing requirements
Packaged water systems with active flaw control, including storage, filtration and UV treatment
Optional turntable and part fixtures
Optional removable immersion tank (gantry and dual tower configurations)

LS-200 COPA

Phased Array Immersion Scanner for Automatic Ultrasonic Inspection of Composite Panels, Skins and Stringer Components

The extensive use of glass and carbon fiber composites in manufacturing of modern aerospace components is raising the need for reliable, cost-effective NDT systems for the inspection of such components in the manufacturing stage. The complexity of the new multilayered parts of complicated geometry with high curvatures and varying thicknesses and the requirement to inspect the parts on a 100% rate are posing serious challenges to such systems. For example, stringer webs, flanges, edges, radii and chamfers as well as untrimmed part and parts drilled with holes must be completely inspected.

ScanMaster LS-200-COPA immersion scanners provide an efficient, automated solution for the ultrasonic inspection of Carbon and Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer parts, such as skins, stringers, and spars. The
inspection is making use of multi-channel ultrasonic phased array (PA) technology, which is well proven for such applications.

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What is water jet ultrasonic inspection?

Water jet (squirters) ultrasonic inspection is a cutting-edge technique utilized for the meticulous examination of composite materials. Particularly suitable for dense materials and those with significant sound dissipation properties, such as glass fiber composites, this method has become the industry standard for inspecting such composites. By employing water jets coupled with ultrasonic waves, this non-destructive testing approach allows for thorough through-transmission inspection. It is highly effective in detecting internal defects, delaminations, and anomalies that may compromise the structural integrity of composite materials. Whether it's examining buoyant composites or components vulnerable to water ingress, water jet ultrasonic inspection provides unparalleled accuracy and reliability, ensuring the highest quality and safety standards in various industries, mainly for aerospace manufacturing.

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Ultrasonic Immersion Systems

Written by afri-can on 12th August 2015. Posted in Aerospace

Ultrasonic Immersion Testing Systems

ScanMaster’s ultrasonic immersion testing systems are designed for high throughput and multi-shift operation in both industrial and lab environments. These fully integrated systems provide various scanning configurations and incorporate conventional and phased array ultrasonic technologies to support diverse applications, from inspection of engine disks and HPT (High Pressure Turbine) spools to scanning of bars, shafts, billets and plates.

Our automated ultrasonic testing (AUT) systems are approved for use in both production halls and aviation MROs by all major manufacturers, including GE Aviation, RR engines, P&W and others.

All of ScanMaster’s immersion tank systems feature high accuracy multi-axis scanning frames to enable testing of complex parts, and include a multi-channel ultrasonic instrument with exceptional performance.

Together with a comprehensive set of software modules, this versatile series of systems provides customers with the best price performance solutions.

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Ultrasonic Immersion Testing: Systems Gallery

Features and Benefits

Powerful teach-in and scanning software enabling inspection of complex 3D parts
Support of offline part programming through CAD import of part models
A, B and C-scan data processing and analysis toolkit featuring a rich library of tools for analysis and evaluation of scan results
1000 Gates, an advanced algorithm for automatic evaluation of jet engine disc scan results
Comprehensive inspection reports with standard and customized versions
High-resolution, gimbal-gimbal probe manipulator with protective electro-mechanical breakaway mechanism
Automation of major functions, promoting efficiency and reducing operator errors
Specialized toolkit for jet engine spool inspections

Optional Modules

Continuous motion or two-position motorized lifting device for easy loading and unloading
Motorized chucking for quick part clamping
Application-tailored multi-transducer probe holder
Loading/unloading industrial robot interface for fully automated inspection

Features and Benefits

Powerful teach-in and scanning software enabling inspection of complex 3D parts
Support of offline part programming through CAD import of part models
A, B and C-scan data processing and analysis toolkit featuring a rich library of tools for analysis and evaluation of scan results
1000 Gates, an advanced algorithm for automatic evaluation of jet engine disc scan results
Comprehensive inspection reports with standard and customized versions
High-resolution, gimbal-gimbal probe manipulator with protective electro-mechanical breakaway mechanism
Automation of major functions, promoting efficiency and reducing operator errors
Specialized toolkit for jet engine spool inspections

Optional Modules

Continuous motion or two-position motorized lifting device for easy loading and unloading
Motorized chucking for quick part clamping
Application-tailored multi-transducer probe holder
Loading/unloading industrial robot interface for fully automated inspection

SYSTEM SOFTWARE

C-Scan Inspector (CSI)

ScanMaster’s CSI software, provides sophisticated yet intuitive tools for system control.

The software enables programming of part geometry, ultrasonic instrument parameters, scan parameters, scan plan sequences and data collection parameters. The software has a single integrated display for control of motion axes, the ultrasonic instrument, Teach-in, scanning and data processing.

The display includes on-line presentation of A, B and C-scans, as well as a 3-D display of part and transducer advancement during scans. The CSI software features an image-processing package that includes a set of standard reports. Customized reports can also be supplied. This package can also operate on off-line stations.

SYSTEM SOFTWARE

C-Scan Inspector (CSI)

ScanMaster’s CSI software, provides sophisticated yet intuitive tools for system control.

The software enables programming of part geometry, ultrasonic instrument parameters, scan parameters, scan plan sequences and data collection parameters. The software has a single integrated display for control of motion axes, the ultrasonic instrument, Teach-in, scanning and data processing.

The display includes on-line presentation of A, B and C-scans, as well as a 3-D display of part and transducer advancement during scans. The CSI software features an image-processing package that includes a set of standard reports. Customized reports can also be supplied. This package can also operate on off-line stations.

Our Ultrasonic Immersion Testing Systems

LS-200 Series

Industrial Ultrasonic Scanning System

The LS-200 Series industrial scanners are C-scan ultrasonic testing systems whose unique robotic design combines precision scanning motion with exceptionally smooth and simple part loading and unloading.
Each system includes an integrated usc-100 ultrasonic instrument with a search-tube mounted RPP square wave pulser preamplifier for high sensitivity and enhanced SNR, precision servo motion control and ScanMaster CSI software for part set-up, scanning, inspection analysis and data archiving.

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The following scanning platforms are available:

LS-200S - (X, Y, Z) Maximum motion envelope of 1200 x 600 x 600mm (48" x 24"x 24") with part turntables up to 600mm (24") in diameter.
LS-200L/LP-1200 - (X, Y, Z) Maximum motion envelope of 1400 x 920 x 1000mm (55" x 36" x 40"), with part turntables up to 1000mm (40") in diameter. A motorized lift platform or two-tiered leveling are available as optional features.
LS-200LP-1500 - (X, Y, Z) Maximum motion envelope of 1400 x 900 x 1000mm (55" x 36" x 40"), with part turntables up to 1200mm (48") in diameter.
LS-200LP-WSS model – Approved by GE Aviation for inspection of CFM56-5 ,7 HPT (High Pressure Turbine) & Rotor disc

The LS-200 cantilever configuration can also be provided as an ultrasonic testing solution for bars and billets.

LS-200 PA

An Integrated Phased Array and Conventional Ultrasonic Scanner

Engine disks are important components of turbine based jet engines. However, the stringent requirements of their ultrasonic inspection standards take a significant toll on manufacturing time. One way of reducing inspection time is implementing the phased array ultrasonic inspection technique as part of the inspection plan.

ScanMaster offer's the LS-200 PA, a fully integrated phased array and conventional UT based immersion scanner for inspection of engine disks. The LS-200 PA system significantly increases inspection productivity while maintaining highest detection and evaluation capabilities.

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LS-200 PA

An Integrated Phased Array and Conventional Ultrasonic Scanner

Engine disks are important components of turbine based jet engines. However, the stringent requirements of their ultrasonic inspection standards take a significant toll on manufacturing time. One way of reducing inspection time is implementing the phased array ultrasonic inspection technique as part of the inspection plan.

ScanMaster offer's the LS-200 PA, a fully integrated phased array and conventional UT based immersion scanner for inspection of engine disks. The LS-200 PA system significantly increases inspection productivity while maintaining highest detection and evaluation capabilities.

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LS-500 Series

Industrial Ultrasonic Scanning System

The LS-500 series industrial scanners are C-scan inspection systems whose modular design enables a range of system dimensions according to scanning requirements, with no need for customized designs. The rugged modular design of the bridge-mounted search tube ensures high-speed inspection with tight tolerance limits for accuracy, repeatability and resolution.
The LS-500 series also support ultrasonic phased-array testing.

The standard LS-500-1000 configuration consists of a motion envelope of 1,000 x 600 x 700mm (40" x 24"x 28") with part turntables up to 600mm (24") in diameter.

The LS-500 configuration can also be utilized for ultrasonic testing solutions for bars and billets.

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DS-200i Series

Industrial Ultrasonic Scanning System

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The new generation of DS-200i scanners provide a cost-effective C-scan inspection solution with a superior design. These fully integrated systems include ultrasonic electronics, scanning mechanics, axes motion control, data acquisition and processing software.

Typical applications for the DS-200i include:

Large discs and spools of aero-engines
Rings of large bearing such as wind turbine pitch bearings
Flat or complex non-rotational parts

Tank in pit configuration

Tank on floor configuration

LS-50 Series

Compact immersion scanner- suitable for manufacturing sites, metallurgical labs and research institutes.

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The LS-50 is a compact, fully integrated ultrasonic immersion testing system providing an optimal cost-effective solution for inspection of discs, bearing rings, bars, metallurgical samples, monolithic composites parts and more. Although small, LS-50 scanners are complete systems containing UT electronics, mechanics, motion control and software, all designed, manufactured and integrated by ScanMaster. The LS50 includes all the standard features of the CSI application, ScanMaster's well-known inspection software package.

The standard LS-50TT configuration consists of a motion envelope of 750 x 400 x 450mm (30" x 16"x 18") with part turntables up to 400mm (16") in diameter.

LS-50 immersion testing systems can support both turntable and bar rotator:

The LS-50BR

The LS-50TT

Standard Immersion Scanners Configurations

Product	Motion Envelope Linear Axes			Manipulator	Max. Part Diameter mm (inch)	Turntable Capacity kg (lbs)	Water Heightmm (inch)
	X mm (inch)	Y mm (inch)	Z mm (inch)	A B deg deg
LS-50 Series
LS-50(**)	750 (30)	400 (16)	450 (18)	±38 ±112	400 (16)	80 (176)	300 (12)
LS-500 Series
LS-500-1000	1,000 (40)	600 (24)	700 (28)	±38 ±112	600 (24)	200 (440)	430 (17)
LS-200 Series
LS-200s	1,200 (48)	600 (24)	600 (24)	±38 ±112	600 (24)	200 (440)	450 (18)
LS-200L-1200	1770 (69)	920 (36)	1,000 (40)	±38 ±112	1,200 (48)	1,000 (2,200)	820 (32)
LS-200LP-1200^(*)	1,400 (55)	920 (36)	1,000 (40)	±38 ±112	1,200 (48)	1,000 (2,200)	780 (30)
LS-200LP-1500	1,680 (66)	1,100 (43)	1,000 (40)	±38 ±112	1,500 (59)	1,000 (2,200)	740 (29)
DS-200 Series
DS-200i-1800	2,000 (78)	1,500 (59)	1,300 (51)	±38 ±112	1,800 (70)	1,500 (3,300)	1,200 (48)
DS-200i-2000	2,000 (78)	1,800 (70)	1,300 (51)	±38 ±112	2,000 (78)	2,000 (4,400)	1,200 (48)

^(*) LS-200LP-WSS model – Approved by GE Aviation for inspection of CFM56-5 ,7 HPT (High Pressure Turbine) Rotor disc

^(**) For bar rotator configuration please reffer to the LS-50 brochure

What is ultrasonic immersion testing?

Ultrasonic immersion testing is an effective means of identifying small defects and material irregularities with a high Probability of Detection (POD). This testing method provides accurate sizing and improved detection of sub-surface defects (improved NSR – Near Surface Resolution). Testing results can be easily viewed in part inspection reports.

Ultrasonic immersion testing is done with the part submerged in an inspection tank, where the water acts as a coupling medium. The ultrasonic probe (transducer) is connected to a probe manipulator (usually supporting two rotating axes) that is part of a cartesian or angular multi-axis scanner. The probe is then moved in a pre-defined trajectory over the part surface, creating a mesh of points (pixels) on which the UT data is retrieved.

The ultrasonic wave, induced by the probe, travels through the water and into the part. Once it penetrates the part, any defects, flaws or inclusions will reflect the ultrasonic wave within the material back to the probe. The time required for the wave to return to the transducer (ToF = Time of Flight) and the associated amplitude can be recorded at any given data point (pixel).

Data acquired during inspection can be viewed (and recalled) as A-Scan (per pixel), B-Scan, C-scan and D-scan images. These images can be analyzed using appropriate image processing tools to gather required information about the part’s integrity.

Immersion testing has several advantages. First, water allows better quality of coupling than that provided by contact inspection, resulting in improved near surface resolution. In addition, use of a computerized multi-axis scanner enables better and faster inspection of complex geometrical parts.

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