Measurement of Attenuation of Ultrasonic Propagating through the Thin Layer Media with Time Delay Spectrum

The ultrasonic attenuation coefficient is one of the most important acoustic parameters to character the performance of a thin layer media, but it can not be measured due to mutual superposition of multiple reflected waves at the same interface in ultrasonic testing. Ultrasonic pulse echo and lamb wave to evaluate the thin layer media can not obtain attenuation coefficient at present. In this paper, analytical method was used to study the acoustics characteristic of thin layer media with the ultrasonic echo testing. Meanwhile, the process of ultrasonic attenuation measurement was presented. Simulation and experimental investigation is focused on a thin layer of rubber. Attenuation coefficient was introduced and evaluation mathematics model was established by the two echoes cross-correlation with and without the thin layer media based on the time delay spectrum. It involved the parameters related to the acoustic properties of the thin layer media. Through calculating the sound velocity and acoustic impedance with the evaluation model, it can deduce the relation between the attenuation coefficient and the frequency. Through analyzing the simulation results, it indicated that the attenuation coefficients were invariable with the varying of the frequency. However, the attenuation coefficients increased with the frequency increasing by ultrasonic testing the thin layer of rubber. The reason was that the attenuation factor was not taken into account during the simulation. This method overcomes shortcomings that the traditional ultrasonic testing can not evaluate the thin layer media whose thickness is less than motivation wavelength. It is a new solution to study the attenuation characteristic and on-line nondestructive evaluation in the thin layer media.     

Non-destructive evaluation of the yield stress for low carbon steel by ultrasound measurements

The non-destructive evaluation method for yield stress assessment in low carbon steels based on ultrasonic measurements of the longitudinal and transversal velocities and the longitudinal attenuation coefficient is proposed. First, the mean grain size $\bar D$ is calculated from the measured acoustic parameters and then the yield strength is estimated from these three parameters using the Hall-Petch relationship. Comparative non-destructive and destructive tests for yield stress evaluation are elaborated. The results obtained allow to be concluded that the accuracy of non-destructive evaluation of σ _y is reliable enough.     

微机化的超声液体浓度在线检测仪

本文介绍了一种超声波液体溶液浓度的在线检测方法,并研制了相应的以单片机和计算机为核心的在线检测仪,计算机中的溶液成份数据库中存贮了多种溶液的声时,温度及浓度关系曲线,检测时可根据存贮的曲线反演出浓度;溶液成份数据库为开放系统,用户可自己添加数据库中没有的关系曲线,从而可检测该溶液浓度;仪器采用了声时、声幅衰减及数字处理技术联合排除气泡干扰方法,增强了仪器的稳定性;仪器采用了主精度测声时方法,以提高浓度测量精度,计算机提供了数据查询及图形处理等功能,极大地方便了用户生产管理。     

A study on the ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation of carbon/carbon composite disks

It is desirable to perform nondestructive evaluation (NDE) to assess material properties and part homogeneity because the manufacturing of carbon/carbon brake disks requires complicated and costly processes. In this work several ultrasonic techniques were applied to carbon/carbon brake disks (322mmod, 135mmid) for the evaluation of spatial variations in material properties that are attributable to the manufacturing process. In a large carbon/carbon disk manufactured by chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) method, the spatial variation of ultrasonic velocity was measured and found to be consistent with the densification behavior in CVI process. Low frequency (e.g., 1-5MHz) through-transmission scans based on both amplitude and time-of-flight of the ultrasonic pulse were used for mapping out the material property inhomogeneity. Images based on both the amplitude and the time-of-flight of the transmitted ultrasonic pulse showed significant variation in the radial direction. The radial variations in ultrasonic velocity and attenuation were attributed to a density variation caused by the more efficient densification of pitch impregnation near theid andod and by the less efficient densification away from exposed edged of the disk. Ultrasonic velocities in the edges of the disk. Ultrasonic velocities in the thickness direction were also measured as a function of location using dry-coupling transducers; the results were consistent with the densification behavior. However, velocities in the in-plane directions (circumferential and radial) seemed to be affected more by the relative contents of fabric and chopped fiber, and less by the void content.     

Effects of molecular weight and thermal history on scratch behavior of polypropylene thin sheets

The effects of molecular weight (M_w) and thermal history on the scratch behavior of polypropylene (PP) thin sheets and a commercial thermoplastic olefin (TPO) have been investigated. Scratch parameters like the critical load for onset of scratch visibility and scratch coefficient of friction (SCOF) were utilized in this evaluation. The results suggest that scratch performance is improved when the M_w and surface crystallinity of PP are high. Correlation between scratch resistance and surface crystallinity of PP is established and discussed. Approaches for the preparation of scratch-resistant TPOs are also addressed.     

Study of ductile mode cutting in grooving of tungsten carbide with and without ultrasonic vibration assistance

In this study, ductile mode chip formation in conventional cutting and ultrasonic vibration assisted cutting of tungsten carbide workpiece material has been investigated through experimental grooving tests using CBN tools on a CNC lathe. The experimental results show that as the depth of cut was increased there was a transition from ductile mode to brittle mode chip formation in grooving both with and without ultrasonic vibration assistance. However, the critical value of the depth of cut for ductile mode cutting with ultrasonic vibration assistance was much larger than that without ultrasonic vibration assistance. The ratio of the volume of removed material to the volume of the machined groove, f _ab , was used to identify the ductile mode and brittle mode of chip formation in the grooving tests, in which f _ab <1 indicates ductile mode chip formation and f _ab >1 indicates brittle mode chip formation. For the same radius of tool cutting edge, the value of f _ab at the ductile-brittle transition region either with or without ultrasonic vibration was less than 1. However, the f _ab value with ultrasonic vibration assistance was close to 1. The experimental results demonstrate that ultrasonic vibration assisted cutting can be used to improve the ductile mode cutting performance of tungsten carbide work material.Nomenclature A amplitude - A ₁ , A ₂ cross-section areas of the ridge - A _V cross-section area of the groove - A _W the value of A _V subtracted by A ₁+A ₂ - f vibration frequency - f _ab ratio of work material removal - t time - v nominal cutting speed - v _u vibration velocity - v _t true cutting speed in ultrasonic cutting - angular frequency     

Assessment of the possibilities of the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of multicomponent samples with variable content

Possibility of the employment of a linear coupling equation of mass attenuation coefficients for two energies for the density determination by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of multicomponent samples with variable content was theoretically approved and experimentally demonstrated. The relative error of the density measurements of aqueous-salt and aqueous-alcoholic solutions is 0.5% with a maximum change of the mass attenuation coefficient for the K _α line of zirconium being 70%.     

基于Rayleigh表面波的无损测压方法

超声波在材料内部的传播速度与所受应力有关,由此提出了基于Rayleigh表面波的无损测压新方法,以中低压容器为研究对象,以应力为中间变量,建立了被测压力与由此引起的表面波速度差之间的关系模型,从实际测量的角度进一步推导出了表面波传播一定距离的时间变化量与被测压力变化之间的关系,并对测量中应变的影响给予了修正,实验数据证明了模型的正确性和采用表面波无损测压方法的可行性。     

Attenuation of ultrasonic Rayleigh–Lamb waves by small horizontal defects in thin aluminium plates

The present paper illustrates how horizontal symmetric crack-like defects can be detected rapidly in thin isotropic plates by using longitudinal ultrasonic waves. The use of such longitudinal waves offers the potential of being significantly faster for non-destructively detecting defects than conventional ultrasonic techniques, which rely on transverse waves propagating through the thickness of a plate. Computational and analytical methods are used to predict reflection coefficients due to the attenuation of a longitudinal ultrasonic wave by physically small defects. It is shown that detectable attenuation (>10%), i.e. reflection coefficients, of the lowest order symmetric Rayleigh–Lamb wave (S₀) occurs for a range of small defects (sub-millimeter in length) when using high-frequency waves (MHz range).     

Ultrasonic Measurement Optimization of Spot Welding Diameter of Thin Plate Based on Gain Compensation Algorithm

Russian Journal of Nondestructive Testing - Aiming at the influence of signal attenuation on nugget diameter evaluation results in ultrasonic testing of resistance spot welding, a gain compensation...     

Wear-Resistant PTFE/SiO2 Nanoparticle Composite Films

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a polymer that is well known for its exceptional tribological properties and, as such, it is commonly used to reduce the coefficient of friction between surfaces. In recent years it has also been established that by incorporating nanoparticle fillers in PTFE, it is possible to extend the polymer's life by reducing its wear rate. Although much study has been placed on bulk PTFE, very little study has been focused on thin films. This article demonstrates that SiO ₂ nanoparticles can be used as a filler to significantly reduce the wear of PTFE thin films while also maintaining a low coefficient of friction. The wear resistance and coefficient of friction of PTFE/SiO ₂ composite films on stainless steel substrates were tested using a linear reciprocating tribometer and compared to pure PTFE films and bare stainless steel to evaluate the benefit of incorporating the SiO ₂ filler in the film. The composite films showed a significant improvement in wear resistance when compared to pure PTFE films. The coefficient of friction for the composite film remained low and stable during a 50 g normal load friction test for a duration of approximately 300 cycles, whereas that of PTFE showed an increasing trend at onset. In addition, of 1.7 and 3.3 wt% SiO ₂ concentrations in solution, 3.3 wt% SiO ₂ showed better performance, with a much higher wear resistance than that of 1.7% SiO ₂ after being subjected to a 1,000-cycle abrasive wear test.     

Increasing the camera constant of the EM6 microscope

When identifying compounds by electron diffraction it is necessary to consider the error introduced in the calculated lattice spacings (‘d-values’) during measurement of the patterns. This becomes particularly important for very complex patterns with large d-values such as 4PbO. PbSO₄, where only spots very close to the centre spot are characteristic. There are several methods for increasing the camera constant to reduce this error, but the one described has the advantage of retaining the required facility of selected-area diffraction. The method was developed on an AEI EM6 microscope.     

Friction Reduction and Wear Resistance Enhancement of SiC and Si3N4 Ceramics under Dry Conditions

In this study, an effort was made to control the friction and wear behavior of silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) ceramics using an ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM) technique. The friction and wear behavior of the ceramic specimens was investigated using a ball-on-disk tribotester under dry conditions against two different Si₃N₄ and bearing steel (SUJ2) balls. The experimental test results revealed the possibility of controlling the friction and wear behavior of ceramics, where the friction coefficient and wear resistance of the specimens were improved by the UNSM technique. The hardness of the specimens also increased after UNSM treatment, but it decreased abruptly with increasing depth from the very top surface. Microscratch tests showed that the critical load of the specimens was improved by the UNSM technique. In addition, Raman spectra results revealed that no additional phase was detected after UNSM treatment, but the intensity decreased after UNSM treatment. Hence, the UNSM technique ensures stronger ceramics and enables better friction and wear behavior than available conventional sintered ceramics.     

Features of the reflection of an acoustic beam from a surface with nonuniform boundary conditions. I. Theoretical analysis

Features of the reflection of an acoustic beam from a surface with nonuniform boundary conditions of the free-rigid, free-slip, and slip-rigid types are theoretically analyzed. It is shown that it is fundamentally possible to substantially increase the sensitivity and reliability of evaluations of the quality of the cohesion between materials. This can be done via selection of the spatial position of a PET, as well as selection of the incidence angles of an acoustic beam at which the phase shift φ _D between waves reflected from surface areas with different boundary conditions is nonzero and, if possible, close to ±π. In this case, interference results in a substantial change in the amplitude of reflected waves depending on their reception angle. The features of changes in the field of reflected elastic waves upon intersection of the boundary of a defective region with an acoustic-beam spot are analyzed (in the 2D-formulation) for discrete and linear changes in φ _D .     

GH4169晶粒尺寸的多参数超声评价方法

考虑到单个超声响应特性参数反应出晶粒尺寸的特征信息不够全面,提出将多个超声参数相结合,构建面向GH4169晶粒尺寸无损定量表征的多参数超声评价方法。依据相关性度量准则,从声速、衰减系数、非线性系数等8个超声参数中选取有效参数;构建二次多项式的映射模型,将选取的多维参数降成单维参数并进行量纲一化处理;在对单维参数与晶粒尺寸拟合过程中,构建以两者平均绝对误差最小为目标的优化问题并结合进化算法进行求解,寻找最佳的映射函数和拟合函数系数;最终建立多参数超声评价模型。经测试样本验证表明,与单一参数的声速法模型、衰减系数法模型和背散射EMD法模型相比,所建模型评价结果精度高,性能稳定、误差小且有着良好的评价效应;融合了多个超声检测参数而保留了对晶粒尺寸的响应信息,提高了测量精度和抗干扰能力。     

Automatic and simultaneous measurements of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation changes

A method is described for measuring ultrasonic velocity and attenuation simultaneously by sampling echo pulses along with the repetition rate of velocity measurements. This is achieved by extending the pulse superposition method. This system enables us to measure the attenuation coefficient with a precision of 0.001 dB/cm, and the ultrasonic velocity with better precision than 1 part in 10(6). Velocity measurements can be made automatically up to five times the initial round trip time and can also track fast changes of 50 ms. Since the operation under the p=1 condition can be applied, the system can be used for the measurements of high-loss materials.     

An extrapolation method for the determination of Cliff-Lorimer kAB factors at zero foil thickness

An extrapolation method is proposed to be useful for the determination of the Cliff-Lorimer k_AB factor at zero foil thickness. The method consists of measuring k_AB factors as a function of the measured foil thickness, t_M, and extrapolating the relationship toward t_M=0. The intersection between the extrapolated line and the ordinate of t_M=0 gives (k_AB)₀ which is free from the effect of absorption. The straight line extrapolation that can be achieved by a linear-least squares method is particularly developed to eliminate arbitrariness introduced in the extrapolation process. The extrapolation method is applied to data available in the literature. It is shown that the method yields the (k_AB)₀ factors compatible with those predicted from the theoretical calculation. It is also shown that this method can circumvent several problems which make it complex and difficult to determine accurate values of the absorption-free k_AB factors. Using the straight line extrapolatioin, it is possible to estimate the degree of the thickness overestimation which arises when the foil thickness is measured by the contamination spot separation (CSS) method. Validity of the straight line extrapolation is further discussed.     

Microspectroscopic measurement of the optical properties of rat liver in the visible region

Microspectroscopy is used to investigate optical properties of haemoglobin-free perfused rat liver. Visible spectra of 20 μm diameter spot size were measured in transmission and/or reflection modes as a function of the thickness (< 1200 μm) of the liver-edge. Optical density (OD) in transmission mode increased with the increasing liver thickness, whereas in reflection mode OD decreased but became almost constant above a certain thickness (c. 600 μm) of the liver. The Kubelka-Munk (KM) two-flux model, with a minor modification, was applied successfully to the analysis of the changes in OD as a function of the thickness. This approach estimates the KM absorption coefficient (E_KM), KM scattering coefficient (S_KM) and effective penetration depth (δ_eff) of the liver. The optical properties were similar to reported values, obtained with different methods.     

Aspects of scanning microdensitometry: II. Spot size,focus and resolution

In scanning microdensitometry increasing the size of the measuring spot, or throwing the specimen out of focus, decreases the apparent integrated absorbance A_pE_p of a discrete specimen. Both experimental observations and elementary geometrical theory (i.e. ignoring diffraction effects) show that with moderate spot sizes the relative error in A_pE_p is greater with small objects or objects of high absorbance, and that with a given object the absolute error is approximately proportional to the spot diameter (round spot) or spot width (square spot). From the observed apparent integrated absorbances AE₁ and AE₂ obtained using measuring spots of width s₁ and s₂ respectively, the true integrated absorbance AE₀ corresponding to zero spot size can therefore be calculated from the approximate expression which reduces to With very large spot sizes, or with the specimen grossly out of focus, the apparent integrated absorbance of a specimen of radius R and transmittance I_t tends theoretically to a limit: A_pE_p = 0.4343πR² (I-I_t). Provided the true absorbance of the specimen does not exceed about 0.5 at any point, the true integrated absorbance could in principle be estimated with less than 3% error from the expression but in practice A_pE_p can probably not be measured with sufficient accuracy. In scanning measurements of apparent specimen area, the results depend both on the threshold absorbance used and the size of the flying spot. With low thresholds the apparent area of the specimen at first increases and later decreases, as the spot size is increased or as the focus is changed.     

Effect of graphene addition and tribological performance of Al 6061/graphene flake composite

Graphene, no wonder has attracted a significant research interest due to its extensive physical properties at its single atomic thickness and 2D morphology. The current studies focus on the role of graphene in reducing the wear and frictional coefficient of Al 6061–graphene-reinforced metal–matrix composites (MMC’s). Reinforcement chosen is 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 wt% of graphene to investigate the self-lubricating property under dry wear condition and processed through the ultrasonic liquid processor. The dry frictional wear test was carried out using pin-on-disc tribometer to evaluate the effect of graphene content in the composites under various normal load (5, 10, 15 N) and disc sliding speed (0.4, 0.8, 1.2 m/s) conditions. The results show that there is a significant increase in the hardness and wear resistance and a reduction in the coefficient of friction (μ) values compared to pure alloys. Arithmetic mean surface roughness values (R_a), max profile peak (R_p) and max valley depth (R_v) are found to be comparatively lower than the pure alloy. Due to the tribological potential coupled with improved strength and surface roughness values, Al 6061–graphene composite are excellent candidates for all applications where it is subjected to Friction and wear.