A method to improve and automate flat defect detection during ultrasonic inspection

In the nondestructive testing of materials, ultrasonic imagery can detect and characterize defects that are present in a structure. Data are displayed in the form of images, and processing algorithms can be applied for automatic detection and characterization. However, when using diffracted waves, the amplitude is often too low, and the signals are difficult to distinguish from the noise. Other times, the volume of data requires significant computation time. In this paper, we propose a method that can avoid image formation by replacing it with a sparse matrix and significantly reducing the amount of data to process; this allows for the enhancement and the automation of the detection of thin and flat defects such as cracks. The elements of the sparse matrix form a curve, which is sufficient to characterize defects in many cases. These elements are selected from diffracted signals using the split‐spectrum processing method. In this way, the signal‐to‐noise ratio is improved, and the position of the echo signal is accurately determined. When a crack is present in a material, the points of the sparse matrix form a parabola and classical tools of pattern recognition such as the Hough transform can detect it, thus providing significant help in decision‐making processes. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

超声波在皮革工业中应用研究的进展

本文介绍了超声波在皮革工业中的研究和应用,从皮革的鞣制、脱毛、加脂和染色等工序总结了近五十年来国内外的研究进展。     

In-Line Measurement of Rheological Parameters and Modeling of Apparent Wall Slip in Diced Tomato Suspensions Using Ultrasonics

ABSTRACT: Rheological behavior of a slurry consisting of 1- to 3-mm diced tomatoes suspended in tomato juice was evaluated by an in-line measurement method based upon ultrasonics. This technique permitted the measurements of yield stress, consistency index, and apparent wall slip. The suspension exhibited a yield stress at every flow rate studied, and its value was found to be 0.79 ±0.11 Pa. The shear viscosity at different shear rates was obtained in-line without assuming a specific constitutive equation. A comparison of Herschel-Bulkley, Power Law, Bingham Plastic, and Casson models showed that this suspension was best characterized with the Herschel-Bulkley model. The apparent wall slip region was successfully modeled as a Bingham fluid. This study shows the usefulness of this method for in-line characterization of particulate tomato products.     

Laser ultrasonic study of Lamb waves: determination of the thickness and velocities of a thin plate

Transient Lamb waves in a thin copper plate were generated and measured using a laser ultrasonic setup. A two-dimensional Fourier transform method has been employed to analyse the dispersion curves. This allowed a clear identification of multi-mode Lamb waves. Fitting of the dispersion curve allowed a direct determination of the thickness and bulk velocities, as well as the elastic constants. The obtained experimental results of Lamb waves on a copper plate show excellent agreement with the theoretical model.     

A new digital correlation flaw detection system

A new portable digital random signal flaw detection system is described which uses a digital delay line to replace the acoustic delay line of the original random signal system. Using this new system, a comparison was made between the two types of transmit signals which have been used in previous systems—m-sequences and random signals. This comparison has not been possible with these previous correlation flaw detection systems. Results indicated that for high-speed short code operation, the m-sequences produced slightly lower range sidelobes than typical samples of a clipped random signal. For normal long code operation, results indicated that system performance is essentially equivalent in resolution and signal-to-noise ratio using either m-sequences or clipped and sampled random signals. Further results also showed that for normal long code operation, the system produces outputs equivalent in resolution to pulse-echo systems, but with the added benefit of signal-to-noise ratio enhancement.     

Calculation of ultrasonic surface waves from an extended thermoelastic laser source

A method is developed to calculate ultrasonic surface waveforms generated by an extended laser source, operating in the thermoelastic regime of laser-pulse energy density. This approach integrates over a suitably weighted distribution of point surface centers of expansion, for observation to within 1 mm of the edge of the source. Power spectra as well as both horizontal and vertical displacements are presented and discussed for ultrasonic waveforms on an aluminium surface, for incident laser pulses having Gaussian lateral profiles of various sizes. Far from the source, the waveform is dominated by a dipolar Rayleigh (R) wave, whose amplitude and spectral content depend on laser spot size. Weak, monopolar pulses also occur at the intersection of bulk pressure and shear wavefronts with the surface (denoted assP andsS, respectively). Close to the source, thesP wave amplitude approaches that for theR wave, and overlaps theR wave for large source sizes. The fall-off with distance for bothsP andR waves is given. Finally, the changes in pulse shape and amplitude are calculated when anR wave from an extended thermoelastic source is reflected or transmitted by a right-angled corner of an aluminium block.     

Laser-Ultrasonics: From the Laboratory to the Shop Floor

Ultrasonics is a powerful technique for inspecting and characterizing industrial materials. It not only can detect bulk and surface flaws, but also obtain information on material microstructure, which determines engineering properties, such as elastic moduli and ultimate strength. However, traditional ultrasound requires liquid or contact coupling for its generation and detection, making it difficult or impossible to apply in many industrial situations. This occurs, in particular, on curved parts and on parts at elevated temperature, a situation widely found in industrial products and during the processing of industrial materials.Through a continuing effort that started more than 10 years ago, the Industrial Materials Institute of the National Research Council of Canada working in collaboration with UltraOptec Inc. has developed a technique called laser-ultrasonics, that circumvents the limitations of the conventional techniques. This novel technique is based on the generation and detection of ultrasound with lasers. The technology we have developed has been demonstrated to be applicable to real industrial conditions. In particular, a system was brought to a steel mill to measure on-line the wall thickness of tubes at 1000°C moving at 4 m/s. The capability of our technology to inspect advanced aircrafts made of composite materials was also demonstrated by inspecting a CF-18 in the hangar of a maintenance facility. UltraOptec Inc. is now in the process of commercializing this technology, in particular, for these two demonstrated industrial applications.     

增大声波在管壁中传播距离的探讨

本文对声波在管壁中传播距离少的原因进行了理论分析和实验验证,并提出了增大它的两种办法。其中,用电磁声换能器激发导波是一种最为可取的方法。     

Simultaneous ultrasonic evaluation with differentiation of stress and texture

An ultrasonic method for either independent or simultaneous determination of stress and texture is discussed. Quantitative differentiation between stress and texture during simultaneous measurements can be made. The method is useful for unidirectionally rolled, extruded, or cast material, and the validity of the method has been experimentally verified by extensive tests on rolled materials. Electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMAT’s) have been used, and these allow measurements during processing. In principle the method is applicable to non-conducting materials if piezoelectric or ferroelectric transducers are used, but since they are contracting and EMAT’s are noncontacting, the constraints are more severe.     

A simple scheme for self-focusing of an array

A self-focusing technique and its application to a linear array system are presented in this paper. By application of the technique the system is capable of both sonification and reception focusing. The array is first excited as an unfocused array. Next a cross-correlation technique is used to determine time delays of reception of the largest amplitude backscattered signals at the elements of the array. The original transducer signal is then reemitted with the appropriate time delays to achieve sonification focusing on the scatterer producing the largest signal. This process is repeated in an iterative mode to focus energy on the strongest scatterer. Once insonification focusing has been achieved the last time-delay calculations are used once more for reception focusing, i.e., to correct the signals received by the individual elements for differences in arrival times. A low cost linear array has been constructed to implement the self-focusing technique. Examples demonstrate the capability of the technique to focus on the largest hole of sets of three holes in an aluminum specimen.