Ultrasonic Testing
Ultrasonic Testing
The transducer is
capable of both
transmitting and
receiving sound
energy.
PRINCIPLES OF ULTRASONIC
INSPECTION
• Ultrasonic waves are introduced into a material where
they travel in a straight line and at a constant speed
until they encounter a surface.
• At surface interfaces some of the wave energy is
reflected and some is transmitted.
• The amount of reflected or transmitted energy can be
detected and provides information about the size of the
reflector.
• The travel time of the sound can be measured and this
provides information on the distance that the sound has
traveled.
TEST TECHNIQUES - PULSE-ECHO
• In pulse-echo testing, a transducer sends out a pulse of energy and the same or
a second transducer listens for reflected energy (an echo).
• The amount of reflected sound energy is displayed versus time, which provides
the inspector information about the size and the location of features that reflect
the sound.
f
initial
pulse back surface
echo
crack
echo
0 2 4 6 8 10
TEST TECHNIQUES – NORMAL AND ANGLE BEAM
1 2
IP 1 IP 2 IP = Initial Pulse
FWE FWE FWE = Front Wall Echo
DE = Defect Echo
BWE BWE BWE = Back Wall Echo
DE
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10
TRANSDUCERS
• Transducers are manufactured in a variety of forms, shapes and sizes for varying
applications.
• Transducers are categorized in a number of ways which include:
- Contact or immersion
- Single or dual element
- Normal or angle beam
• In selecting a transducer
for a given application, it
is important to choose the
desired frequency,
bandwidth, size.
CONTACT TRANSDUCERS
Contact transducers are
designed to withstand
rigorous use, and usually
have a wear plate on the
bottom surface to protect
the piezoelectric element
from contact with the
surface of the test article.
Many incorporate
ergonomic designs for ease
of grip while scanning along
the surface.
CONTACT TRANSDUCERS
• A way to improve near surface
resolution with a single element
transducer is through the use of a
delay line.
• Delay line transducers have a plastic
piece that is a sound path that
provides a time delay between the
sound generation and reception of
reflected energy.
• Interchangeable pieces make it
possible to configure the transducer
with insulating wear caps or flexible
membranes that conform to rough
surfaces.
DATA PRESENTATION - A-SCAN
• A-scan presentation displays
Signal Amplitude
the amount of received
ultrasonic energy as a function
of time.
• Relative discontinuity size
can be estimated by comparing
the signal amplitude to that Time
from a known reflector.
•
Signal Amplitude
Reflector depth can be
determined by the position of
the signal on the horizontal
sweep.
Time
DATA PRESENTATION - B-SCAN