Principle of ultrasonic testing. LEFT: A probe sends a sound wave into a test material.

There are two indications, one from the initial pulse of the probe, and the second due to the back wall echo. !"#T: A defect creates a third indication and simultaneousl$ reduces the amplitude of the back wall indication. The depth of the defect is determined b$ the ratio D%Ep

&ltrasonic testing
From 'ikipedia, the free enc$clopedia

An e(ample of &ltrasonic Testing )&T* on blade roots of a +,-.. !AE aircraftengine. Step 1: The &T probe is placed on the root of the blades to be inspected with the help of a special borescope tool )video probe*. Step 2: !nstrument settings are input. Step 3: The probe is scanned over the blade root. !n this case, an indication )peak in the data* through the red line )or gate* indicates a good blade/ an indication to the left of that range indicates a crack.

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Principle of ultrasonic testing. LEFT: A probe sends a sound wave into a test material. There are two indications, one from the initial pulse of the probe, and the second due to the back wall echo. !"#T: A defect creates a third indication and simultaneousl$ reduces the amplitude of the back wall indication. The depth of the defect is determined b$ the ratio D%Ep

!n ultrasonic testing )UT*, ver$ short ultrasonic pulse0waves with center fre1uencies ranging from ..202- 3#4 and occasionall$ up to -. 3#4 are launched into materials to detect internal flaws or to characteri4e materials. A common e(ample is ultrasonic thickness measurement, which tests the thickness of the test ob5ect, for e(ample, to monitor pipework corrosion. &ltrasonic testing is often performed on steel and other metals and allo$s, though it can also be used on concrete, wood and composites, albeit with less resolution. !t is a form of non0destructive testing used in man$ industries including aerospace, automotive and othertransportation sectors.

Contents
6hide7

o o

2 #ow it works , Features ,.2 Advantages ,., 8isadvantages 9 :tandards ; :ee also eferences < Further reading = E(ternal links

How it works[edit source | editbeta]

!n ultrasonic testing, an ultrasound transducer connected to a diagnostic machine is passed over the ob5ect being inspected. The transducer is t$picall$ separated from the test ob5ect b$ a couplant )such as oil* or b$ water, as in immersion testing. #owever, when ultrasonic testing is conducted with an Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer )E3AT* the use of couplant is not re1uired. There are two methods of receiving the ultrasound waveform: reflection and attenuation. !n reflection )or pulse0echo* mode, the transducer performs both the sending and the receiving of the pulsed waves as the >sound> is reflected back to the device. eflected ultrasound comes from an interface, such as the back wall of the ob5ect or from an imperfection within the ob5ect. The diagnostic machine displa$s these results in the form of a signal with an amplitude representing the intensit$ of the reflection and the distance, representing the arrival time of the reflection. !n attenuation )or through0transmission* mode, a transmitter sends ultrasound through one surface, and a separate receiver detects the amount that has reached it on another surface after traveling through the medium. !mperfections or other conditions in the space between the transmitter and receiver reduce the amount of sound transmitted, thus revealing their presence. &sing the couplant increases the efficienc$ of the process b$ reducing the losses in the ultrasonic wave energ$ due to separation between the surfaces.

At a construction site, a technician tests a pipeline weld for defects using an ultrasonic phased arra$ instrument. The scanner, which consists of a frame with magnetic wheels, holds the probe in contact with the pipe b$ a spring. The wet area is the ultrasonic couplant that allows the sound to pass into the pipe wall.

?on0destructive testing of a swing shaft showing spline cracking

Features[edit source | editbeta]

Advantages[edit source | editbeta]
2. #igh penetrating power, which allows the detection of flaws deep in the part. ,. #igh sensitivit$, permitting the detection of e(tremel$ small flaws. 9. @nl$ one surface needs to be accessible. ;. "reater accurac$ than other nondestructive methods in determining the depth of internal flaws and the thickness of parts with parallel surfaces. -. :ome capabilit$ of estimating the si4e, orientation, shape and nature of defects. <. ?on ha4ardous to operations or to nearb$ personnel and has no effect on e1uipment and materials in the vicinit$. =. Aapable of portable or highl$ automated operation.

Disadvantages[edit source | editbeta]

2. 3anual operation re1uires careful attention b$ e(perienced technicians ,. E(tensive technical knowledge is re1uired for the development of inspection procedures. 9. Parts that are rough, irregular in shape, ver$ small or thin, or not homogeneous are difficult to inspect. ;. :urface must be prepared b$ cleaning and removing loose scale, paint, etc., although paint that is properl$ bonded to a surface need not be removed.

5.

Aouplants are needed to provide effective transfer of ultrasonic wave energ$ between transducers and parts being inspected unless a non0contact techni1ue is used. ?on0contact techni1ues include Laser and Electro 3agnetic Acoustic Transducers )E3AT*.

<. !nspected items must be water resistant, when using water based couplants that do not contain rust inhibitors.

Standards[edit source | editbeta]

International Organi ation !or Standardi ation "ISO#

!:@ =B<9, Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic testing - Specification for calibration block No.

!:@%8!: 22<<<, Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing of welded joints cceptance levels !:@%8!: 2=<;., Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing of welded joints !:@ ,,C,-, Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing - !esting of welds in austenitic steels and nickel-based allo"s

$uro%ean Co&&ittee !or Standardi ation "C$'#

E? -C9, Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic e#a$ination E? 299.0;, Non destructive testing - !er$inolog" - %art &' !er$s used in ultrasonic testing E? 2=2,, Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing of welded joints - cceptance levels E? 2=29, Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing - ()aracteri*ation of indications in welds E? 2=2;, Non-destructive testing of welds - Ultrasonic testing of welded joints E? 2,,,9, Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic e#a$ination - Specification for calibration block No. 1 is replaced b$ the E? !:@ ,;..:,.2, >?on0destructive testing 0 &ltrasonic testing 0 :pecification for calibration block ?o. 2>

E? 2,<<C02, Non-destructive testing - ()aracteri*ation and verification of ultrasonic e#a$ination e+uip$ent - %art 1' ,nstru$ents E? 2,<<C0,, Non-destructive testing - ()aracteri*ation and verification of ultrasonic e#a$ination e+uip$ent - %art 2' %robes E? 2,<<C09, Non-destructive testing - ()aracteri*ation and verification of ultrasonic e#a$ination e+uip$ent - %art 3' (o$bined e+uip$ent E? 2,<C., -ounding - Ultrasonic e#a$ination E? 2;2,=, Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic t)ickness $easure$ent

See also[edit source | editbeta]

?on0Aontact &ltrasound Phased arra$ ultrasonics

Time of flight diffraction ultrasonics )T@F8* Time of Flight &ltrasonic 8etermination of 98 Elastic Aonstants )T@F* !nternal rotar$ inspection s$stem )! !:* ultrasonics for tubes E3AT Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer A T )Acoustic esonance Technolog$*

(e!erences[edit source | editbeta]

):ee :tandards above*

Furt)er reading[edit source | editbeta]

Albert :. Dirks, obert E. "reen, Er., technical editors / Paul 3c!ntire, editor. Ultrasonic testing, ,nd ed. Aolumbus, @# : American :ociet$ for ?ondestructive Testing, 2BB2. !:D? .0 B92;.90.;0B.

Eosef FrautkrGmer, #erbert FrautkrGmer. Ultrasonic testing of $aterials, ;th full$ rev. ed. Derlin/ ?ew Hork: :pringer0+erlag, 2BB.. !:D? 90-;.0-2,920;. E.A. 8rur$. Ultrasonic -law Detection for !ec)nicians, 9rd ed., &F: :ilverwing Ltd. ,..;. ):ee Ahapter 2 online )P8F, <2 kD**. ?ondestructive Testing #andbook, Third ed.: +olume =, &ltrasonic Testing. Aolumbus, @#: American :ociet$ for ?ondestructive Testing. 8etection and location of defects in electronic devices b$ means of scanning ultrasonic microscop$ and the wavelet transform measurement, +olume 92, !ssue ,, 3arch ,..,, Pages ==IB2, L. Angrisani, L. Dechou, 8. 8allet, P. 8aponte, H. @usten

Aharles #ellier ),..9*. >Ahapter = 0 &ltrasonic Testing>. .andbook of Nondestructive Evaluation. 3c"raw0#ill. !:D? .0.=0.,C2,202.