Innovative NDT Solutions. Ultrasonic Sensor Technology Phased-Array Search Units. An AREVA and Siemens company

Transcription

1 Innovative NDT Solutions Ultrasonic Sensor Technology Phased-Array Search Units An AREVA and Siemens company

2 Phased-array ultrasonic sensor technology A product of intelligendt Systems & Services The automation and performance of NDT tasks depend to a great extent on the implemented sensor technology. intelligendt Systems & Services can draw on a wealth of expertise in the design, manufacture and handling of phased-array ultrasonic inspection equipment. Phased-array s are used in applications where the inspection task or the inspection requirements make it necessary to use several incidence or skew angles, and where multiple inspection zones must be examined (from the near surface of the test object down to its far surface). Our range of products includes s for the following applications: mechanized, automated manufacturing and inservice inspections, weld and base metal inspections, inspection of metals such as steel or aluminum, inspection of non-metals such as carbon fiber or glass fiber reinforced plastics, wall thickness measurement and combinations of these applications. In development and construction, intelligendt Systems & Services applies its expertise in solving inspection problems, its experience in the automation and performance of inspection tasks, and its manufacturing experience. Our motto is: Specially adapted s are they key to best possible inspection results Because intelligendt Systems & Services both develops (by design and modeling) and manufactures s, we are able to achieve a high degree of flexibility while at the same time keeping delivery times short. Inspection requirements can be quickly implemented directly in optimized sensor technology. Based on more than a decade of experience, intelligendt Systems & Services offers an extensive line of standard phased-array s, special phased-array s and line scan arrays. phased-array s, which are optimized for each industry-specific application, comprehensive qualification and documentation, s matched to the ultrasonic inspection and analysis hardware and software. and of course we will provide you with customdesigned ultrasonic instruments from the SAPHIR plus family as well as the requisite mechanical inspection and robotics equipment Search Prüfkopf unit Elemente Elements Transducer Schwinger Component Bauteil T1 T7 T8 Schallfeld Sound im field Bauteil in Wave Wellen- component front 0 0 incidence Einschallwinkel angle Principle of scanning-angle sound-beam generation using phased-array technology The phased-array technique In a phased-array, the transducer, which generates the sound, consists of a series of individual crystal elements. The scanning angle and sound field can be selectively modified by varying the way in which these individual elements are electronically controlled. A with a natural scanning angle of 0 is shown at the left in the illustration. Farther to the right is an instantaneous representation of the wave front which is generated by delayed excitation of each crystal element. This wave front has the same appearance as the sound field of a single conventional angle-beam. Different sound fields are generated by varying the delay time increments.

3 Search units Various different designs are available, depending on the inspection requirements and the component geometries involved. Among other factors, these differences pertain to size, the coupling geometry or coupling surface, watertight or protected against splashwater, as required, with cable or built-in plug connector, as a with variable sound fields in the incidence or skewing direction, pulse-echo, dual and custom designed units or line scan arrays for inspection of ultra-thin to thick-walled components. Standard phased-array s are phased-array s which already meet the requirements of standardized applications. They are available in vertically or horizontally skewable arrays, and feature a composite-linear-array transducer consisting of 8 to 16 elements. Special phased-array s are designed to meet the requirements of specific inspection applications. These s provide more meaningful inspection results, increase the efficiency of the inspection process, and in some cases make it possible to perform inspections at all. Their design features include shoes matched to the contour of the components, a greater inspection frequency range, special inspection techniques (ADEPT, LLS mode conversion), ultrasonic and eddy-current sensors combined in one housing. Benefits of using the phased-array method: smaller systems for complex geometries maximized inspection volume highly reliable inspection results reduced number of inspection scans lower inspection costs improved signal information greater reliability... and more These s are also used under difficult inspection conditions such as high water pressures, high temperatures or increased radiation levels. Line scan arrays are phasedarray s which contain a line-scan-array transducer made up of 16 to (at present) 128 elements. Line scan arrays are highly flexible members of our family of products. Compared to the phased-array s discussed above, with the inspection characteristics they feature, line scan arrays allow the various incidence angles to be electronically shifted through along the length of the. This technique, as implemented in the SAPHIR plus ultrasonic instrument, thus makes a mechanical offset unnecessary. The inspects the test object from various different transducer element positions under program control with 0 incidence angle, with various other incidence angles, or using a dynamically varied depth of focus. Standard phased-array Special phased-array Line scan array 0 sound beam Control of sound field with a linear array Calibration block Testkörper Sound field Search unit 0 focusing Array 45 sound beam Linear array g Variation of incidence angle Variation of skew angle Incidence angle Focusing Side-lobe suppression Line-scan-array operation Control of sound field

4 Examples of applications using state-of-the-art phased-array technology Phased-array s are used for inspection of carbon fiber reinforced plastics and metal components: Inspection of welds in cylindrical vessels and shafts Inspection of welds in the cylindrical shell of a rocket booster requires up to 72 skew directions in order to detect flaws regardless of their orientation. The welds can be inspected from a single surface using a compact system of phased-array s, thereby dramatically reducing the total number of s required. Complete coverage of the azimuthal defect orientation (0 to 360 ) 7 s (6 phased-array s and 1 conventional 0 ) instead of 72 s for complete coverage of inspection area Weld Booster inspection It was also possible to drastically reduce the number of s used in the inspection of shafts by combining different scanning angles in one search unit. In addition, this technology provides rapid, optimized imaging of indications using acoustic tomography in the longitudinal and transverse shaft directions. Skew angle range Skew phased-array Compact system with phased-array s Compact phased-array system for inspection of rocket booster shells Conventional system 1 1 phased-array Phased instead 11 konventionelle Array Prüfkopf statt of 11 conventional search Prüfköpfe units Technique used to inspect turbine shafts in power plants Turbinenwelle shaft Tomographic Tomographische evaluation Auswertung

5 Wheel Inspection of solid shafts with maximized signal information Railroad axle shafts, which are of different diameters and have different transition geometries, are inspected using the phased-array technique. In this process, the is coupled at a single axial position and the axle is rotated only once to inspect the entire area of the shaft ends. Railroad axle shaft inspection Search unit 6B 5B Sound beams 4B 3B Test reflector 2B Shaft 1B Rapid inspection and evaluation of carbon fiber reinforced stringers using line scan arrays The is simply moved along a weld either manually or automatically or as shown in the illustration over the area to be inspected. All of the relevant data taken from the inspection volume are recorded. The excellent display dynamics are optimized via dynamic variation of the sound entry point, the incidence angle, and the sound field focus by shifting the sound beam through the search unit. Sector scan for inspection of metallic or carbon fiber reinforced plastic components A sector-scan is used to scan the complete volume of the test object from a single position by sweeping the sound beam through 180 (-90 to +90 ). This inspection technique is advantageous when used with components which have complex geometries and inspection surfaces where access is limited, such as turbine blade attachment geometries of the fir-tree type. Backwall Side drilled hole Stringer 64-element line scan array Phased-array Stringerfußbase Phased Array- Prüfkopf Prüfkopf Search unit Calibration Testblock mit block with side Querbohrungen drilled holes 1mm 1-mm side Querbohrung drilled hole Frontansicht Front view Turbinenschaufelbefestigung blade attachment mit with of turbine Prüfbereich inspection area Prüfkopf Search unit Calibration block measurement using a sector scan with SAPHIR plus Example of application and evaluation Search unit documentation: Typical documentation Each is supplied with a complete data sheet for that type of unit, or optionally with the data sheet which corresponds to that individual. These data sheets detail the most important characteristics. They contain the following criteria: relevant parameters such as inspection frequency, transducer dimensions, wedge angle, roof angle (for dual s), impedance, cable length, etc., display of directivity patterns in the vertical and horizontal directions, display of the pulse shape, display of the frequency spectrum.

6 As a company involved in non-destructive examination worldwide, intelligendt Systems & Services has been among the market leaders for thirty years. We offer a comprehensive range of products and inspection services, and are engaged in the development of ultrasonic and eddy-current sensor technology, inspection equipment and software, all the way to software for data analysis and documentation. Our wealth of experience gained throughout a broad spectrum of applications allows us to quickly and economically implement solutions to handle well-known as well as new inspection tasks even in the case of components with complex geometries or made of materials which by their nature are difficult to inspect. Customer satisfaction is our highest priority, regardless of whether the customer needs an automatic inspection system, a or qualification of an inspection method. intelligendt puts cutting-edge technologies and expert know-how to use in improving the quality of life, above all in terms of safety and reliability, and can be found everywhere the great challenges of the 21st century and the interests of our future generations are involved in energy conversion technology (nuclear and conventional), aviation and aerospace, the automotive and steel industries and railroads. For further information, contact: intelligendt Systems & Services GmbH & Co. KG Freyeslebenstraße Erlangen, Germany Tel.: +49 (0) Fax: +49 (0) info@intelligendt.de Herausgeber und Copyright (2002): Framatome ANP GmbH Freyeslebenstraße Erlangen, Germany Bestell-Nr. ANP: G-168-V1-02-GER Printed in Germany M WS K.-Nr. 311