The Developments of Simulation Software for Ultrasonic Testing

Transcription

1 17th World Conference on Nondestructive Testing, Oct 2008, Shanghai, China The Developments of Simulation Software for Ultrasonic Testing Hong-bin SHAN, Ming LI, Huai-dong CHEN, Tian-ming LV Suzhou Nuclear Power Institute, Suzhou, China Tel: , Fax: Web: Abstract: The developments of simulation software for ultrasonic testing are reviewed in this paper. Some typical softwares CIVA(developed by French Atomic Energy Commission), simsundt(developed by Swedish Simulation Centre for NDT), Imagine3D(developed by Canadian UTEX Scientific Instruments Inc.), UTSIM(developed by Center for Nondestructive Evaluation of Iowa State University), VIRTUAL NDE(developed by Electric Power Research Institute) are presented, including their theoretical backgrounds, simulation capabilities, applications, newest progresses. Keywords: ultrasonic testing, simulation, software The simulation for ultrasonic testing plays an increasing role along with the developments of simulation software and computer technologies. As simulation permits to master the parameters involved in an ultrasonic examination, it has become an important tool to increase inspection reliability. The applications of simulation include the data analyzing, performance demonstration, conceiving methods and optimization, virtual design, teaching, training and so on. The simulation field has drawn attentions from a lot of specialists, and different softwares are developed by many institutes. Among these softwares, the typical representatives are CIVA(developed by French Atomic Energy Commission), simsundt(developed by Swedish Simulation Centre for NDT), Imagine3D(developed by Canadian UTEX Scientific Instruments Inc.), UTSIM(developed by Center for Nondestructive Evaluation of Iowa State University), VIRTUAL NDE(developed by Electric Power Research Institute). 1. General Introduction CIVA has been developed by CEA(French Atomic Energy Commission) since more than one and a half decade [1-3]. As a simulation platform, CIVA offers a wide range of resources in simulation directed by industrial and research laboratory needs, including not only the ultrasonic testing, but also the eddy current and X-ray or gamma ray technologies. During the development, CEA has released different versions of CIVA, and its newest version is CIVA 9.0. Imagine3D is a product of Canadian UTEX Scientific Instruments Inc. Its newest version is 2.5. Imagine3D can visualize and confirm that your inspection technique is doing what you want, and show you exactly where your ultrasonic field is going in a part using three dimensional graphics that can be rotated to any viewing angle. Simulated A-scans also provide the means of confirming signal strength and position for comparison with the real thing [4,5].

2 SimSUNDT is developed by Swedish SCeNDT(Simulation Center for NDT) financed by SQC (Swedish NDT Qualification Centre) [6]. SimSUNDT is the extension of SUNDT, which has been developed by the Department of Mechanics at Chalmers University of Technology and experimentally validated and verified, for generating synthetic data compatible with a number of off-line analysis softwares. Its mathematical kernel is UTDefect. UTSIM is developed by Center for Nondestructive Evaluation of Iowa State University. UTSIM is a user interface integrating a CAD model representing a part under inspection and an ultrasonic beam model. The beam model can accurately predict fields for focused or planar beams, through curved or flat interfaces in a 3D space. Within UTSIM, the geometrical boundary conditions are automatically set up when the user points the virtual probe at the 3D solid model. It is fast enough to generate waveforms from flaws in real time [7,8]. VIRTUAL NDE is developed by EPRI(Electric Power Research Institute). It provides a virtual environment in which operators can practice ultrasonic examinations and test examination capabilities. In addition, the software provides tools which can be used by NDE instructors and test specialists to develop practice examinations and performance tests to meet specific instructional and testing objectives and requirements [9,10]. 2. Simulation Capabilities As for simulation capabilities, many softwares that we have mentioned can simulate the whole inspection process with a wide range of probes, components and flaws. The simulation range, probes, component and flaws, which softwares can handle, are listed in the table 1. Table 1. Simulation capabilities of softwares software capabilities CIVA [11-23] Imagine3D [5,6,24] simsundt [6,25-27] UTSIM [7,8,28] VIRTUAL NDE [9,10] Simulation range Probes Components 1.contact 3.phased array 1.Components can be planar, cylindrical, conical, spherical or any other simple shape; 2. Components calculating 1.contact Generally, components are cylindrical, cubic, spherical or other simple shape. 1.contact 1.Mainly, components are planar objects; 2.Materials of components can be isotropic or anisotropic; contact probes 1.Components can be any complex shape; 2.Materials of components must be isotropic; 1.contact Mainly, components are pipes.

3 can be elbow, siphon or other complex shape; 3.Materials of components can be isotropic or anisotropic; 4.Components can be homogeneous or heterogeneous; Flaws 1.calibration defects: spherical pores, side-drilled holes, flat-bottom and hemispherical holes; 2.planar defects, of any size and orientation, rectangular or semi elliptical; 3.solid inclusions: cylindrical, spherical or elliptical shape. no modules for defining defects. Note: All data are up to December 31, volumetric defects: spherical cavity, spherical inclusion, spheroidal cavity, side-drilled hole; 2. crack-like defects: circular crack, rectangular crack, strip-like crack, surface breaking strip-like crack. many different types of defects, including small planar defects, and so on. 3. Applications These softwares have been applied to real ultrasonic testing. For example, CIVA has been integrated into Matrix X, which is a ultrasonic phased array equipment developed by Matrix U/E Technologies Inc., to help examination personnel to analyze experimental data, simsundt has been applied as technical justification within the qualification of manual inspection procedure for in-service inspection of Swedish nuclear plants, VIRTUAL NDE has been used to practice inspection in Point Beach Nuclear Plant. The application ranges of these softwares are listed in Table 2. Table 2. Application range of softwares Software Application range CIVA [11-23] 1. Analyzing the experimental data, and enhancing the differentiation, location and characterization of defects. 2. Performance demonstration, confirming the reliabilities and practicalities of inspection methods. 3. Design and optimization of inspection methods, especially for the

4 Imagine3D [5,6,24] simsundt [6,25-27] UTSIM [7,8,28] VIRTUAL NDE [9,10] phased array probes. CIVA can help to determinate the delay laws and shape of phased array probes. 4. Virtual design, helping engineers in the early stage of manufacture. Teaching and training 1. Optimizing angle, frequency and bandwidth of suggested probes for real inspection. 2. Justifying acceptance range of these parameters. 1. Predicting in complex geometries and echoes from defects. 2. Optimizing transducer locations 3. Training. Training and performance testing. Note: All data are up to December 31, Conclusion Simulation softwares for ultrasonic testing have developed rapidly, and their functions are becoming stronger and stronger. Different computational models are adopted by these softwares, and their application ranges are not the same, for example, some softwares only can calculate, while others have already been able to compute s and defects; some softwares only can handle homogeneous isotropic components, while others have been able to handle heterogeneous anisotropic components. Although every software is at different stages and has different functions, these softwares are upgrading very quickly and becoming more functional. The object of the paper is to help readers clearly understand the softwares for ultrasonic simulation, and help developers of softwares clearly know what other developers are doing. References [1] The French Atomic Energy Commission. Main new features of CIVA8 version [EB/OL]. df, / [2] The French Atomic Energy Commission. CIVA8 discription [EB/OL]. pdf, / [3] J. Amos, J. Gray, A. Lhemery, et al. Future applications of NDE simulators[c]. Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, Volume 23, edited by D.O. Thompson and D.E. Chimenti, 2004, P [4] UTEX Scientific Instruments Inc. Imagine3D ultrasonic simulation[eb/ol]. www. utex.com/products/simulation/i3d/imagine3d.htm, [ ] [5] UTEX Scientific Instruments Inc. What is new in Version 2.5[EB/OL]. utex. com/products/simulation/i3d/i3dnewv25.htm, [ ] [6] Håkan Wirdelius, Alexander Blomquist. The application of mathematical modeling of ultrasonic NDT in the qualification process[j/ol]. /ecndt98/ reliability/ 323/323.htm, /

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