scholarly journals Ultrasonic Inspection for Welds with Irregular Curvature Geometry Using Flexible Phased Array Probes and Semi-Auto Scanners: A Feasibility Study

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 748
Author(s):  
Seong Jin Lim ◽  
Young Lae Kim ◽  
Sungjong Cho ◽  
Ik Keun Park
Keyword(s):  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Ultrasonic Testing ◽  
Test Specimen ◽  
Phased Array ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Branch Pipe ◽  
Small Diameter ◽  
Data Consistency ◽  
Industrial Sites ◽  
Inspection Data

Pipes of various shapes constitute pipelines utilized in industrial sites. These pipes are coupled through welding, wherein complex curvatures such as a flange, an elbow, a reducer, and a branch pipe are often found. Using phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) to inspect weld zones with complex curvatures is faced with different challenges due to parts that are difficult to contact with probes, small-diameter pipes, spatial limitations due to adjacent pipes, nozzles, and sloped shapes. In this study, we developed a flexible PAUT probe (FPAPr) and a semi-automatic scanner that was improved to enable stable FPAPr scanning for securing its inspection data consistency and reproducibility. A mock-up test specimen was created for a flange, an elbow, a reducer, and a branch pipe. Artificial flaws were inserted into the specimen through notch and hole processing, and simulations and verification experiments were performed to verify the performance and field applicability of the FPAPr and semi-automatic scanner.

Application of Flexible Ultrasonic Phased Array Technique on Detection of Fillet Welds in Small-Diameter Pipe Holder

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weican Guo ◽  
Cunjian Miao ◽  
Xingji Du ◽  
Min Wang ◽  
Junfang Xia
Keyword(s):  
Nondestructive Testing ◽  
Ultrasonic Testing ◽  
Phased Array ◽  
Coupling Effect ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Technical Problem ◽  
Small Diameter ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Fillet Welds ◽  
Diameter Pipe

Fillet welds in small-diameter pipe socket of pressure vessels always have complicated structures and groove types, which make it easy to produce porosity, lack of fusion, incomplete penetration and other flaws during welding. Therefore, nondestructive testing is a significant and meaningful approach to ensure the quality of welding for pressure vessels’ safety. Ultrasonic testing is the main method for nondestructive testing of pipe fillet welds. However, it is difficult to distinguish between the interference wave and the flaw echo, or to recognize the defect signal, while utilizing conventional ultrasonic testing technology. Additionally, the coupling effect is bad for traditional rigid probe on the concave surface when the probe is inserted into the small-diameter pipe to do the inner scanning. To obtain a good coupling effect, flexible phased array technology was put forward, with a bendable probe made from flexible materials. The probe could be bent and inserted into the inner pipe for longitudinal wave scanning, giving a good matching with the inner wall and replacing the traditional rigid probe. Besides, it is more convenient to conduct the ultrasonic testing, and the focal law could be changed easily according to the curve shape of the inner pipe, without replacing the probe. Thus, scanning and dynamic focusing in multiple angles and directions can be carried out, and the position, distribution and size of the flaws could be displayed intuitively combined with real-time imaging technology. This technology is able to obtain better coupling and detecting effects and solve the technical problem for concave ultrasonic inspection of fillet welds.

Ultrasonic Flaw Recognition by Multi-Angle Phased Array Data Integration

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Xinyan Wang ◽  
Xuefei Guan
Keyword(s):  
Phased Array ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Speckle Noise ◽  
Connected Component ◽  
Raw Data ◽  
Filtering Method ◽  
Intensity Matrix ◽  
Ultrasonic Flaw ◽  
Inspection Data ◽  
Inspected Object

Abstract This study presents a method of ultrasonic flaw identification using phased array ultrasonic inspection data. Raw data from each individual channel of the phased array ultrasonic inspection are obtained. The data trimming and de-noising are employed to retain the data within the boundary of the inspected object and remove the speckle noise components from the raw data, respectively. The resulting data are passed into a sequence of signal processing operations to identify embedded flaws. A shape-based filtering method is proposed to reduce the intensity of geometric noise components due to the non-uniform microstructures introduced in the manufacturing process. The resulting data matrices are integrated to obtain the intensity matrix of the possible flaw regions. Thresholding is applied to the intensity matrix to obtain the potential flaw regions, followed by a connected component analysis to identify the flaws. The overall method is demonstrated and validated using realistic phased array experimental data.

Post-Processing of Phased-Array Ultrasonic Inspection Data with Parallel Computing for Nondestructive Evaluation

2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuefei Guan ◽  
Jingdan Zhang ◽  
S. Kevin Zhou ◽  
El Mahjoub Rasselkorde ◽  
Waheed A. Abbasi
Keyword(s):  
Parallel Computing ◽  
Nondestructive Evaluation ◽  
Phased Array ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Post Processing ◽  
Inspection Data

Scanners for Ultrasonic Inspection

NDT World ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 77-80
Author(s):  
Цомук ◽  
Sergey Tsomuk ◽  
Ястребов ◽  
Viktor Yastrebov
Keyword(s):  
Base Metal ◽  
Manufacturing Process ◽  
Ultrasonic Testing ◽  
Phased Array ◽  
Detection Efficiency ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Flaw Detection ◽  
Piezoelectric Transducers ◽  
Large Dimension ◽  
Testing Problem

In recent years, to enhance flaw detection efficiency when using ultrasonic testing, phased array probes are increasingly used. However, in many cases this can also be achieved by using scanning devices with conventional piezoelectric transducers, which is much cheaper. The purpose of the article is to analyze the design and operation of such scanning devices. The article provides brief information about ultrasonic testing main scanning schemes, describes scanners that have been developed and widely used to perform inspection of welds, base metal of pipes, railcar axles and wheels. It is shown that, for large dimension objects, scanners allow not only a significant increase in the scanning performance but also solve the testing problem in principle, and (for example, when testing railcar axles) change (make it easier and cheaper) manufacturing process, including inspection operations and wage wheels repair. As a result of analysis, conclusions are made about the efficiency of using, in specific and important practical tasks, scanning devices for ultrasonic testing of steel products of different sizes, which certainly does not deny the application perspectiveness of using phased array probes.

Automated Ultrasonic Inspection of Pressure Vessel Welds

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Moles ◽  
Simon Labbe´
Keyword(s):  
Ultrasonic Testing ◽  
Phased Array ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Safety Hazard ◽  
Asme Code ◽  
Conventional Systems ◽  
Pulse Echo ◽  
Inspection Techniques ◽  
Production Inspection

ASME Code Case 2235 now permits automated ultrasonic testing (AUT) instead of radiography for vessels 0.5” (12.7 mm) or greater. Ultrasonic testing has significant advantages over radiography: no safety hazard so no disruption of production; inspection as soon as component cools; rapid feedback; defect vertical sizing for Fitness-For-Purpose applications; tailored inspections. ASME CC 2235 permits a variety of inspection techniques based on pulse-echo and Time-Of-Flight Diffraction (TOFD), provided a Performance Demonstration is achieved. This paper describes a number of AUT systems which fulfill the ASME code case. These AUT systems range from a portable phased array system (Omniscan) for low cost and convenience, through conventional systems based on TOFD (μ-Tomoscan), general phased array systems (Tomoscan III) to premium systems with multiple NDE approaches. With such a variety of technologies and costs, AUT systems can be tailored to the client’s needs.

Phased Array Ultrasonic Inspection Technique for Cast Austenitic Stainless Steel Parts of Nuclear Power Plants

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Setsu Yamamoto ◽  
Jun Semboshi ◽  
Azusa Sugawara ◽  
Makoto Ochiai ◽  
Kentaro Tsuchihashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Austenitic Stainless Steel ◽  
Ultrasonic Testing ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Phased Array ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Inspection Time ◽  
Accuracy Measurement

For safety operation of nuclear power plants, soundness assurance of structures has been strongly required. In order to evaluate properties of inner defects at plant structures quantitatively, non-destructive inspection using ultrasonic testing (UT) has performed an important role for plant maintenances. At nuclear power plants, there are many structures made of cast austenitic stainless steel (e.g. casings, valve gages, pipes and so on). However, UT has not achieved enough accuracy measurement at cast stainless steels due to the noise from large grains. In order to overcome the problem, we have developed comprehensively analyzable phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) system. We have been noticing that dependency of echo intensity from defect is different from grain noises when PAUT conditions (for example, ultrasonic incident angles and focal depths) were continuously changed. Analyzing the tendency of echoes from comprehensive PAUT conditions, defect echoes could be distinguished from the noises. Meanwhile, in order to minimize the inspection time on-site, we have developed the algorithms and the full matrix capture (FMC) data acquisition system. In this paper, the authors confirmed the detectability of the PAUT system applying cast austenitic stainless steel (316 stainless steel) specimens which have sand-blasted surface and 3 slits which made by electric discharge machining (EDM).

scholarly journals Research on on-line ultrasonic testing of small diameter thin wall stainless steel straight welded pipe

2021 ◽  
Vol 1820 (1) ◽  
pp. 012086
Author(s):  
Huaishu Hou ◽  
Ding Lu ◽  
Shiwei Zhang ◽  
Yi Zhang ◽  
Chaolei Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Ultrasonic Testing ◽  
Small Diameter ◽  
Thin Wall ◽  
On Line ◽  
Welded Pipe ◽  
Wall Stainless Steel

Features of ultrasonic control of butt welded joints of polyethylene pipes

2020 ◽  
pp. 46-52
Author(s):  
N.P. Aleshin ◽  
D.M. Kozlov ◽  
L.YU. Mogilner
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Welded Joints ◽  
Ultrasonic Testing ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Mechanical Tests ◽  
Ultrasonic Control ◽  
Lack Of Fusion ◽  
Polyethylene Pipes ◽  
End To End

The reliability of ultrasonic testing (UT) of the quality of welded joints of polyethylene pipelines, made end-to-end with a heated tool, is considered in comparison with mechanical tests and radiography. The greatest detection of solid defects is provided by ultrasonic inspection with the use of chord tipe probes (not less than 90 %). When detecting defects translucent for ultrasound (lack of penetration, lack of fusion, etc.), the reliability decreases to 70÷80 %. Keywords: welding, polyethylene pipeline, quality control, ultrasonic testing, chord tipe probe. [email protected]

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