Method for Ultrasonic Inspection of Irregular and Variable Shapes

摘要

System and method for enabling ultrasonic inspection of a variable and irregular shape. The system comprises one or more ultrasonic pulser/receivers, one or more ultrasonic transducer arrays, a shoe or jig to hold and position the array(s), data acquisition software to drive the array(s), and data analysis software to select a respective best return signal for each pixel to be displayed. This system starts with information about the general orientation of the array relative to the part and a general predicted part shape. More specific orientation of the transmitted ultrasound beams relative to the part surface is done electronically by phasing the elements in the array(s) to cover the expected (i.e., predicted) surface as well as the full range of part surface variability.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
(a) determining an arc that approximates a curved concave profile of a radiused surface of a part; (b) determining first focal laws for interrogating the radiused surface such that an ultrasonic transducer array, when pulsed with proper phasing in accordance with the first focal laws, will project respective sequences of focused and steered beams that are directed at respective target locations spaced along an arc having the same radius as the arc determined in step (a); (c) placing an ultrasonic transducer array at a first position whereat a first scan plane of the ultrasonic transducer array intersects the radiused surface; (d) while the ultrasonic transducer array is stationary at the first position, pulsing the ultrasonic transducer array in accordance with first focal laws determined in step (b) to interrogate a first target location in the first scan plane by transmitting a first sequence of focused and steered ultrasonic beams that are directed toward the first target location at different steering angles; (e) forming a first sequence of respective return signals representing respective receive beams returned to the ultrasonic transducer array from the first target location following transmission of each focused and steered ultrasonic beam of the first sequence of focused and steered ultrasonic beams; (f) processing the first sequence of return signals to generate a first multiplicity of parameter values, each value representing a magnitude of a characteristic of a respective return signal of the first sequence of return signals; and (g) selecting a first parameter value from the first multiplicity of parameter values that satisfies a condition configured to identify a best return signal of the first sequence of return signals.