Apparatus, assembly and method for investigating the integrity of a seal and sealant contained in a sealing fitting used in hazardous locations. The apparatus/assembly can include signal transmitters and signal receivers provided on a conduit system on either side of a sealing fitting. The apparatus/assembly can include probes placed on either side of a sealant within a sealing fitting, the probes placed in probe ports provided through the wall of the sealing fitting.

Examples of determining tuberculation in a fluid distribution system are disclosed. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, an acoustical wave generator generates an acoustical wave within a fluid path of a fluid distribution system. A first acoustical sensor and a second acoustical sensor sense the acoustical wave. An acoustical signal analysis module determines an amount of tuberculation within the fluid distribution system by analyzing the sensed acoustical wave.

A method of forming a probe holder includes forming a plurality of layers from at least one body material, wherein adjacent ones of the plurality of layers are bonded to one another to define a body of an ultrasonic probe holder. The body can include a distal end, a chamber, and a fluid channel. The distal end can secure the body to a proximal end of a wear sole. The chamber can be configured to receive an ultrasonic probe and a volume of fluid couplant. A fluid channel extends through a portion of the body to the distal end and the fluid channel can receive a flow of fluid couplant. The plurality of layers can define a first region including a first probe holder material exhibiting a first acoustic or structural property and a second region including a second probe holder material exhibiting a second acoustic or structural property.

An inspection robot incudes a robot body, at least two sensors, a drive module, a stability assist device and an actuator. The at least two sensors are positioned to interrogate an inspection surface and are communicatively coupled to the robot body. The drive module includes at least two wheels that engage the inspection surface. The drive module is coupled to the robot body. The stability assist device is coupled to at least one of the robot body or the drive module. The actuator is coupled to the stability assist device at a first end, and coupled to one of the drive module or the robot body at a second end. The actuator is structured to selectively move the stability assist device between a first position and a second position. The first position includes a stored position. The second position includes a deployed position.

According to one embodiment, a detection system is provided that detects a state of a structure consisting of a first member that supports a traveling surface along which a vehicle travels from downward; a second member provided on an opposite side of the traveling surface with respect to the first member; and a welded portion that is provided along an end of the second member facing the first member and fixes the first member and the second member. The detection system includes: a first sensor group including first AE sensors; a second sensor group including second AE sensors; and a position orientator that performs separately a first determination that determines a generation source position of elastic waves based on the detection results of the first AE sensors and a second determination that determines the generation source position of elastic waves based on the detection results of the second AE sensors.

Material selection systems and methods for constructing a musical instrument and/or where a selected material is a wood material are disclosed. One example material selection system includes a rating module and a rating database. The rating module includes an excitation device configured to act upon material samples; a vibration receiver in cooperation with the excitation device; a rating computer coupled to the vibration receiver, the rating computer configured to execute stored instructions for determining a set of material sample ratings based on FFT analysis of data collected by the vibration receiver; and an output device operatively coupled to the rating computer, the output device configured to output the determined set of material sample ratings to a rating database. Each set of material sample ratings is associated with a material sample. Another example material selection system may further include a selection module with a selection computer coupled to the rating database.

An ultrasonic transmission probe is arranged such that an ultrasonic wave transmitted from the ultrasonic transmission probe toward a pipe propagates in a thick part of the pipe, is at least reflected on the outer peripheral face of the pipe, and travels toward an inspection site on the pipe, and an ultrasonic reception probe is arranged to be symmetrical to the ultrasonic transmission probe with reference to the xz plane including the inspection site and perpendicular to the center axis of the pipe.

A method of sorting chips divided from a plate-shaped workpiece into acceptable chips and defective chips includes an ultrasonic vibration applying step of applying ultrasonic vibrations to chips, a fracture confirming step of confirming whether the chips have been fractured in the ultrasonic vibration applying step or not, and a sorting step of sorting those chips which have been confirmed as not fractured in the fracture confirming step as acceptable chips. The ultrasonic vibrations applied to the chips in the ultrasonic vibration applying step are set to values that do not cause chips to be fractured if the chips are free of minute fractures and cause chips to be fractured if the chips contain minute fractures.

A device for use in inspecting a test object is provided. The device can include a body including a first end and a second end. The second end can be opposite the first end. The device can also include a probe receiver located at the first end of the body. The probe receiver can be configured to receive an ultrasonic probe. The device can further include a coupling portion located at the second end of the body. The coupling portion can be configured to position the ultrasonic probe with respect to an axis of force transmission of a test object or normal to one or more material layers of the test object during an ultrasound inspection of the test object. Methods of forming the device and performing ultrasonic inspection of a test object with the device are also provided.

There is provided an alignment aid method of an ultrasonic transmitter implemented by means of an alignment aid system. The alignment aid system includes a receiver including a plurality of transducers each configured to receive an ultrasonic wave and convert it into a respective signal, and a processing unit configured to digitally process all the signals coming from the transducers, at least part of the transducers being arranged so as to form a first continuous row of transducers. The system also includes an alignment control device communicating with the processing unit, the alignment control device being configured to supply an indication about the transducer(s) receiving a single ultrasonic wave transmitted by said transmitter along the first row of transducers so as to enable the transmitter to be aligned in relation to the receiver.