Apparatus and methods for ultrasonic inspection of elongated composite members in a single scan pass using pulse echo phased arrays operating in a bubbler method. The system concept is fully automated by integrating an inspection NDI probe assembly to a robot and using the robot to move the inspection NDI probe assembly along the part (i.e., outside of an inspection tank); and by integrating tooling fixtures that move out of the way as the inspection NDI probe assembly travels along the length of the part during the inspection. In addition, the system allows for generally elongated composite members having lengthwise variation in shape, curvature and dimensions.

According to an embodiment of the invention, a sensor includes a first element part. The first element part includes a first member and a first element. The first member is tubular and extends along a first direction. The first member includes a first opening and a second opening. A direction from the second opening toward the first opening is along the first direction. The first element includes a vibratile first membrane, and a first supporter supporting the first membrane. The second opening is between the first opening and the first membrane in the first direction.

A device for imaging defects in a structure includes N transmitters and P receivers to be distributed over at least one surface of the structure and a central unit controlling the transmitters and receivers to sequentially record QNP signals (S) obtained from electrical signals provided by the receivers of Q different transmitter/receiver pairs, after reception of mechanical waves transmitted by the transmitters of these Q pairs. It further stores Q first and Q second corresponding reference signals (S.sub.REF1, S.sub.REF2), representative of the structure without defects and differing by random noise. A central processing unit is programmed to: correlate each signal obtained with the corresponding first reference signal, in such a way as to construct an image of probabilities of defects; correlate each first reference signal with the corresponding second reference signal, in such a way as to construct a reference noisy image; and subtract the reference noisy image from the image of probabilities of defects.

Methods for non-destructive inspection of parts for obtaining the properties and characteristics of the material of a part are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method for non-destructive inspection of parts includes a step of creating a mathematical model describing the dynamic behavior of a part to be inspected, a step of exciting the part, and a step of measuring the vibratory response of the part. The method further includes a step of optimizing surrounding conditions, a step of selecting modal shapes and a step of selecting at least one excitation point with the excitation orientation and at least one measurement point with the measurement orientation which are performed in that order after the step of creating the mathematical model.

A system and method is disclosed for calibrating the volume of storage containers using mechanical or acoustic wave-based inspection techniques. The exemplary calibration system comprises an array of measurement devices controllably deployed in respective positions on the outside surface of the container. The measurement devices include a transducer for sending signals along the surface of the container and sensors configured to detect the signals. The measurement devices are in communication with a diagnostic computing device that controls the positioning and the operation of the measurement devices and is further configured to determine the time time-of-flight of the signals that travel between the various devices. Moreover, according to the specific arrangement of the measurement devices and the measured signal information, the control computer is configured to calculate the dimensions of the container and its internal volume.

A central member defines a sample chamber and includes an elastic material configured to enclose at least a portion of a sample, acoustic sensors configured to detect sound waves in the sample chamber, and acoustic emitters configured to emit sounds waves in the central member. A pressure-retaining case is configured to contain a pressurized fluid between an annulus formed between the pressure-retaining case and the central member. A switch is configured to connect or disconnect a pulser and receiver circuit to a specified emitter of the acoustic emitters. A data acquisition unit is configured to receive a signal from each of the acoustic sensors. A pulser and receiver circuit is configured to send an electric pulse to an acoustic emitter and a control signal to the data acquisition unit.

Example embodiments of the present invention relate to methods, systems, and a computer program product for acquiring phased array ultrasonic testing data leveraging a sliding receiver aperture defined according to a principle of acoustic reciprocity. The method includes triggering each of a set of ultrasonic probe elements to pulse as a pulser element. For each pulser element, a respective subset of the ultrasonic probe elements may be defined as the sliding receiver aperture according to a principle of acoustic reciprocity to act as receiver elements to receive response signals. Data corresponding to the respective response signals for each pair of pulser element and receiver element then may be stored.

Methods for non-destructive inspection of parts for obtaining the properties and characteristics of the material of a part are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method for non-destructive inspection of parts includes a step of creating a mathematical model describing the dynamic behavior of a part to be inspected, a step of exciting the part, and a step of measuring the vibratory response of the part. The method further includes a step of optimizing surrounding conditions, a step of selecting modal shapes and a step of selecting at least one excitation point with the excitation orientation and at least one measurement point with the measurement orientation which are performed in that order after the step of creating the mathematical model.

A central member defines a sample chamber and includes an elastic material configured to enclose at least a portion of a sample, acoustic sensors configured to detect sound waves in the sample chamber, and acoustic emitters configured to emit sounds waves in the central member. A pressure-retaining case is configured to contain a pressurized fluid between an annulus formed between the pressure-retaining case and the central member. A switch is configured to connect or disconnect a pulser and receiver circuit to a specified emitter of the acoustic emitters. A data acquisition unit is configured to receive a signal from each of the acoustic sensors. A pulser and receiver circuit is configured to send an electric pulse to an acoustic emitter and a control signal to the data acquisition unit.

The invention relates to a method for nondestructively acoustically examining at least one region of a component of a turbomachine, wherein at least the following steps are performed: a) arranging a transmitter comprising a plurality of individual oscillators on the region of the component to be examined, b) introducing at least one ultrasound beam into the component by means of the transmitter, c) receiving at least one ultrasound beam reflected by the component by means of a receiver comprising a plurality of individual receivers and d) checking, on the basis of the received ultrasound beam, whether there is a deviation in the region of the component which characterizes a segregation. The invention further relates to a device for carrying out a method of this type.