To further reduce the computational load in an inspection process of ultrasonic inspection of an inspection target. An ultrasonic inspection method includes the steps of: collecting data as a result of scanning an inspection target in such a manner that a plurality of probes transmit ultrasonic signals to the inspection target and the probes receive reflected ultrasonic signals from the inspection target; rendering a primary image including a contour and an internal side of the inspection target based on the data as the result of scanning by using a sonic speed of the ultrasonic signals transmitted and received by the probes, the sonic speed being set to a predetermined value regardless of a region through which the ultrasonic signals have passed; and evaluating whether an internal flaw is present in the inspection target in the primary image.

Estimating the field strength from an ultrasonic phased array can be done by summing the contribution of each transducer to the point of interest. Since this contribution is already calculated when creating a converging spherical wave, it can be reused to add a virtual microphone to the system. By monitoring this microphone and moving it along with new focus points, a robust system of field estimates and regulation may be established.

The disclosure relates to a control method of a probe with ultrasonic phased array transducers in a hinge array, and belongs to the technical field of ultrasonic detecting. The control method includes the steps: firstly, fixing a part under test, making a central piezoelectric array element of piezoelectric array elements for the ultrasonic phased array transducers in the hinge array make contact with a surface of the part under test, and then fixing a fixed support; before detection is started, driving the hinge array through voice coil motors to make the piezoelectric array elements completely fit the surface of the part under test, wherein the number of the piezoelectric array elements is 2N+1 (N=1, 2, 3, 4 and 5), and different values of N are selected according to a size of the part under test; with the value of pressure of the central piezoelectric array element as a standard and difference values between values of pressures of other piezoelectric array elements and the value of pressure of the central piezoelectric array element as control signals of respective corresponding voice coil motor coils, controlling output rods to drive the hinge array; keeping the values of pressures of all the piezoelectric array elements consistent by means of an incremental digital PID control method; and then realizing deflecting and focusing of ultrasonic waves by means of a time delay rule for ultrasonic detecting, thereby detecting parts under test with planar or curved surfaces.

An ultrasonic phased array transducer device with a two-dimensional hinge array structure belongs to equipment in the technical field of ultrasonic detection. A connecting rod is fixedly connected to a fixed support and a two-dimensional hinge array respectively. Voice coil motors are symmetrically arranged in a shape of the British “Union Jack” with the connecting rod as a center, and are fixedly connected to the fixed support. Force output rods are respectively connected to voice coil motor coils and the upper surfaces of array units. Piezoelectric array elements are fixedly connected to the lower surfaces of all the array units. The numbers of the voice coil motors and the force output rods are 2N (N=4, 8, 12, 16, 20), the number of the piezoelectric array elements is 2N+1, and different N values are selected according to the sizes of workpieces to be detected. In the disclosure, by adjusting the current of each voice coil motor coil, the corresponding force output rod generates displacement to drive the two-dimensional hinge array unit to generate displacement, so as to push out and retract the hinge array unit and the piezoelectric array element fixedly connected below and drive the two-dimensional hinge array to generate deformation, so that the piezoelectric array elements fully fit with the surface of the workpiece to be detected. The disclosure can be applied to detection of the workpieces to be detected with flat surfaces, curved surfaces or spherical surfaces.

A sensor probe for analysis of a fluid includes a base, and a pair of electrodes and a pair of shield members protruding from the base for insertion into the fluid. The electrodes have electrical oscillations generated therein for measurement of electromagnetic properties of the fluid, such as permittivity. The shield members are disposed outside the electrodes and have a dual purpose of electromagnetically shielding the electrodes and having vibrations generated therein for measurement of physical parameters of the fluid, such as density or viscosity. Thus, the single sensor probe can provide measurements of both electromagnetic properties and physical properties of the fluid.

Multi-centric radius focusing is used to inspect a radiused surface of a radiused part having a varying radius without mechanically adjusting the array sensor. A plurality of focal laws are designed to electronically steer and focus ultrasound at respective focal points corresponding to centers of curvature of a simulated radiused surface having a varying radius. The mechanical probe that carries the array sensor is located to two physical places that are outside of the radiused area and have a spatial relationship that varies less than the radius of the radiused surface varies. As the probe is moved along the radiused part, the probe maintains the array sensor at a constant location relative to the radiused part. As the array sensor scans the radiused part, the array sensor is electronically adjusted to focus at the respective focal points in sequence.

A system and method for detecting an anomaly in a structure using an adaptive filter to compensate for variations in piezoelectric transducer performance due to environmental factors such as temperature. A first voltage signal having a first amplitude is sent to a reference piezoelectric actuator. Thereafter, a first reference voltage signal is received from a reference piezoelectric receiver which is acoustically coupled to detect the guided wave generated by the reference piezoelectric actuator. A second amplitude is determined using an optimization algorithm of an adaptive filter to compensate for nonlinear behavior of the reference piezoelectric actuator and receiver based on the first reference voltage signal. Then the adaptive filter sends a second voltage signal having the second amplitude to the reference and test piezoelectric actuators. Reference and test voltage signals are received from the reference and test piezoelectric receivers in response to the second voltage signal. A difference voltage signal representing differences between the reference and test voltage signals received is then recorded.

The system includes an ultrasonic measuring device including ultrasonic transmitters and ultrasonic receivers, the ultrasonic measuring device carrying out ultrasonic measurements on a zone of interest of the component divided according to a gridding including cells, and carrying out the measurements cell after cell with the generation, by all the ultrasonic transmitters, of an ultrasonic signal that is sent into the component, and the measurement, by all the ultrasonic receivers, of the amplitude of the ultrasonic signal reflected by the cell in question of the component, a unit for computing, for all of the cells of the gridding, the sum of the amplitudes of all the measurements carried out for that cell, and a processing part for deducing the presence or absence of one or more defects. The system detects all the defects existing in the zone of interest of the component, whatever their orientation may be.

Techniques for compensating a TFM delay computation live (e.g., during acquisition) as a function of the measured thickness along the scan axis of a probe of an acoustic inspection system. At various scan positions, the acoustic inspection system can measure the thickness of the object under test. With the measured thickness, the acoustic inspection system can compute the delays used for the TFM computation to reflect the actual thickness at that particular scan position of the probe.

A gas sensor (100,200) includes at least one sensor device including a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device (110) or a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) device (210), and a layer of metal organic framework (MOF) material (120,220) disposed on each of the at least one sensor device. The at least one sensor device is structured to sense a change in mass of the MOF material.