Techniques, structures, and systems are disclosed for ultrasound imaging using direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) coded waveforms. In one aspect, a method f includes synthesizing individual DSSS waveforms each having a unique set of one or more frequencies with respect to each other; generating a composite waveform for transmission toward a material of interest by compiling two or more of the synthesized individual DSSS waveforms; producing and transmitting a composite acoustic beam based on the generated composite waveform toward the material of interest; receiving returned acoustic waveforms that are returned from at least part of the material of interest corresponding to at least some transmitted acoustic waveforms that form the composite acoustic beam; and processing the received returned acoustic waveforms to produce a data set containing information of the material of interest.

Acoustic transducers generate and receive acoustic signals at multiple locations along a surface of rigid structure, wherein longitudinal spacing between transducer locations define measurement zones. Acoustic signals with chosen amplitude-time-frequency characteristics excite multiple vibration modes in the structure within each zone. Small mechanical changes in inspection zones lead to scattering and attenuation of broadband acoustic signals, which are detectable as changes in received signal characteristics as part of a through-transmission technique. Additional use of short, narrowband pulse acoustic signals as part of a pulse-echo technique allows determination of the relative location of the mechanical change within each zone based on the differential delay profiles. For accurate acoustic modeling and simulation, the mesh size, time step, time delay, and time-window size are optimized. Frequency normalization of the Short-Time Fourier Transform of acoustic response output improves experiment-simulation cross-validation. Applications of the method to structures with arbitrarily complex geometries are also demonstrated.

A method of detecting corrosion in a conduit or container comprises measuring the thickness of a wall of the conduit or container with one or more pulse-echo ultrasound devices, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (i) receiving signals indicative of A-scan data from the one or more pulse-echo ultrasound devices, wherein the A-scan data comprises a plurality of A-scan spectra; (ii) determining which of the A-scan spectra have a distorted waveform such that a reliable wall thickness measurement cannot be determined; (iii) analysing the A-scan spectra identified in step (ii) as having a distorted waveform to determine one or more A-scan spectral characteristics of each spectrum that are causing the distortion; (iv) resolving the waveform characteristics based on the determined spectral characteristics causing the waveform distortion so as to produce modified A-scan spectra; (v) determining thickness measurements of the wall based on the modified A-scan spectra; and (vi) determining the extent to which the wall has been corroded based on the thickness measurements determined in step (v) and additional thickness determined from A-scan spectra.

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for inspecting an elongated tube-like object. The apparatus comprises a body (1, 2) for moving along the elongated tube-like object by clamping the object; and a sensor frame (15, 15b, 15c) supporting one or more sensors (20) for measuring a state indication property. One or more one or more body-to-sensor-frame connections (39, 40, 43, 72b, 72c) connect the sensor frame (15, 15b, 15c) to the body (1, 2), wherein the one or more body-to-sensor-frame connections (39, 40, 43, 72b, 72c) are arranged to allow an adjustable relative position between the sensor frame and the body, while the sensor frame can position itself with respect to the tube.

Systems and methods for testing steam traps or other similar devices in a hot water or steam system are described. A tester includes a wand that is handheld that can communicate with a handheld electronic device which in turn can communicate with a central monitor for storing and compiling readings as historical profile data. The wand includes a probe to physically contact the device to acoustically sense the performance of the device. The probe includes a probe tip and a stack of acoustic elements, an electrode, a stack mass, and a head to covert the acoustic signal into an electrical signal. The handheld device includes circuitry to process the information, interact with the user, and transmit information to and from the handheld electronic device and/or the central monitor.

The present invention relates to a semi-automatic scanner for ultrasonic inspection of a branch pipe weld that has a small size and is able to perform an inspection while moving in a state of being attached to a test object by a magnetic force, thereby being applied to fittings having various shapes, such as a branch pipe and an elbow. The semi-automatic scanner for ultrasonic inspection according to the present invention includes a probe configured to inspect a weld by irradiating ultrasonic waves onto a surface of a test object, a probe holder configured to couple the probe by applying an elastic force so as to be pressed against the surface of the test object, an installation bracket having a rod shape, to which the probe holder is coupled so as to be laterally movable, four wheel units installed on both front and rear side surfaces of the installation bracket so as to be vertically slidable, and four magnet parts, each of which is installed on one of the four wheel units and presses the one of the wheel units against the test object with a magnetic force.

A measurement probe edge guide tool includes an edge follower comprising two edge contact pins that spin around the outside of the measurement probe using a ball bearing. The edge contact pins hug the corner of a contoured edge of the workpiece or in-service part to provide a consistent distance of the center of the probe from the edge. The edge follower enables the tool to inspect the marginal portion bounded by a contoured (machined) edge of a workpiece or part. The edge follower is removable so that the tool may also be adapted for use in general acreage inspection. The tool features a spring-loaded mechanism with a positive probe protrusion relative to a roller-supported cage. The tool has either a handle which is coupled to the cage by means of a universal joint or a hand grip that is affixed to the cage.

A defect imaging method for a lining anti-corrosion pipeline is provided, including following steps: loading an imaging excitation signal to the lining anti-corrosion pipeline under detection; acquiring an imaging excitation reflection signal and an imaging excitation transmission signal; obtaining bending mode guided waves of the imaging excitation reflection signal and the imaging excitation transmission signal respectively, and performing time reversal processing on the bending mode guided waves to obtain time-reversed signals; performing excitation reversal on the time-reversed signals to obtain excitation reversal data; performing temporal and spatial focusing processing on the excitation reversal data to obtain a vibration cloud diagram; and converting the vibration cloud diagram into a three-dimensional color point cloud diagram to image a defect of the lining anti-corrosion pipeline. By performing imaging processing, the defect position and condition can be obtained visually and clearly, thereby greatly facilitating subsequent maintenance work.

A method for nondestructively testing a part comprising an elongate microstructure is disclosed. The method comprises: moving a linear transducer to a plurality of positions located facing a surface of the part, the linear transducer comprising a plurality of transducer elements that are aligned along a main direction; emitting a plurality of elementary ultrasonic beams, each of the plurality of elementary ultrasonic beams being emitted by each of the plurality of transducer elements in the direction of the surface; measuring a plurality of echo signals and a plurality of structural noises, each of the plurality of echo signals and each of the plurality of structural noises being measured by each of the plurality of transducer elements, each of the echo signals resulting from the backscatter of the elementary ultrasonic beams by a defect under the surface of the part, and each of the structural noises resulting from the backscatter of the elementary ultrasonic beams by the elongate microstructure; and determining a direction of elongation of the elongate microstructure when an amplitude of one among the plurality of measured structural noises is minimal in the plurality of positions. Furthermore, a non-destructive testing system for implementing the testing method is disclosed.

An ultrasonic flaw detector for a composite material constituted by a plurality of materials which are different in physical properties from one another includes: a section specifier configured to specify first and second sections of an RF signal of a reflected wave of an ultrasonic wave with which the composite material is irradiated, a material reflected wave being possibly generated in the first section, an interface reflected wave being possibly generated in the second section; a material flaw determiner configured to determine whether or not a value of the RF signal exceeds a positive first threshold in the first section; and an interface flaw determiner configured to determine whether or not the value of the RF signal falls below a negative second threshold in the second section.