Disclosed is a method and apparatus for ultrasonic testing using TSF (Temporal Sparse Firing). For each position of a plurality of positions of a phased array ultrasonic probe, an ultrasonic wave is transmitted into an object using a defined subset of transducer elements and propagation of the ultrasonic wave in the object is observed using receiving elements of the transducer elements to produced raw image data for the position, such that the defined subset changes for adjacent positions of the ultrasonic phased array probe. The raw image data of each position is combined to produce an ultrasonic image of the object. Notably, the ultrasonic image can be produced faster than traditional FMC (Full Matrix Capture) approaches because only a subset of the transducer elements transmit at each position. Meanwhile, diversity provided by the defined subset changing for adjacent positions can mitigate reduction in image quality as in traditional sparse firing.

An inspection system, in an embodiment, can be operable with a probe and a position tracker to inspect an object. The system can be operable to display at least one probe travel axis, receive first and second inspection values from the probe, associate the first inspection value with a first position point, and associate the second inspection value with a second position point. The system displays an inspection path based on the associations. The inspection path extends relative to the probe travel axis.

Systems and methods for encoding radiofrequency, RF, data, e.g., electrical signals, by a microbeamformer are disclosed herein. The microbeamformer may use a pseudo-random sampling pattern (700) to sum samples of the RF data stored in a plurality of memory cells. The memory cells may be included in a delay line of the microbeamformer in some examples. The summed samples may form an encoded signal transmitted to a decoder which reconstructs the original RF data from the encoded signal. The decoder may use knowledge of the pseudo-random sampling pattern to reconstruct the original data in some examples.

In some implementations, a method includes receiving data characterizing a plurality of acoustic signals detected at a plurality of segments of an industrial system. A first data subset of the received data is associated with a first acoustic signal detected at a first segment of the plurality of segments and a second data subset of the received data is associated with a second acoustic signal detected at a second segment of the plurality of segments. The method also includes a first characteristic color to the first data subset based on a first time of propagation and an amplitude of the first acoustic signal, and assigning a second characteristic color to the second data subset based on a second time of propagation and amplitude of the second acoustic signal.

According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments there is provided an apparatus comprising means for: controlling one or more electroacoustic transducers of a device to create a standing wave having a displacement antinode at an expected location of a component of the device; receiving a signal representing sound generated by vibration of the component driven by the standing wave; causing analysis of the signal to determine whether there is a defect based on whether the signal represents a sound that would be expected to result from vibration of the component driven by the standing wave in the absence of a defect.

An image rendering apparatus includes processing circuitry to obtain a volumetric medical imaging data set representative of a region of a material; associate one particular extinction color with the material; determine, based on the particular extinction color, a chromatic attenuation profile representative of color value as a function of intensity and as a function of depth in the material, the chromatic attenuation profile showing how the material having the particular extinction color changes in appearance with changes in the depth; obtain, from a user, a color value; determine a modified extinction color for the material based on the color value obtained from the user; and render a global illumination image from the volumetric medical imaging data set using the modified extinction color.

To determine severity of stepwise cracking in a pressurized vessel, a computer system receives an image collection of an area of a circumferential wall of the vessel. The image collection includes images distributed across the area, and represent respective cracks on the wall within the area. From among the images, the computer system identifies subsets of images, each including images of adjacent cracks. For the at least two images in each subset, the computer system determines multiple distances, each between an end of an image in each subset and an end of each other image in a subset. Based on the determined multiple distances, the computer system determines a probability of a crack propagating through cracks in each subset. Based on the crack intensity path determined for each subset of the multiple subsets, the computer system determines an operation to be performed on the vessel.

Methods for measuring out-of-plane wrinkles in composite laminates are described. An example method includes scanning a first side of a composite laminate with an ultrasonic transducer. The method further includes locating an out-of-plane wrinkle of the composite laminate on a B-scan ultrasound image generated in response to the scanning of the first side of the composite laminate. The method further includes associating a first marker with the B-scan ultrasound image, the first marker determined based on a location of a crest of the out-of-plane wrinkle on the B-scan ultrasound image. The method further includes associating a second marker with the B-scan ultrasound image, the second marker determined based on a location of a trough focal point of the out-of-plane wrinkle on the B-scan ultrasound image. The method further includes determining an amplitude of the out-of-plane wrinkle based on a distance between the first marker and the second marker.

An ultrasonic quality control as disclosed can inspect a quality of a piece and classify the piece automatically. The piece can be scanned, and an image formed from the scanning. A reference piece is also scanned, and a reference image is formed. A negative image of the reference image is formed, and an indication image is created by utilizing the image and the negative image. The indication image is filtered by utilizing several image filters, each image filter filtering all data of the indication image except an image filter specific indication level data. Further several indication levels data are provided from the image filter specific indication level data, and the piece can be classified utilizing the several indication levels data.

A monitoring device of liquid pipeline includes a fixture detachably fixed to an outer surface of a pipeline, a first ultrasonic probe disposed in the fixture, a processing module having stored a minimum signal threshold, and a display unit connecting to the processing module. The processing module controls the first ultrasonic probe transmitting a first sensing signal and receiving a first reflection signal corresponding to the first sensing signal along a radial direction of the pipeline, and analyzes signal of first period and second period signal from the first reflection signal. If the processing module determines that the signal of first period signal is greater than and the signal of second period signal less than the minimum signal threshold, the processing module generates a warning signal that represents abnormality of the first ultrasonic probe or liquid in the pipeline. The display unit displays the warning signal.