Patent classifications
G01N29/262
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TESTING OF MONOCRYSTALLINE COMPONENTS
A method for testing of a population of monocrystalline components is provided. The method includes obtaining a plurality of component parameters including a crystal angle of each monocrystalline component with respect to a coordinate axis, a three-dimensional geometry, and a material. The method further includes determining a statistical parameter of the crystal angle, and generating a simulation model of the monocrystalline component based on the statistical parameter, the three-dimensional geometry, and the material. The method further includes determining at least one probe parameter based on the simulation model and a predetermined region of interest. The method further includes determining anisotropic delay laws based on the statistical parameter and the probe parameter, and controlling at least one probe based on the anisotropic delay laws to emit ultrasonic waves towards the region of interest in order to test the monocrystalline component for one or more abnormalities.
Acoustic inspection device and method of operation
An acoustic inspection device and an associated method for inspecting a component are provided. The acoustic inspection device is portable and includes an acoustic transmitter and receiver that may be placed on opposite sides of an inspection region on the surface of the component. The acoustic transmitter has an array of acoustic transducers for generating an acoustic wave that travels along a surface of the component and the acoustic receiver has an array of acoustic transducers for receiving that acoustic wave. A controller determines at least one surface characteristic of the component from the measured acoustic wave, such as its crystalline structure or grain size.
Voltage differential reduction methods used while retrieving a mobile platform from a tank containing a hazardous, non-conductive substance
A method of retrieving a mobile platform from a tank at least partially filled with a non-conductive, energetic substance includes configuring the mobile platform to include at least a retrieval system including a buoyant body, an electrically conductive member, and a tether. The tether electrically isolates the buoyant body from the enclosure. The method further includes the steps of releasing the buoyant body to convey the tether toward a surface of the non-conductive, liquid energetic substance; conveying an electrically conductive cable to the electrically conductive member using the tether; electrically connecting a voltage neutralizing end of the electrically conductive cable to a voltage differential neutralizing body in a spark inhibiting ambient condition; electrically connecting a mobile platform end of the electrically conductive cable to the electrically conductive member of the mobile platform while the electrically conductive member is below the surface of the non-conductive, liquid energetic substance.
PHASE-BASED APPROACH FOR ULTRASONIC INSPECTION
A phase-based approach can be used for one or more of acquisition, storage, or subsequent analysis, e.g., A-scan reconstruction or Total Focusing Method imaging, in support of acoustic inspection. For example, binarization or other quantization technique can be used to compress a data volume associated with time-series signal acquisition. A representation of phase information from the time-series signal can be generated, such as by processing the binarized or otherwise quantized time-series signal. Using the representation of the phase information, a phase summation technique can be used to perform one or more of A-scan reconstruction, such as for pulse-echo A-scan inspection, or a TFM imaging technique can be used, as illustrative examples. In such a phase summation approach, time-series representations of phase data can be summed, such as where each time-series can be delayed (or phase rotated) by an appropriate delay value and then aggregated.
Phased array ultrasonic transducer and method of manufacture
A phased array ultrasonic transducer includes a bonding wire structure, a damping material, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and a printed circuit board. The bonding wire structure includes a plurality of bonding wire elements. The damping material surrounds the bonding wire structure and is interposed with the plurality of bonding wire elements. The plurality of ultrasonic transducers is arranged in a matrix beneath a membrane, each of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers being coupled to a corresponding bonding wire element of the plurality of bonding wire elements. The printed circuit board includes a plurality of circuits. Each of the plurality of circuits is coupled to a corresponding bonding wire element of the plurality of bonding wire elements.
Systems and methods for evaluating electrolyte wetting and distribution
Systems and techniques for measuring process characteristics including electrolyte distribution in a battery cell. A non-destructive method for analyzing a battery cell includes determining acoustic features at two or more locations of the battery cell, the acoustic features based on one or more of acoustic signals travelling through at least one or more portions of the battery cell during one or more points in time or responses to the acoustic signals obtained during one or more points in time, wherein the one or more points in time correspond to one or more stages of electrolyte distribution in the battery cell. One or more characteristics of the battery cell are determined based on the acoustic features at the two or more locations of the battery cell.
Acoustic model acoustic region of influence generation
Systems and methods are disclosed for conducting an ultrasonic-based inspection. The systems and methods perform operations comprising: receiving a plurality of scan plan parameters associated with generating an image of at least one flaw within a specimen based on acoustic echo data obtained using full matrix capture (FMC); applying the plurality of scan plan parameters to an acoustic model, the acoustic model configured to determine a two-way pressure response of a plurality of inspection modes based on specular reflection and diffraction phenomena; generating, by the acoustic model based on the plurality of scan plan parameters, an acoustic region of influence (AROI) comprising an acoustic amplitude sensitivity map for a first inspection mode amongst the plurality of inspection modes; and generating, for display, a first image comprising the AROI associated with the first inspection mode for capturing or inspecting the image of the at least one flaw.
Multi-material inspection system and velocity measurement method of critically refracted longitudinal wave based on single-angle wedges
A multi-material inspection system and velocity measurement method of critically refracted longitudinal wave based on single-angle wedges belong to the field of nondestructive testing of high-end equipment. The method includes the following steps: designing a transmitting wedge and a receiving wedge with the same inclination angle, and building phased array ultrasonic-based inspection systems of critically refracted longitudinal wave; estimating a longitudinal wave velocity range of a material to be tested, calculating and optimizing a phased array ultrasonic delay law, and building a relation between a longitudinal wave velocity and an amplitude of critically refracted longitudinal wave; reading and interpolating the arrival time of a received signal, and calculating a longitudinal wave velocity of the material to be tested; determining an optimal delay law, and exciting and receiving a critically refracted longitudinal wave.
Total focusing method (TFM) with acoustic path filtering
An acoustic technique can be used for performing non-destructive testing. For example, a method for acoustic evaluation of a target can include generating respective acoustic transmission events via selected transmitting ones of a plurality of electroacoustic transducers, and in response to the respective acoustic transmission events, receiving respective acoustic echo signals using other receiving ones of the plurality of electroacoustic transducers, and coherently summing representations of the respective received acoustic echo signals to generate a pixel or voxel value corresponding to a specified spatial location of the target. Such summation can include weighting contributions from the respective representations to suppress contributions from acoustic propagation paths outside a specified angular range with respect to a surface on or within the target, such as to provide an acoustic path-filtered total focusing method (PF-TFM).
ULTRASOUND INSPECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD
A system for inspecting a structure includes a laser ultrasound device configured to direct laser light onto a surface of the structure that generates ultrasonic waves within the structure and to generate an array of ultrasound data representative of the ultrasonic waves. The system includes a robotic arm configured to move the laser light across the surface. The system includes a multiplex controller configured to trigger generation of the ultrasonic waves within the structure at an inspection location and to receive the array of ultrasound data for the inspection location. The system includes a computer system that includes a motion-control module configured to control movement of the laser light relative to the surface of the structure, a motion-tracking module configured determine when the laser light is at the inspection location, and an inspection module configured to process the array of ultrasound data to inspect the structure at the inspection location.