G01N2291/02854

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSES

A system and method for monitoring a semiconductor process includes a plurality of sensors and a microcontroller. The plurality of sensors are disposed within a process chamber. The microcontroller receives data from the plurality of sensors and measures the uniformity of a semiconductor process based on the data received from the plurality of sensors.

FLEXIBLE ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER AND A TRANSDUCER BLOCK

A flexible ultrasonic transducer comprising a flexible metal plate, a piezoelectric ceramics element, a first electrical conductor and an insulation covering a portion of the metal plate. The metal plate comprises a first and a second outer surface opposite each other. The piezoelectric ceramics element is attached to the first outer surface, a first portion of the first outer surface is not covered with the piezoelectric ceramics element, and the first electrical conductor is attached to a first portion of the second outer surface or the first portion of the first outer surface. The first portion of the first outer surface and the first portion of the second outer surface have similar dimensions and positions and the insulation covering covers the first portion of the first outer surface so that the piezoelectric ceramics element is directly dry coupled an object to be inspected by means of the transducer.

INSPECTION AND REPAIR OF ADHESIVE-BONDED JOINT USING ULTRASONIC PULSES

A method of inspection and repair of a joint in an assembly. The joint is formed by a first work piece and a second work piece. An adhesive placed between the first and second work pieces to define the joint. The assembly includes an ultrasonic welding device including an ultrasonic horn configured to deliver ultrasonic energy to the joint. A controller is operatively connected to the ultrasonic welding device. The controller includes a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method of inspecting and repairing the adhesive-bonded joint. The controller is programmed to deliver a first ultrasonic pulse (P1) to the joint, via the ultrasonic welding device, and determine an adhesive coverage (AC) based at least partially on the first ultrasonic pulse (P1).

Sensor system for corrosion monitoring

A permanently installed monitoring system for corrosion under insulation (PIMSCUI) and a method for performing the monitoring of said system are provided. The objective of the invention by a fiber optic cable permanently mounted between walls of a pipeline and pipeline insulation surrounding the pipeline and placement of acoustic emitters along the length of the pipeline in mechanical contact with the optical fiber. The acoustic emitters send a pulsed acoustic signal towards the pipeline which is received by the optical fiber, the acoustic signal subsequently travels through the pipeline wall, reflecting from the inner diameter of the pipeline before the reflected pulse is received at the optical fiber.

SLEWING ROLLER BEARING WITH SENSING PROBE
20170350453 · 2017-12-07 ·

The invention relates to a slewing bearing that includes an inner ring, an outer ring, at least one row of rolling elements arranged between the rings in order to form an axial thrust that transmits axial forces, and at least one row of rolling elements arranged between the rings in order to form a radial thrust which can transmit radial forces. The slewing bearing further includes a sensing probe for detecting a relative displacement between the inner ring and outer ring and/or cracks, the inner ring having a through hole in which the sensing probe arranged. The through hole has a probe positioning element provided with a positioning portion and a support portion on which the sensing probe is supported so as to face the outer ring.

INTEGRITY TESTING OF STORAGE TANK STRUCTURE USING ROBOTIC ULTRASOUND
20230184616 · 2023-06-15 · ·

Systems and methods are provided for non-destructive inspection of an interior of a vessel filled with a liquid.

Flexible ultrasonic transducer and a transducer block

A flexible ultrasonic transducer comprising a flexible metal plate, a piezoelectric ceramics element, a first electrical conductor and an insulation covering a portion of the metal plate. The metal plate comprises a first and a second outer surface opposite each other. The piezoelectric ceramics element is attached to the first outer surface, a first portion of the first outer surface is not covered with the piezoelectric ceramics element, and the first electrical conductor is attached to a first portion of the second outer surface or the first portion of the first outer surface. The first portion of the first outer surface and the first portion of the second outer surface have similar dimensions and positions and the insulation covering covers the first portion of the first outer surface so that the piezoelectric ceramics element is directly dry coupled an object to be inspected by means of the transducer.

Inspection robot with stability assist device

An inspection robot incudes a robot body, at least two sensors, a drive module, a stability assist device and an actuator. The at least two sensors are positioned to interrogate an inspection surface and are communicatively coupled to the robot body. The drive module includes at least two wheels that engage the inspection surface. The drive module is coupled to the robot body. The stability assist device is coupled to at least one of the robot body or the drive module. The actuator is coupled to the stability assist device at a first end, and coupled to one of the drive module or the robot body at a second end. The actuator is structured to selectively move the stability assist device between a first position and a second position. The first position includes a stored position. The second position includes a deployed position.

Contact or proximity pad mounted sensor system for imaging cavity defects and delamination defects between layers in multilayered cylindrical structures in subsurface wells

An apparatus for inspecting a well having nested multi-tubular structure, includes: an acoustic transducer conveyed in an inner-most tubular in the structure and configured to receive a return acoustic signal having a plurality of resonances due to the structure; an acoustic impedance matching material disposed on a sensing face of the acoustic transducer; a signal generator that generates a signal having a plurality of frequencies to drive the acoustic transducer; a signal shaper that modifies the signal to provide a drive signal to the acoustic transducer; and a processor configured to determine an annulus distance of any tubular in the structure with respect to an adjacent tubular using a time of flight of a transmitted acoustic signal, an acoustic speed in a component in the nested multi-tubular structure using the annulus distance and the plurality of resonances, and a characteristic of the component that corresponds with the acoustic speed.

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR NON-INVASIVE DETERMINATION OF PROPERTIES OF PRESSURE VESSELS
20230175909 · 2023-06-08 ·

An example system for non-invasive determination of target properties of a pressure vessel includes: a signal generator acoustically coupled to a fluid contained in the pressure vessel and disposed externally to the pressure vessel, the signal generator to emit acoustic signals into the fluid; a plurality of sensors acoustically coupled to the fluid and disposed externally to the pressure vessel to detect the acoustic signals; a control device interconnected with the signal generator and the plurality of sensors, the control device configured to: control the signal generator to emit acoustic signals into the pressure vessel; obtain sensor data from the plurality of sensors, the sensor data representing the acoustic signals as received by the plurality of sensors; compute, based on the detected signal data, the target properties of the pressure vessel; and output an indication of the target properties.