A sensor for ultrasonically measuring a portion of a structure having a temperature significantly above room-temperature, the sensor comprising: a high-temperature portion for intimate contact with the structure, the high-temperature portion comprising at least: at least one transducer for converting a first signal to an ultrasonic transmit signal, and for converting an ultrasonic reflected signal to a second signal; a low-temperature portion comprising at least: at least one digital sensor interface (DSI) to which the transducer is electrically connected, the DSI being configured to transmit the first electrical signal and receive the second electrical signal, and to generate an A-scan signal based on the first and second electrical signals; a wireless interface for transmitting a digital signal based directly or indirectly on at least said A-scan signal; and a battery for powering the DSI and the wireless interface; and an elongated member containing one or more electrical conductors for conducting the first and second signals between the transducer and the DSI, the elongated member being configured to offset the low-temperature portion a sufficient distance away from the high-temperature portion such that the low-temperature portion is subjected to significantly less heat from the structure compared to the high-temperature portion.

Methods for quantitatively determining the time (TNI) between (1) the application of this method and (2) the time at which the next out-of-service API 653 internal inspection of a steel, field-erected, aboveground storage tank (AST) containing petroleum/water products should be performed. These methods combine four in-service measurements of the thickness, integrity, and corrosion rate of the tank bottom with an empirical corrosion rate cumulative frequency distribution (CFD) for the tank of interest to develop a Bayesian tank bottom survival probability distribution to determine TNI. During this entire TNI time period, the risk of tank bottom failure is less than at the time these methods were applied. If available, the results of a previous out-of-service API 653 internal inspection are also used. These methods can be applied at any time while the tank is in-service to update the internal inspection interval previously determined in an out-of-service internal inspection of the tank.

A computer-implemented method, computer program, and device for evaluating timed-based probabilities of failure of sections of a pipe network are provided. To do so, the pipe sections are clustered into classes based on structural and environmental parameters; within each class a sample of pipe sections are selected to be inspected. The scores that are obtained through the inspection are used to train a model of pipe conditions of pipes in a class, in order to estimate the pipe conditions of pipes that have not been inspected. The pipe conditions are used to parameterize a predictive model of pipe failures.

A monitoring device is provided that is capable of quickly and accurately detecting the occurrence of an abnormality in a pipe on the basis of the trend of the wall thickness of the pipe. The monitoring device includes a degree of damage acquisition unit configured to acquire a degree of damage to a pipe, and a determination unit configured to determine whether the degree of damage has fallen lower than a lower limit threshold value determined on the basis of a reference operating parameter related to fluid flowing through the pipe.

A method and apparatus for evaluating an object having a wrinkle are provided. An array of receiving elements is configured such that only two receiving apertures are configured to receive at a given point in time. Energy is sent into the object using an array of transmitting elements. Reflected energy is received at the only two receiving apertures of the array of receiving elements in response to a portion of the energy being reflected off a plurality of layers in the object. A number of dimensions of a wrinkle in the object is determined based on the reflected energy received at the only two receiving apertures of the array of receiving elements.

Disclosed is an ultrasonic inspection probe assembly comprising a water wedge and a flexible probe array assembly having a flexible acoustic module. The wedge is machined to match a test surface to be inspected and is configured to shape the acoustic module so that the active surface of the acoustic module is parallel to the test surface. Different wedges may be machined to match different test surfaces, but the same flexible probe array assembly may be used for all such surfaces.

A measuring device for reflection measurements of test objects includes a transmitter for emitting radiation, a first collimation element for aligning the emitted radiation, a first focusing element for focusing emitted radiation in relation to the test object, and a receiver for detecting radiation reflected by the test object. There is a second collimation element for aligning the reflected radiation, and a second focusing element for focusing the reflected radiation in relation to the receiver. At least two of the first and second collimation elements and first and second focusing elements are separate from each other. Thus, a simple and flexible design of the measuring device is achieved, which can be adapted to the test object.

A measuring device for non-mechanical-contact measurement of a layer, the measuring device including a light source operative to generate a pulse adapted to interact with the layer so as to generate a thermal wave in a gas medium present adjacent the layer. The thermal wave causes an acoustic signal to be generated. The measuring device further includes a detector adapted to detect a first signal responsive to the acoustic signal, the detector not being in mechanical contact with the layer. The first signal is representative of the measured layer.

A system includes an inspection robot having an input sensor comprising a laser profiler and a plurality of wheels structured to engage a curved portion of an inspection surface, wherein the laser profiler is configured to provide laser profiler data of the inspection surface; a controller, comprising: a profiler data circuit structured to interpret the laser profiler data; determine a feature of interest is present at a location of the inspection surface in response to the laser profiler data; and wherein the feature of interest comprises a shape description of the inspection surface at the location of the feature of interest.

A system for semiconductor manufacturing that uses ultrasonic waves for estimating and monitoring a remaining service lifetime of a consumable element is provided. A consumable element comprises a front side arranged inside a process chamber and a back side, opposite the front side, arranged outside the process chamber. An ultrasonic transducer is arranged on the back side of the consumable element, and directed towards the front side of the consumable element. A monitoring unit is configured to estimate and monitor a remaining service lifetime of the consumable element using the ultrasonic transducer. A method for estimating and monitoring the remaining service lifetime of the consumable element using ultrasonic waves is also provided.