An ultrasound probe is described that comprises a transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasound. The probe also includes a coupling element, such as a spherical ball of self-lubricating or hydrogel material, for contacting and acoustically coupling to an object to be inspected. The ultrasound probe also includes an analyser that is arranged to analyse the ultrasound signal received by the transducer and thereby determine if there is contact between the coupling element, and the surface of an object. The probe can thus be used for internal (ultrasound) inspection of objects as well as measuring the position of points on the surface of the object. The probe may be mountable to a coordinate measuring machine or other moveable platforms.

A gauge profile apparatus (100) includes a gauge profile system (104) and a lap count system (106) for determining an average three-dimensional profile over the length of a sheet coil (10). The gauge profile system (104) includes a lap profile measuring device (112) which will make a distance determination between top and bottom surfaces for the sheet coil (10). A second embodiment of a lap count system (600) is also provided, which utilizes a pair of reflectance lasers and a positioning system.

A sheet-forming apparatus including a crucible for holding a melt of material and a solid sheet of the material disposed within the melt, a crystallizer disposed above the crucible and configured to form the sheet from the melt, and an ultrasonic measurement system disposed adjacent the crystallizer, the ultrasonic measurement system comprising at least one ultrasonic measurement device including a waveguide coupled to an ultrasonic transducer for directing an ultrasonic pulse through the melt.

A measuring assembly and method for layer thickness measurement of a layer applied to a substrate by means of a vapor deposition method includes a measuring head which is provided with at least one vibration plate, an extraction line which can be coupled in a gas-conducting or vapor-conducting manner with a first end having a vacuum chamber for the vapor deposition method and which can be coupled in a gas-conducting or vapor-conducting manner with an opposite second end having the measuring head, wherein the extraction line includes at least one heating section or at least one cooling section.

A system includes an inspection robot for performing an inspection on an inspection surface with an inspection robot, the apparatus comprising a position definition circuit structured to determine an inspection robot position on the inspection surface; a data positioning circuit structured to interpret inspection data, and to correlate the inspection data to the inspection robot position on the inspection surface; and wherein the data positioning circuit is further structured to determine position informed inspection data in response to the correlating of the inspection data with the inspection robot position, wherein the position informed inspection data comprises absolute position data.

A device (1) including an ultrasonic measuring unit (7) that sends an ultrasonic signal (S1) into a structure (2) and measures the amplitude of the ultrasonic signal (S2) reflected by the structure (2), a processing unit for determining the thickness of the interposition mastic (3) from the measurements of the ultrasonic measuring unit (7) and with the aid of a propagation model of the interposition mastic (3) which provides a thickness value of the interposition mastic (3) depending on the propagation time of the ultrasonic signal in the interposition mastic (3) as well as auxiliary data, and a processing unit for deducing a conformity or a lack of conformity of said interposition mastic (3) and the presence of cuttings from the thickness of the interposition mastic (3), the device (1) carrying out a conformity checking that is accurate, fast and reliable without having to disassemble the structure (2).

The invention provides a piping wall thinning prediction system, a piping soundness evaluation system, and a method which can evaluate a wall thinning amount, a wall thinning rate, and a remaining life at a high speed based on limited actual measurement results, and identify a location requiring monitoring in a piping in a plant.

The wall thinning prediction system includes: a first AI evaluation unit configured to evaluate a fluid characteristic value of a piping based on an input value including piping shape information and information of a fluid in the piping; and a second AI evaluation unit configured to evaluate an index related to wall thinning of the piping based on an input value including the fluid characteristic value. The wall thinning prediction system is configured to predict the index related to the wall thinning of the piping.

A method includes: sensing a defect on a cast strip surface, the cast strip being cast from molten metal or alloy by a casting system, determining an adjustment amount and/or direction of a casting system component based on the identified surface defect, and providing the adjustment amount and/or direction to an operator for adjustment of the casting system component and/or commanding that the casting system component be adjusted by the adjustment amount and/or direction.

A method of detecting near surface inconsistencies in a structure is presented. A pulsed laser beam is directed towards the structure. Wide-band ultrasonic signals are formed in the structure when radiation of the pulsed laser beam is absorbed by the structure. The wide-band ultrasonic signals are detected to form data. The data is processed to identify a frequency associated with the near surface inconsistency.

A method and apparatuses to make an in-service measurement of the thickness and corrosion rate of the floor an aboveground or bulk underground storage tank. The preferred method is to use an off-the-shelf ultrasonic sensor that is placed on the end of a staff and inserted into an opening at the top of the tank to make one or more local measurements of the thickness and corrosion rate of the tank floor. When combined with the results of a previous out-of service internal inspection of the floor or an acoustic emission (AE) corrosion activity test performed with a vertical and horizontal array of three or more AE sensors placed on a staff and inserted into the liquid or on the external wall of the tank and show almost no corrosion activity, these local measurements can be used to determine the thickness and corrosion rate for the entire tank floor.