Various embodiments include methods for creating an analysis data set for an evaluation of an ultrasonic test of an object comprising: providing a first and second measurement data set, each based on an ultrasonic measurement of a region of the object and a SAFT analysis thereof; associating a first equivalent defect size with a volume element of the first measurement data set associated with at least a portion of the region; associating a second equivalent defect size with a volume element of the second measurement data set associated with at least the portion of the region; creating the analysis data set having at least one volume element which is associated with at least the portion of the region; and associating a third equivalent defect size with the volume element of the analysis data set, wherein the third is formed from the maximum of the first and second sizes.

This invention provides a method for finding the remnant thickness of a structure. A feature of guided waves known as the cut-off property is used to determine the remnant thickness of structures. Fundamental guided wave modes do not possess cut-off property, but higher order modes do. The cut-off thickness of a particular mode is the minimum thickness required for that mode to travel through the guided medium. The invention uses a wide-bands of frequency and wavelength to generate the modes using appropriate magnets and excitation signal shape to provide a low cost and rapid evaluation of remnant thickness of structure.

[PROBLEM] To provide a defect detection device capable of detecting not only a defect within a visible range but also a defect outside the visible range among the objects to be inspected. [SOLUTION] A defect detection device 10 includes: an excitation source 11 capable of being placed at any position on a surface of an inspection target object S, the excitation source 11 being configured to excite an elastic wave within the inspection target object S, the elastic wave being predominant in one vibration mode and propagating in a predetermined direction; an illumination unit (pulsed laser light source 13, illumination light lens 14) configured to perform stroboscopic illumination on an illumination area of the surface of the inspection target object by using a laser light source; a displacement measurement unit (speckle shearing interferometer 15) configured to collectively measure a displacement of each point in a front-back direction within the illumination area in at least three different phases of the elastic wave, by speckle interferometry or speckle shearing interferometry; and a reflected wave/scattered wave detector 16 configured to detect either one or both of a reflected wave and a scattered wave of the elastic wave, based on the displacement measured by the displacement measurement unit.

An ultrasonic touch sensing system that uses both compressional and shear waves for touch and water detection is disclosed. When no touch or water is present, less shear and compressional wave energy is absorbed, so both shear and compressional wave reflections do not have significant amplitude decreases. When a finger is in contact with the sensing plate, both shear and compressional wave energy is absorbed, so both shear and compressional wave reflections have significant amplitude decreases. When water is in contact with the sensing plate, compressional energy is absorbed but little or no shear wave energy is absorbed, so while compressional wave reflections have significant amplitude decreases, shear wave reflections do not. From these amplitudes, a determination can be made as to whether no touch is present on the sensing plate, whether a touch is present on the sensing plate, or whether water is present on the sensing plate.

A shear wave inspection tool has a housing with a rotatable top removably fixable over a fastener hole in a structure. An aperture is positioned through the rotatable top and operable to couple an ultrasonic transducer such that when rotatable top is rotated, the ultrasonic transducer transmits a shear wave into the structure around the fastener hole inspecting the fastener hole for an anomaly. A shear wave inspection system includes the inspection tool, an ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasonic data instrument operable to acquire data from the ultrasonic transducer, the nature of the received data indicates the presence of an anomaly in the fastener hole. A method for detecting anomalies in a fastener hole includes removably fixing the inspection tool over a fastener hole and rotating the rotatable top such that the ultrasonic transducer transmits a shear wave in a controlled sweep around the fastener hole.

Automated apparatus for performing maintenance functions on airfoil-shaped bodies having short chord lengths, the apparatus being movable in a spanwise direction along the airfoil-shaped body. In accordance with various embodiments, the apparatus comprises a blade crawler capable of supporting any one of a plurality of end effectors for performing a set of maintenance functions on an airfoil-shaped body, such as a blade component. Included in these functions are multiple options for nondestructive inspection, drilling, grinding, fastening, appliqué application, scarfing, ply mapping, depainting, cleaning, and painting devices that are attached as the end effector for the blade crawler. As a whole, the blade crawler reduces maintenance time, labor hours and human errors when robotic maintenance functions are performed on blade components.

A system for testing properties of a sample, the system including a test cell. The test cell includes a cell casing having a first end piece, a second end piece, and at least one wall extending between the first end piece and the second end piece. The cell casing defines a pressure boundary enclosing an interior region of the cell. The test cell further includes a sample chamber, a first reservoir, and a second reservoir disposed within the pressure boundary. The sample chamber defines an interior region. The first reservoir fluidly connects to the interior region of the sample chamber. The second reservoir fluidly connects to the interior region of the sample chamber. The test cell also has a piston assembly having a piston fluid chamber and a piston with a stem extending into the piston fluid chamber. The piston partially defines the sample chamber.

An air contaminant collector device for use in an aircraft air contaminant analyzer, and a method for its use, are disclosed.

Method for ultrasonic characterization of a medium, comprising generating a series of incident ultrasonic waves, generating an experimental reflection matrix R.sub.ui(t) defined between the emission basis (i) as input and a reception basis (u) as output, and determining a focused reflection matrix RFoc(r.sub.in, r.sub.out, δt) of the medium between an input virtual transducer (TV.sub.in) calculated based on a focusing as input to the experimental reflection matrix and an output virtual transducer (TV.sub.out) calculated based on a focusing as output from the experimental reflection matrix, the responses of the output virtual transducer (TV.sub.out) being obtained at a time instant that is shifted by an additional delay δt relative to a time instant of the responses of the input virtual transducer (TV.sub.in).

In the system, two ultrasonic transducers, which form a pair and each have a piezoelectric ceramic plate-shaped element with a rectangular geometry, can be fastened to a surface of a component. The two ultrasonic transducers are arranged at a distance from one another such that there is no direct mechanical contact and they are arranged beside one another with a parallel orientation of their central longitudinal axes. The two elements have a different polarization along their width and are connected with the same polarity to an electrical voltage source. The two plate-shaped elements can also have an identical polarization along their width and can be connected in this case with opposite polarity to an electrical voltage source. At least one ultrasonic transducer and/or at least one further ultrasonic transducer is/are designed to detect ultrasonic waves reflected by defects and/or shear waves simultaneously emitted by the two ultrasonic transducers.