Acoustic evaluation of a target can be performed using an array of electro-acoustic transducers. For example, a technique for such evaluation can include generating acoustic transmission events using different transmitting apertures, the apertures defined by corresponding zones along the array, the zones including multiple electro-acoustic transducer elements. In response to the respective acoustic transmission events. respective acoustic echo signals are received. Representations of the respective received acoustic echo signals are coherently summed. The coherently summing includes applying determined nominal element delay factors to the respective representations to approximate a virtual probe normal to a nominal shape of a surface of a structure being inspected. A pixel or voxel value is corresponding to a specified spatial location within the structure being inspected is generated using the coherently summed representations.

A system and method of ultrasonically inspecting coiled wire includes a wire drawer, a first power feeder, an ultrasonic inspection device, and a re-coiler. The wire drawer receives wire that is unspooled from a first coil of wire that has not been internally inspected for defects. The wire is then fed through the first power feeder, which straightens the wire. The straightened wire is then fed through the ultrasonic inspection device to detect internal defects of the wire. The inspected wire is then re-coiled into a second coil of wire that has been ultrasonically inspected for internal defects. Accordingly, raw and uninspected wire coils can be continuously conditioned and inspected and then re-coiled, and may be certified for use in specific manufacturing processes, without having to inspect individual cut and separated sections of wire.