A portable device for inspecting a weld of metal tubes, comprises: at least one clamp formed from two jaws, each jaw including a circularly arcuate void defining, once the clamp has been closed, a substantially circular slot suitable for receiving a tube the weld of which is to be inspected; at least two multielement ultrasound probes that are mounted to be movable relative to the inspecting device and to be able to rotate relative to an axis passing through the center of the two lateral portions of the substantially circular slot of a clamp; a means configured to drive the ultrasound probes to rotate to pass around the entire circumference of the weld to be inspected; and an angular sensor configured to deliver a signal representative of the angular position of at least one sensor relative to an initial position.

Systems and methods for securing a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to a subsea structure during cleaning, maintenance, or inspection of the structure surface are provided. In one or more embodiments, an attachment mechanism includes a pair of grasping hooks that are raised and lowered when driven by a motorized drive. In one or more embodiments, an attachment mechanism includes a rigid holder having a mechanical stop and connected to a swing arm, the swing arm configured to rotate inward, but not outward beyond the mechanical stop. In one or more embodiments, an attachment mechanism includes a plurality of linked segments in series, each connected at a plurality of pivot points. A pair of wires passes through the plurality of linked segments and connects to a pair of pulleys that extend or retract the wires, thereby rotating the plurality of linked segments.

A two-part, selectively dockable robotic system having counterbalanced stabilization during performance of an operation on an underwater target structure is provided. The robotic system includes a first underwater robotic vehicle that is sized and shaped to at least partially surround the underwater target structure. A second underwater robotic vehicle is sized and shaped to at least partially surround the underwater target structure and selectively dock with the first underwater robotic vehicle. The first and second robotic vehicles include complimentary docking mechanisms that permit the vehicles to selectively couple to each other with the underwater target structure disposed at least partially therebetween. One robot includes a tool that can act upon the target structure and the other robot includes a stabilization module that can act upon the target structure in an opposite manner in order to counterbalance the force of the tool.

An ultrasonic phased array detection device sequentially performing flaw detection testing on a welded joint of tubes arranged in a row. The ultrasonic phased array detection device includes: a flaw detection testing unit inserted into a target tube targeted for flaw detection testing among the tubes, and performing flaw detection testing on the welded joint of the target tube; a drive mechanism rotating the flaw detection testing unit around an axis of the target tube; and a jig to be inserted and fixed in a tube different from the target tube. The flaw detection testing unit has a flaw detection part incorporating a phased array probe performing ultrasonic phased array method, and has a pressing mechanism pressing the flaw detection part against an inner surface of the target tube.

A manufacturing method is used for an outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint. The outer joint member includes a cup section having track grooves formed in its inner periphery, which are engageable with torque transmitting elements, and a shaft section formed at a bottom portion of the cup section. The manufacturing method includes welding the cup and shaft members by irradiating a beam to joining end portions of the cup and shaft members, causing an outer surface including the welded portion to be formed into a flat smooth surface by removal processing, irradiating ultrasonic waves to the flat smooth surface with one probe at an incident angle which prevents total reflection in a circumferential angle beam flaw detection method, and setting a focal point of the ultrasonic waves to positions from a surface to an inside of the welded portion, to thereby perform inspection.

A manufacturing method is used for an outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint. The outer joint member includes a cup section having track grooves formed in an inner periphery of the cup section, which are engageable with torque transmitting elements, and a shaft section formed at a bottom portion of the cup section. The outer joint member is constructed by forming the cup section and the shaft section as separate members, and by welding a cup member forming the cup section and a shaft member forming the shaft section to each other. The manufacturing method at least includes welding the cup member and the shaft member by irradiating a beam to joining end portions of the cup member and the shaft member, and inspecting a welded portion formed in the welding by a plurality of ultrasonic flaw detection methods with one probe.

A non-destructive method for inspecting a weld bead (18) connecting together two parts (14, 16), a longitudinal direction (X) of the weld bead (18) extending along the interface between the two parts (14, 16), the method comprising providing an emitter (10) and a receiver (12) and taking at least one measurement of a signal emitted by the emitter (10) and received by the receiver (12) after passing through the weld bead (18), wherein the emitter (10) and the receiver (12) are positioned relative to the weld bead (18) in such a manner that the plane containing the axis (A1) of the emitter and the axis (A2) of the receiver is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction (X).

A CWT-based method to calculate transmission coefficients of different Lamb waves using individual LEU signals. A neural network was trained to accurately predict WPDs based on the transmission coefficients of selected Lamb waves and the LEU signal energy. The method is capable of inspecting WPDs quickly along welds in thin structures.

The invention relates to a method for determining peaking of a pipeline, wherein measurement values of the internal geometry of the pipe are recorded adjacent to a searched point P of the peak, wherein the measurement of meaningful measurement values is made more difficult or impossible due to the weld seam that is present there, and wherein a trend is determined based on the measurement values and a value of the peaking is determined based on the trend.

A two-part, selectively dockable robotic system having counterbalanced stabilization during performance of an operation on an underwater target structure is provided. The robotic system includes a first underwater robotic vehicle that is sized and shaped to at least partially surround the underwater target structure. A second underwater robotic vehicle is sized and shaped to at least partially surround the underwater target structure and selectively dock with the first underwater robotic vehicle. The first and second robotic vehicles include complimentary docking mechanisms that permit the vehicles to selectively couple to each other with the underwater target structure disposed at least partially therebetween. One robot includes a tool that can act upon the target structure and the other robot includes a stabilization module that can act upon the target structure in an opposite manner in order to counterbalance the force of the tool.