Systems and methods for tracking the location of a non-destructive inspection (NDI) scanner using images of a target object acquired by the NDI scanner. The system includes a frame, an NDI scanner supported by the frame, a system configured to enable motorized movement of the frame, and a computer system communicatively coupled to receive sensor data from the NDI scanner and track the location of the NDI scanner. The NDI scanner includes a two-dimensional (2-D) array of sensors. Subsurface depth sensor data is repeatedly (recurrently, continually) acquired by and output from the 2-D sensor array while at different locations on a surface of the target object. The resulting 2-D scan image sequence is fed into an image processing and feature point comparison module that is configured to track the location of the scanner relative to the target object using virtual features visible in the acquired scan images.

A multi-material inspection system and velocity measurement method of critically refracted longitudinal wave based on single-angle wedges belong to the field of nondestructive testing of high-end equipment. The method includes the following steps: designing a transmitting wedge and a receiving wedge with the same inclination angle, and building phased array ultrasonic-based inspection systems of critically refracted longitudinal wave; estimating a longitudinal wave velocity range of a material to be tested, calculating and optimizing a phased array ultrasonic delay law, and building a relation between a longitudinal wave velocity and an amplitude of critically refracted longitudinal wave; reading and interpolating the arrival time of a received signal, and calculating a longitudinal wave velocity of the material to be tested; determining an optimal delay law, and exciting and receiving a critically refracted longitudinal wave.

An inspection apparatus inspects a pressure vessel using laser ultrasound. The apparatus includes an oscillation device that oscillates an excitation laser for exciting the pressure vessel and a conduit to guide the excitation laser oscillated from the oscillation device to inside the pressure vessel. The conduit is inserted into the pressure vessel with one conduit end located inside the pressure vessel and an opposite end located outside the pressure vessel. The apparatus includes a reflector at one conduit end inside the pressure vessel to reflect the excitation laser guided by the conduit and a detector that detects ultrasonic waves generated in the pressure vessel by the excitation laser reflected by the reflector by oscillating a receiving laser from outside of the pressure vessel. At least the conduit, reflector, or detector moves to correct an optical path of the excitation laser or the receiving laser.

A system for inspecting a structure includes a laser ultrasound device configured to direct laser light onto a surface of the structure that generates ultrasonic waves within the structure and to generate an array of ultrasound data representative of the ultrasonic waves. The system includes a robotic arm configured to move the laser light across the surface. The system includes a multiplex controller configured to trigger generation of the ultrasonic waves within the structure at an inspection location and to receive the array of ultrasound data for the inspection location. The system includes a computer system that includes a motion-control module configured to control movement of the laser light relative to the surface of the structure, a motion-tracking module configured determine when the laser light is at the inspection location, and an inspection module configured to process the array of ultrasound data to inspect the structure at the inspection location.

An aspect provides an ultrasound device for non-destructive evaluation of a butt-fusion joint or electro-fusion joint, the device comprising: an ultrasonic unit; a transducer operable remotely from the ultrasonic unit and including an ultrasound signal transmitter positionable to transmit the signal towards the joint, and an ultrasound signal receiver positionable to detect a reflection of the signal; a processor; memory including instructions executable by the processor and first data relating to a plurality of first sample joints of acceptable quality and second data relating to a plurality of second sample joints of unacceptable quality; and an output device. The instructions include a machine learning algorithm trained for analysis of the joint and to send assessment output to the output device indicative of whether the joint is of acceptable or unacceptable quality based on the signal reflection and the first and second data.

Methods for processing data acquired using ultrasound elastography, in which shear waves are generated in a subject using continuous vibration of the ultrasound transducer, are described. The described methods can effectively separate shear wave signals from signals corresponding to residual motion artifacts associated with vibration of the ultrasound transducer. The systems and methods described here also provide for real-time visualization of shear waves propagating in the subject.

The present disclosure provides a system and method for real-time visualization of a material during ultrasonic non-destructive testing. The system includes a graphical user interface (GUI) capable of showing a three-dimensional (3-D) image of a composite laminate constructed of a series of two-dimensional (2-D) cross sections. The GUI is capable of displaying the 3-D image as each additional 2-D cross section is scanned by an ultrasonic testing apparatus in real time or near real time, including probable defect regions that contain a flaw such as a hole, crack, wrinkle, or foreign object within the composite. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the system includes an artificial intelligence capable of highlighting defect areas within the 3-D image in real time or near real time and providing data regarding each defect area, such as the depth, size, and/or type of each defect.

Described herein is a system for determining structural characteristics of an object, the system including a first laser, a second laser, one or more processors, and a computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform functions. The functions include illuminating, by the first laser, a surface region of an object with an incident light pulse, thereby causing the object to exhibit vibrations; illuminating, by the second laser, the surface region with an incident light beam, thereby generating responsive light that is indicative of the vibrations; detecting the responsive light and determining a difference between a characteristic of the responsive light and a reference characteristic that corresponds to the surface region; determining a position of the surface region within a three-dimensional space; and displaying the surface region such that the difference is indicated at the position of the surface region.

To provide a method for evaluating a corroded part, the method making it possible to specify only a waveform reflected by a corroded part and to evaluate the waveform. When a transmission unit (2) is moved on the surface of a metal pipe (60) and the distance between a corroded part (5) and the transmission unit (2) is changed, only a waveform portion A of ultrasonic waves reflected by the corroded part (5) moves toward the left or right along an X axis, and only the intensity of a noise waveform portion B included in a received wave changes upward or downward along a Y axis, which makes it possible to separate the waveform portion A and the noise waveform portion B of a longitudinal-wave surface wave reflected by the corroded part (5) and evaluate the waveform portion A in detail.

The present disclosure provides a system and method for real-time visualization of a material during ultrasonic non-destructive testing. The system includes a graphical user interface (GUI) capable of showing a three-dimensional (3-D) image of a composite laminate constructed of a series of two-dimensional (2-D) cross sections. The GUI is capable of displaying the 3-D image as each additional 2-D cross section is scanned by an ultrasonic testing apparatus in real time or near real time, including probable defect regions that contain a flaw such as a hole, crack, wrinkle, or foreign object within the composite. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the system includes an artificial intelligence capable of highlighting defect areas within the 3-D image in real time or near real time and providing data regarding each defect area, such as the depth, size, and/or type of each defect.