A method of testing for thickness loss in a metal wall is disclosed. The method includes mounting a first and a second ultrasonic transducer to the metal such that the transducers are in ultrasonic communication along a beam line and moving the first and second ultrasonic transducers along a scan line. A series of composites of received signal measurements are obtained by, at multiple locations along the scan line, using the first ultrasonic transducer to transmit ultrasonic signals through the metal wall along the beam line at a plurality of transmission angles and obtaining composites of received signal amplitudes by combining signal amplitudes measured by the second ultrasonic transducer. The series of composites are input into a predetermined relationship to obtain a thickness profile indicative of a proportion of remaining wall thickness. The predetermined relationship is experimentally obtained to characterize a given metal wall of nominal thickness.

A method of testing for thickness loss in a metal wall is disclosed. The method includes mounting a first and a second ultrasonic transducer to the metal such that the transducers are in ultrasonic communication along a beam line and moving the first and second ultrasonic transducers along a scan line. A series of composites of received signal measurements are obtained by, at multiple locations along the scan line, using the first ultrasonic transducer to transmit ultrasonic signals through the metal wall along the beam line at a plurality of transmission angles and obtaining composites of received signal amplitudes by combining signal amplitudes measured by the second ultrasonic transducer. The series of composites are input into a predetermined relationship to obtain a thickness profile indicative of a proportion of remaining wall thickness. The predetermined relationship is experimentally obtained to characterize a given metal wall of nominal thickness.

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for quickly and accurately inspecting a droplet on a substrate. An apparatus for inspecting a droplet on a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes: an ultrasonic sensor configured to apply an ultrasonic wave to a droplet on the substrate and detect an ultrasonic wave reflected from the substrate; and a processor configured to acquire a height of the droplet at each position on the substrate on the basis of a signal of the ultrasonic wave reflected from the droplet on the substrate, calculate a volume of the droplet on the basis of the heights of the droplet at the positions, and store or output data in relation to the volume of the droplet. The embodiment of the present disclosure may calculate the volume of the droplet using the ultrasonic wave, thereby quickly and accurately inspecting the droplet on the substrate.

A method for ultrasonic inspection of composite parts includes providing a composite part to be inspected with a plurality of layers, determining the runtime and/or attenuation of an ultrasonic signal propagating through the composite part to be inspected, providing the runtime and/or attenuation of the ultrasonic signal propagating through a reference composite part, subtracting the runtime and/or attenuation of the ultrasonic signal in the reference composite part from the runtime and/or attenuation of the ultrasonic signal in the composite part to be inspected, or vice versa, and determining from the result of the subtraction one or more missing and/or additional layers in the inspected composite part. The difference of the runtime and/or attenuation of the ultrasonic signal in the inspected composite part relative to the reference composite part, and/or the difference of the thickness between the composite part and the reference part, is/are visualized.

Methods and systems disclosed herein use acoustic energy to determine a gap between a wafer and an integrated circuit (IC) processing system and/or determine a thickness of a material layer of the wafer during IC processing implemented by the IC processing system. An exemplary method includes emitting acoustic energy through a substrate and a material layer disposed thereover. The substrate is positioned within an IC processing system. The method further includes receiving reflected acoustic energy from a surface of the substrate and a surface of the material layer disposed thereover and converting the reflected acoustic energy into electrical signals. The electrical signals indicate a thickness of the material layer.

Methods and systems disclosed herein use acoustic energy to determine a gap between a wafer and an integrated circuit (IC) processing system and/or determine a thickness of a material layer of the wafer during IC processing implemented by the IC processing system. An exemplary method includes emitting acoustic energy through a substrate and a material layer disposed thereover. The substrate is positioned within an IC processing system. The method further includes receiving reflected acoustic energy from a surface of the substrate and a surface of the material layer disposed thereover and converting the reflected acoustic energy into electrical signals. The electrical signals indicate a thickness of the material layer.

An image forming apparatus comprises an ultrasonic sensor and a processor is configured to control the image forming apparatus based on an output signal of the ultrasonic sensor. The processor estimates a barometric pressure based on the output signal of the ultrasonic sensor and determines an image forming condition based on the estimated barometric pressure. The ultrasonic sensor is utilized for controlling the image forming apparatus and for estimating the barometric pressure.

An image forming apparatus comprises an ultrasonic sensor and a processor is configured to control the image forming apparatus based on an output signal of the ultrasonic sensor. The processor estimates a barometric pressure based on the output signal of the ultrasonic sensor and determines an image forming condition based on the estimated barometric pressure. The ultrasonic sensor is utilized for controlling the image forming apparatus and for estimating the barometric pressure.

An apparatus having a layer of fats, oils and grease (F.O.G) on water includes a tank having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet connects to a source of F.O.G.-laden effluent and the outlet connects to a sewer pipe so that the outlet defines a normal static water level for F.O.G. and effluent in the tank. A sensor mounted above the static water level determines a distance from the sensor to a top of F.O.G. within the tank, so that a thickness of the F.O.G. in the tank can be determined. If the sensor is LIDAR, sensing may be at about 940 nm. When the F.O.G. is sensed to be above a threshold, the apparatus generates signals to remove the F.O.G. Ultrasonic sensing may be used. Preferably, the sensor is mounted far enough above the static water level so the distance between the sensor and the liquid surface is filled with air. More preferably, the sensor is far enough above the static water level so that the top of the F.O.G. does not touch the sensor even as the top of the F.O.G. rises above the static water level.

A method of monitoring both liner wear and charge impact in an industrial mill uses a sensor mounted on an elongated element deployed through a shell into a liner of the mill. The elongated element wears at a same rate as the liner under conditions within the shell. Liner wear is related to a reduction in length of the elongated element as measured by travel time of an ultrasound wave, while location and strength of charge impact is related to change in amplitude of vibrations caused by the charge impact. Liner wear measurement can be improved by using shear ultrasound waves instead of conventional longitudinal ultrasound waves. A mill monitoring apparatus has a means for acquiring ultrasonic waves and audible sound waves using the same digitizer; a means for determining the angular position of the monitoring apparatus; and a means for supplying electric power to the apparatus.