Patent classifications
G01N29/06
Colored defect detection curves
A method includes receiving data characterizing a first acoustic signal reflected by a first defect in a target object, and a first depth of the first defect relative to a surface of the target object. The first acoustic signal is detected by a detector located at a first location on the surface of the target object. The method also includes assigning a defect color to the received data based on an amplitude value associated with the first acoustic signal and one or more of a first predetermined threshold value and a second predetermined threshold value associated with the first depth. The method further includes rendering, in a graphical user interface display space, a first visual representation of the first acoustic signal in a graph including a first axis indicative of target object defect depth and a second axis indicative of amplitudes of acoustic signals detected by the detector. The first visual representation of the first acoustic signal includes the assigned defect color.
Enhanced guided wave thermography inspection systems and methods of using the same
Non-destructive inspection systems (10) and methods for inspecting structural flaws that may be in a structure (15) based on guided wave thermography. The method may include sweeping a frequency-phase space to maximize ultrasonic energy distribution across the structure while minimizing input energy, e.g., via a plurality of actuators. The system may include transducer elements (12, 14, 16, 17) configured to predominantly generate shear horizontal-type guided waves in the structure to maximize thermal response from any flaws.
Method and apparatus for determining local acoustic field intensity within a soft solid
This method, for determining the local intensity (I.sub.0) of an acoustic field propagating in a target region of a soft solid, at a position located within said target region, includes at least the following steps: determining (102) a value of an ultrasound attenuation coefficient (α) of the soft body in the target region; determining (104) a value of the shear modulus (μ) of the soft body in the target region; determining (106) a value of the speed of sound (c) in the target region of the soft body; and building (110), with the values determined in steps a), b) and c), a viscoelastic model (M) of a steady-state displacement induced by an acoustic field having a time invariant shape or a viscoelastic model of a difference between two steady-state displacements induced by an acoustic field having a time invariant shape. Moreover, this method also includes the following steps: applying (112) to the target region the acoustic field emitted by an ultrasound source, for a duration such that the acoustic field induces a steady-state localized deformation (Formula (I)) of the soft body in the target region; measuring (114) at least one steady state displacement induced by the acoustic field at a given position in the target region; and computing (116) the amplitude of the intensity of the acoustic field at said given position by inverting the viscoelastic model (M) at said given position, for the displacement(s) measured at step f).
ULTRASOUND BEAMFORMING SYSTEM AND METHOD BASED ON ANALOG RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY ARRAY
An ultrasound beamformer architecture performs the task of signal beamforming using a matrix of analog random access memory cells to capture, store and process instantaneous samples of analog signals from ultrasound array elements and this architecture provides significant reduction in power consumption and the size of the diagnostic ultrasound imaging system such that the hardware build upon this ultrasound beamformer architecture can be placed in one or few application specific integrated chips (ASIC) positioned next to the ultrasound array and the whole diagnostic ultrasound imaging system could fit in the handle of the ultrasonic probe while preserving most of the functionality of a cart-based system. The ultrasound beamformer architecture manipulate analog samples in the memory in the same fashion as digital memory operates that can be described as an analog store—digital read (ASDR) beamformer. The ASDR architecture provides improved signal-to-noise ratio and is scalable.
Three-dimensional broadband nonlinear phased array imaging
System include an ultrasonic transducer configured to couple to a nondestructive testing (NDT) sample and configured to produce and direct an ultrasonic probe wave at a selected frequency into a subsurface region of the NDT sample, a 3D laser scanning vibrometer configured to direct a detection beam in a scan area on a surface of the NDT sample and to receive a return beam from the scan area, and to detect, based on the return beam, a 3D motion of the surface across a wideband frequency range, and a processor, and a memory configured with instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to produce sub-surface image data of the NDT sample at multiple harmonics of the selected frequency in the wideband frequency range based on the detected 3D surface motion, wherein the sub-surface image data describes a nonlinear defect response produced in the NDT sample by interaction of the ultrasonic probe wave with the subsurface region.
OBJECT INFORMATION ACQUIRING APPARATUS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD
an object information acquiring apparatus comprises a light emission unit configured to emit light beams from a plurality of emission positions; a conversion unit configured to convert acoustic waves generated when an object is irradiated with the light beams emitted by the light emission unit into electric signals; a beam profile acquisition unit configured to acquire information relating to beam profiles of the light beams emitted by the light emission unit, the beam profiles corresponding respectively to the plurality of emission positions; and a characteristic information acquisition unit configured to acquire characteristic information of the object on the basis of the information relating to the beam profiles corresponding to the plurality of emission positions and the electric signals.
Control method, inspection system, and storage medium
According to one embodiment, a control method includes setting a transmission angle of an ultrasonic wave to a standard angle. The control method further includes transmitting an ultrasonic wave at the set transmission angle and detecting an intensity of a reflected wave from an object. The control method further includes calculating a tilt angle based on a gradient of the intensity. The tilt angle indicates a tilt of the object. The control method further includes resetting the transmission angle based on the tilt angle.
PASSIVE MEASUREMENT OF ACOUSTO-ELASTIC WAVES
Methods and devices are provided for analyzing a tubular structure including at least two electromagnetic-acoustic transducers (EMAT) and, called sensors, attachable or attached in, on or in the vicinity of the tubular structure; and computation and/or memory resources, that are accessed locally and/or remotely and that are configured to determine, for the pair of sensors, a function representing the impulse response of the tubular structure on the basis of the diffuse acousto-elastic noise present in the structure. Developments describe the use of rings supporting the sensors; translation and/or rotation movements; permanent or temporary installations; hinged rings; various computation modes, e.g., intercorrelation, a passive inverse filter, or correlation of the coda of the correlation; the use of artificial noise sources, imaging (e.g., tomography) for determining the existence of one or more defects in the structure. Software aspects are described.
ACOUSTIC MODEL ACOUSTIC REGION OF INFLUENCE GENERATION
Systems and methods are disclosed for conducting an ultrasonic-based inspection. The systems and methods perform operations comprising: receiving a plurality of scan plan parameters associated with generating an image of at least one flaw within a specimen based on acoustic echo data obtained using full matrix capture (FMC); applying the plurality of scan plan parameters to an acoustic model, the acoustic model configured to determine a two-way pressure response of a plurality of inspection modes based on specular reflection and diffraction phenomena; generating, by the acoustic model based on the plurality of scan plan parameters, an acoustic region of influence (AROI) comprising an acoustic amplitude sensitivity map for a first inspection mode amongst the plurality of inspection modes; and generating, for display, a first image comprising the AROI associated with the first inspection mode for capturing or inspecting the image of the at least one flaw.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REAL-TIME VISUALIZATION OF DEFECTS IN A MATERIAL
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.