Interface surfaces of mechanical system components may comprise one or more radiographic markers. A radiographic marker may comprise a marker material having a radiopacity greater than a radiopacity of a parent material of a mechanical system component that comprises that radiographic marker. Mechanical systems comprising one or more radiographically-marked components may be radiographically imaged to determine wear, damage, and/or other conditions.

Methods and devices are disclosed for tracking site-specific microstructure evolutions and local mechanical fields in metallic samples deformed along biaxial strain paths. The method is based on interrupted bulge tests carried out with a custom sample holder adapted for SEM-based analytical measurements. Embodiments include elliptical dies used to generate proportional and complex strain paths in material samples. One example holding device includes a base having a floor and walls that extend to form a chamber for a sample, the floor having apertures for receiving a pressure-supplying fluid, a cover having an opening and configured such that the cover and base can be coupled together to tightly clamp a sample in the chamber, and washers disposed between the base and the cover, each washer having openings extending therethrough change at least one of a shape and a size of the opening formed in the cover.

A method for analysing the quality of a weld bead in a welding zone using a thermal camera. A thermal image (IMG) of a given area is divided into a plurality of sub-areas each having a respective temperature (Ti). During a learning step, the temperature evolution (Ti(t)) of each sub-area is monitored for different welding conditions. During a training step, the temperature evolutions (Ti(t)) are processed for training a classifier (304). For this purpose, a respective cooling curve is extracted (302) from each temperature evolution (Ti(t)), and parameters (F) are determined that identify the shape of each cooling curve. The parameters (F) are used as input features for the classifier (304). In normal operation the temperature evolution (Ti(t)) of each sub-area (Ai) is monitored and the classifier (304) estimates weld quality (S).

A method for analysing the quality of a weld bead in a welding zone using a thermal camera. A thermal image (IMG) of a given area is divided into a plurality of sub-areas each having a respective temperature (Ti). During a learning step, the temperature evolution (Ti(t)) of each sub-area is monitored for different welding conditions. During a training step, the temperature evolutions (Ti(t)) are processed for training a classifier (304). For this purpose, a respective cooling curve is extracted (302) from each temperature evolution (Ti(t)), and parameters (F) are determined that identify the shape of each cooling curve. The parameters (F) are used as input features for the classifier (304). In normal operation the temperature evolution (Ti(t)) of each sub-area (Ai) is monitored and the classifier (304) estimates weld quality (S).

A weld inspection apparatus that detects a weld defect in a welded portion of metal plates and includes a liquid application head disposed over one side surface of the metal plates and capable of moving in a welding direction of the metal plates, and an air jet head disposed over another side surface of the metal plates and capable of moving in the welding direction of the metal plates. The liquid application head includes a liquid application nozzle that projects toward the one side surface of the metal plates and applies liquid for sealing the welded portion. The air jet head includes an air jet nozzle that projects toward the another side surface of the metal plates and discharges air toward the welded portion to which the liquid has been applied.

A weld inspection apparatus that detects a weld defect in a welded portion of metal plates and includes a liquid application head disposed over one side surface of the metal plates and capable of moving in a welding direction of the metal plates, and an air jet head disposed over another side surface of the metal plates and capable of moving in the welding direction of the metal plates. The liquid application head includes a liquid application nozzle that projects toward the one side surface of the metal plates and applies liquid for sealing the welded portion. The air jet head includes an air jet nozzle that projects toward the another side surface of the metal plates and discharges air toward the welded portion to which the liquid has been applied.

Methods and systems for determining sensitization of an alloy includes correlating laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) measurements with degree of sensitization (DoS) values to determine the sensitization of an alloy. Sensitization is characterized by new phase precipitates preferably along the grain boundaries (GBs). In an embodiment, the method includes the features of (1) selective chemical etching of the new phase precipitate of an alloy to induce quantitative chemical composition change, correlated with the DoS values, on the alloy surface, (2) LIBS measurements to semi-quantitatively probe the chemical composition change on the etched surface due to selective chemical etching, (3) establishing calibration models by correlating the LIBS spectra with the DoS using artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms/approaches to determine a sensitization of an alloy.

The present invention discloses a quantitative evaluation method for sensitivity of welding transverse cold cracks in a typical joint of a jacket, including following steps: S1, performing macroscopic analysis, metallographic analysis, fracture analysis and hardness analysis on cracks of a failed component to obtain main causes of cold crack failure; and S2, designing and processing a dedicated sample, and performing rigid restraint crack tests on the dedicated sample at different preheating temperatures to obtain a cracking/non-cracking critical restraint stress σ1cr of the sample. According to the method, a rigid restraint crack test is applied to evaluation of sensitivity of welding transverse cracks, so that external restraint conditions borne by a welding joint can be accurately simulated, a stress state of the welding joint in an actual working condition can be truly reflected, the overall evaluation precision is greatly improved, and a foundation is laid for accurately evaluating sensitivity of welding cold cracks in a tube joint. Furthermore, a welding technology (base material, welding material, welding process and restraint level) is designed to restrain cold cracks from cracking, and the method has important theoretical significance and engineering value.

The present invention discloses a quantitative evaluation method for sensitivity of welding transverse cold cracks in a typical joint of a jacket, including following steps: S1, performing macroscopic analysis, metallographic analysis, fracture analysis and hardness analysis on cracks of a failed component to obtain main causes of cold crack failure; and S2, designing and processing a dedicated sample, and performing rigid restraint crack tests on the dedicated sample at different preheating temperatures to obtain a cracking/non-cracking critical restraint stress σ1cr of the sample. According to the method, a rigid restraint crack test is applied to evaluation of sensitivity of welding transverse cracks, so that external restraint conditions borne by a welding joint can be accurately simulated, a stress state of the welding joint in an actual working condition can be truly reflected, the overall evaluation precision is greatly improved, and a foundation is laid for accurately evaluating sensitivity of welding cold cracks in a tube joint. Furthermore, a welding technology (base material, welding material, welding process and restraint level) is designed to restrain cold cracks from cracking, and the method has important theoretical significance and engineering value.

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic testing apparatus with a variable frequency, which can automatically change the frequency according to thickness and thereby detect internal defects in objects having various thicknesses. The ultrasonic testing apparatus may comprise: a nozzle jetting a medium toward an object so as to form a medium column; and a plurality of probes disposed in the nozzle so as to generate ultrasonic waves.