ULTRASONIC TESTING DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to an ultrasonic testing device and to a method for nondestructively testing a component, in particular a fiber-plastic composite component, having: an ultrasonic testing head; and a liquid nozzle with a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet, and an inner surface which tapers towards the liquid outlet, wherein the liquid nozzle has at least one liquid guiding rib which protrudes inwards into the sound chamber from the tapering inner surface of the liquid nozzle upstream of the ultrasonic testing head.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic testing device for non-destructively testing a component, having: an ultrasonic testing head, a liquid nozzle with a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet, and an inner surface which tapers towards the liquid outlet, wherein the liquid nozzle has at least one liquid-guiding rib, which protrudes inwards from the tapering inner surface of the liquid nozzle into a sound chamber in front of the ultrasonic testing head.

2. The ultrasonic testing device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid-guiding rib extends from the tapering inner surface into an edge region on the front of the ultrasonic testing head, wherein a central region on the front of the ultrasonic testing head is free of the liquid-guiding rib.

3. The ultrasonic testing device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid nozzle has multiple liquid-guiding ribs on the tapering inner surface.

4. The ultrasonic testing device according to claim 3, wherein inner longitudinal edges of the liquid-guiding ribs are arranged at a distance from one another, so that the liquid nozzle has a central region free of liquid-guiding ribs.

5. The ultrasonic testing device according to claim 3, wherein the liquid-guiding ribs are arranged at regular angular intervals in a circumferential direction on the tapering inner surface of the liquid nozzle.

6. The ultrasonic testing device according to claim 4, wherein a height of the liquid-guiding ribs decreases towards the liquid outlet.

7. The ultrasonic testing device according to claim 6, wherein the inner longitudinal edges of the liquid-guiding ribs run substantially parallel to one another.

8. The ultrasonic testing device according to claim 1, wherein the tapering inner surface of the liquid nozzle adjacent to the liquid outlet is free of liquid-guiding ribs.

9. The ultrasonic testing device according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the liquid nozzle is tapered according to a spline polynomial of degree 3 to 5.

10. The ultrasonic testing device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid nozzle has an axial extent of less than 60 mm from a center of the ultrasonic testing device to the liquid outlet.

11. The ultrasonic testing device according to claim 1, wherein a drive is provided to move the liquid nozzle, to rotate the liquid nozzle about its longitudinal axis and/or a transverse axis running perpendicular thereto.

12. A testing system having a manipulation element, having a robot arm, on which a tool having an ultrasonic testing device is arranged, the device having an ultrasonic testing head, a liquid nozzle with a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet, and an inner surface which tapers towards the liquid outlet wherein the liquid nozzle has at least one liquid-guiding rib which protrudes inwards from the tapering inner surface of the liquid nozzle into a sound chamber in front of the ultrasonic testing head.

13. A method for non-destructively testing a component, having the steps of: providing an ultrasonic testing device having an ultrasonic testing head, a liquid nozzle with a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet, and an inner surface which tapers towards the liquid outlet wherein the liquid nozzle has at least one liquid-guiding rib which protrudes inwards from the tapering inner surface of the liquid nozzle into a sound chamber in front of the ultrasonic testing head, generating ultrasonic waves using the ultrasonic testing head, supplying a liquid flow into the liquid nozzle via the liquid inlet, conducting the liquid flow along the inner surface of the liquid nozzle to the liquid outlet, wherein the liquid flow is guided with the aid of the liquid-guiding rib.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising: rotating the liquid nozzle, about its own axis, while the liquid flow is conducted along the inner surface of the liquid nozzle to the liquid outlet, so that the liquid flow is carried over the liquid-guiding rib during the rotary movement.

15. The ultrasonic testing device according to claim 1 wherein the component is a fibre-reinforced plastic component.

16. The method according to claim 13 wherein the component is a fibre-reinforced plastic component.

Description

[0043] The invention is explained further below using a preferred exemplary embodiment, which is shown in the drawings.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a testing system for non-destructively testing a fibre-reinforced plastic component.

[0045] FIG. 2A to 2C show a change-over device of the testing system according to FIG. 1 with a change-over adapter and a tool mounted thereon for non-destructively testing the fibre-reinforced plastic component, the tool having an ultrasonic testing device according to the invention.

[0046] FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show a tool head of the tool according to FIG. 2A to FIG. 2C, opposite which there is a corresponding ultrasonic probe with a receiver transducer.

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a testing system 27 for non-destructively testing a fibre-reinforced plastic component. The testing system has a change-over device 26, an adapter plate 25, and a manipulation element 28, which is in the form of a robot arm in the embodiment shown. The adapter plate 25 is mounted on the manipulation element 28 on one side. The change-over device 26 is connected detachably to the other side of the adapter plate 25.

[0048] As can be seen in FIG. 1 and in detail in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the change-over device 26 has a change-over adapter 5, on which a tool 30 (not visible in FIG. 1) for non-destructively testing the fibre-reinforced plastic component is mounted. The tool 30 has a cylindrical motor housing 31 which is coaxially adjacent to the change-over adapter 5 and is connected to the change-over adapter 5 detachably and for conjoint rotation therewith. A motor, in particular a servomotor, is arranged in the motor housing 31. On one side of the motor housing 31, opposite the change-over adapter 5 when the tool 30 is mounted, the tool 30 has a cylindrical gear housing 32, which is arranged coaxially with the cylindrical motor housing 31. In the gear housing 32 there is a gearing mechanism, which is connected to the servomotor and converts torques and/or rotation speeds generated by the servomotor. On a side 34 of the gear housing 32 opposite the motor housing 31 there is a tool head 35, which is mounted rotatably about a transverse axis 36A on a holder 36 fastened to the gear housing 32. With the aid of the servomotor, the tool head 35 can be rotated about the transverse axis 36A relative to the holder 36 (see arrow 36B in FIG. 2A). In the embodiment shown, the force of the motor is transmitted to the tool head 35 via a toothed belt in a toothed belt housing 31A.

[0049] The tool head 35 has an ultrasonic testing head 37 and a liquid nozzle 38, with which a water jet is directed at the component.

[0050] The tool 30 can be rotated using a further drive, for example of the manipulation element 28, about its longitudinal axis 30A, as shown with an arrow 30B in FIG. 2A. The liquid nozzle 38 can thus be rotated about its longitudinal or centre axis 46 when the transverse axis 36A is set to 0°, so the longitudinal axis 46 of the liquid nozzle 38 runs parallel to the longitudinal axis 30A of the tool 30. The rotations about the longitudinal axis 30A and the transverse axis 36A can also be carried out at the same time as one another.

[0051] FIGS. 3 to 5 show an embodiment according to the invention of the tool head 35, which in the embodiment shown has a receiving housing 40 on which the ultrasonic testing head 37 and the liquid nozzle 38 are mounted. The drawing also shows an ultrasonic probe 48 which corresponds to the tool head 35 and has a receiver transducer 49, with which ultrasonic waves passing through the component (not shown) are received. The incident waves are converted into an electrical signal, which is evaluated electronically.

[0052] The tool head 35 has a liquid supply 41 for supplying liquid via the bearing of the receiving housing 40. With the water supply 41, a liquid flow, in particular water, is supplied to an annular feed between the receiving housing 40 and the outside of the liquid nozzle 38, deflected with a deflecting ring, and guided to a liquid inlet 42 of the liquid nozzle 38. The liquid inlet 42 extends in a ring on the rear of the liquid nozzle 38. The inflow of the liquid flow is made laminar by the annular liquid inlet 42. On the front end on the side facing away from the ultrasonic testing head or transducer 37, the liquid nozzle 38 has a liquid outlet 43, with which the liquid flow is directed at the component during non-destructive ultrasonic testing. The liquid flow inside the liquid nozzle 38 is shown in FIG. 5 using a line 44.

[0053] As can be seen in FIG. 5, the flow space inside the liquid nozzle 38, also referred to as a “squirter nozzle”, is delimited by a smooth inner surface 45, which tapers continuously from the liquid inlet 42 to the liquid outlet 43. In the embodiment shown, the inner surface 45 of the liquid nozzle 38 is curved according to a spline polynomial of degree 3 to 5. The flow cross-section of the liquid flow inside the liquid nozzle 38 thus decreases in the direction of the liquid flow. The inner surface 45 is rotationally symmetrical in relation to a centre axis 46 of the liquid nozzle 38. The direction information such as “axial” and “radial” relates to the centre axis 46 of the liquid nozzle 38.

[0054] As can also be seen in FIG. 5, the liquid nozzle 38 has multiple liquid-guiding ribs or protrusions 47, which protrude inwards in the radial direction from the inner surface 45 of the liquid nozzle 38 towards the centre axis 46 and extend in the axial direction. The inner longitudinal edges 48 of the liquid-guiding ribs 47 end at an outer edge region, as seen in the radial direction, of the flow space in front of the ultrasonic testing head 37. The central region around the centre axis 46 is thus free of liquid-guiding ribs 47, and therefore the ultrasonic signal can propagate freely in the central region, and disruptive reflections are avoided. The liquid-guiding ribs 47 are arranged at regular angular intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner surface 45 of the liquid nozzle 38. At least four, preferably at least six, particularly preferably at least eight, in particular at least ten liquid-guiding ribs 47 can be provided.

[0055] As can also be seen in FIG. 5, the height of the liquid-guiding ribs 47, i.e., their radial extent decreases in the axial direction towards the liquid outlet 43, so that the inner longitudinal edges 48 of the liquid-guiding ribs 47 run substantially parallel to one another. The liquid-guiding ribs 47 peter out before the liquid outlet 43, so that the portion adjacent to the liquid outlet 43 is free of liquid-guiding ribs 47.