Apparatus and method for ultrasonic spectroscopy testing of materials
First Claim
1. An apparatus for performing ultrasonic spectroscopy testing on a test material comprising:
- a transmit transducer for coupling a swept frequency acoustical wave to a test material;
a sweep generator for supplying a frequency swept signal to said transmit transducer, said sweep generator comprising;
means for specifying a plurality of amplitude values of a signal which define each cycle of a swept wave for a swept frequency range having a start frequency and end frequency; and
,means for continuously producing said amplitude values defining each cycle of said swept wave at a controlled rate, whereby a series of amplitude values are sequentially produced defining each cycle constituting said swept wave;
a receive transducer coupled to receive an acoustical wave from said material and produce an electrical signal in response thereto; and
a digital processing device for storing said electrical signal representing an amplitude and phase of a spectral response to said swept frequency acoustic wave.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for performing ultrasonic spectroscopy provides for rapid evaluation of test materials with good amplitude, balanced response at all test frequencies. A swept frequency signal is generated which is applied to a transmit transducer coupled to a test part. A receive transducer provides a detected signal that is fully digitized for real-time or post signal processing. The created swept frequency signal can be equalized from data obtained from direct coupling between transmit and receive transducers. The resultant data is analyzed for amplitude and/or phase information as a function of frequency and can be used to analyze filter characteristics, identify resonances, characterize material signatures and many other applications.
-
Citations
13 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for performing ultrasonic spectroscopy testing on a test material comprising:
-
a transmit transducer for coupling a swept frequency acoustical wave to a test material; a sweep generator for supplying a frequency swept signal to said transmit transducer, said sweep generator comprising; means for specifying a plurality of amplitude values of a signal which define each cycle of a swept wave for a swept frequency range having a start frequency and end frequency; and
,means for continuously producing said amplitude values defining each cycle of said swept wave at a controlled rate, whereby a series of amplitude values are sequentially produced defining each cycle constituting said swept wave; a receive transducer coupled to receive an acoustical wave from said material and produce an electrical signal in response thereto; and a digital processing device for storing said electrical signal representing an amplitude and phase of a spectral response to said swept frequency acoustic wave. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An apparatus for performing ultrasonic testing on a test material comprising:
-
a transmit transducer for coupling a swept frequency acoustical wave to a test material; a sweep generator for supplying a frequency swept signal to said transmit transducer, said sweep generator comprising; a computer having a data file specifying a plurality of amplitude values which define each cycle of a swept wave having a start and end frequency; a digital to analog converter for receiving said plurality of amplitude values and creating a swept analog signal from said values comprising each of said cycles between said start and end frequencies; an amplifier connected to said digital to analog converter, and to said transmit transducer for supplying a signal to said transmit transducer to generate said swept acoustic wave. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method for performing ultrasonic testing on a test material comprising:
-
coupling an acoustic wave between a transmit transducer and a receive transducer; measuring the frequency response of said transmit and receive transducers; creating a data file comprising a plurality of cycles of a frequency sweep signal having a start frequency and a stop frequency which is equalized in amplitude accordance with said transmit and receive transducer'"'"'s frequency response; generating an analog sweep signal including said cycles, beginning and ending at said start and stop frequencies from said data file; exciting said transmit transducer with said sweep signal when said transmit transducer is coupled to said test material; detecting with said receive transducer an acoustic wave in said test material; and
,analyzing the amplitude and phase of said detected swept acoustic wave from said test material. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
-
Specification