Method of detecting discontinuities on elongated workpieces

• US 6,843,131 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2003
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mannesmannröhren-Werke AG (Salzgitter AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmannrohren
• Inventors: Schlawne, Friedhelm, Graff, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, ROSE MARY
• Application Number:
  US10/425,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20030233879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 736/02, 736/20, 736/21, 736/22, 736/23
• US Class Current: 73/602
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/011 Velocity or travel time
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0423 Surface waves, e.g. Rayleigh waves, Love waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/044 Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2634 cylindrical from outside
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/11 by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/275 by moving both the sensor and the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/343 pulse waves, e.g. particular sequence of pulses, bursts
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4445 Classification of defects

Abstract

In a method of detecting discontinuities on elongated workpieces, in particular tubes and bars, using ultrasonic testing system, a test object is positioned in relationship to a test head of the testing system, with the test object and the test head being moveable to one another. Signals from the test head are transmitted to an evaluation unit, where they are digitized and evaluated. The digitized signals of a test shot of a length position X are compared with digitized signals of a test shot of a length position X+ΔX, wherein ΔX is a multiple of a shot distance, and the difference is evaluated.

Claims

1. A method of detecting discontinuities on elongated workpieces, in particular tubes and bars, using ultrasound, comprising the steps of:

positioning a test object in relationship to a test head,

moving the test object and the test head relative to one another;

transmitting reception signals generated in the test head to an evaluation unit and digitizing the signals,

comparing the digitized signals of a test shot at a length position X with digitized signals of a test shot at a length position X+Δ

X, wherein Δ

X is a multiple of a shot distance, by evaluating a difference between the test shots.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein Δ

X is freely selectable.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a limited number of signals is evaluated in the evaluation unit.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the number of evaluated signals is in the range between 20 and 100.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the test head is configured as an electrodynamic transducer, with the test object moving past the transducer in an axial direction without rotation, wherein the transmitting step includes providing per test cycle wave pulses, which are guided in the test object circumferentially in two directions and are received at a reception site which is offset relative to a transmission site by one quarter of the wavelength of the guide waves, wherein the site of reception and excitation of the wave pulses, which propagate simultaneously in both circumferential directions of the test object, is selected such that both uninterfered circulating waves destructively interfere at the site of the receiver, wherein for each clock cycle the reception signal and a burst signal having an identical frequency, a suitable time period and a suitable start delay are transmitted to a peak detector, and the amplitudes are digitized and evaluated in the evaluation unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step includes generating in alternating fashion in the test cycle wave pulses at two locations which are separated in circumferential direction, with the wave pulses circulating in both circumferential directions, wherein a site of reception for reflected pulses is different from a site for attenuated pulses, and wherein the respective sequence of received signals is evaluated separately.