Ultrasonic non-destructive testing
First Claim
1. Apparatus for ultrasonic non-destructive testing of a solid object, the apparatus comprising:
- a solid object under test, the solid object having studs welded thereto;
an elongate strip of ultrasound transmissive material, said elongate strip having a transverse cross-section with a width and a thickness giving an aspect ratio greater than unity, a proximal end and a distal end;
an ultrasonic transducer coupled to said elongate strip and matched thereto such that excitation of said ultrasonic transducer induces non-dispersive ultrasonic signals to propagate along said elongate strip to said proximal end, said signals being formed of components of different frequencies having wavelengths extending from λ
short to λ
long; and
a clamp clamping with an adjustable force said proximal end to the studs welded to the solid object, wherein said non-dispersive signals are coupled into the solid object;
wherein said thickness is less than 2.5 λ
short and said width is greater than 3.5 λ
long.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for ultrasonic non-destructive testing provides an elongate strip of ultrasound transmissive material coupled at a proximal end to an object under test. The elongate strip has a transverse cross-section with a width and thickness giving an aspect ratio greater than unity and matched to the ultrasonic transducer such that excitation induces a substantially non-dispersive ultrasonic signal to propagate along the elongate strip to the proximal end and to enter the object under test. These non-dispersive pulses are particularly suited for time-of-flight measurements, thickness measurements, crack measurements and the like. The elongate strip helps to separate the transducer from a potentially hostile environment associated with the object under test. The elongate strip also has a large area of contact with the object under test allowing efficient transmission of energy into the object under test.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for ultrasonic non-destructive testing of a solid object, the apparatus comprising:
-
a solid object under test, the solid object having studs welded thereto; an elongate strip of ultrasound transmissive material, said elongate strip having a transverse cross-section with a width and a thickness giving an aspect ratio greater than unity, a proximal end and a distal end; an ultrasonic transducer coupled to said elongate strip and matched thereto such that excitation of said ultrasonic transducer induces non-dispersive ultrasonic signals to propagate along said elongate strip to said proximal end, said signals being formed of components of different frequencies having wavelengths extending from λ
short to λ
long; anda clamp clamping with an adjustable force said proximal end to the studs welded to the solid object, wherein said non-dispersive signals are coupled into the solid object; wherein said thickness is less than 2.5 λ
short and said width is greater than 3.5 λ
long. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification