Method and apparatus for ultrasonic inspection of a solid workpiece
First Claim
1. A method for non-destructive inspection of a solid workpiece, comprising the steps of:
- generating ultrasound energy at a curved arc;
focusing said ultrasound energy into a substantially cone-shaped hollow sector beam;
directing said beam at a surface of the workpiece so as to establish shear mode ultrasound energy in the workpiece;
receiving ultrasound energy from within the workpiece.
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Abstract
The disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for non-destructive inspection of a solid workpiece, such as a steel workpiece. In accordance with the method of the invention, ultrasound is generated at an annular ring or portion thereof and focused into a hollow substantially cone-shaped beam, or sector thereof. The beam is directed at the surface of the workpiece so as to establish shear mode ultrasound energy in the workpiece. Ultrasound energy is then received from the workpiece (e.g. by reflection or transmission) and characteristics of the internal structure of the workpiece can be determined from the received ultrasound energy. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the beam is configured such that the ultrasound energy impinging on the surface of the workpiece is at a sufficiently large angle with respect to the normal to the surface such that primarily shear mode of ultrasonic energy will be established within the workpiece. In a form of the invention, a second beam of ultrasound energy is generated and focused within the annular ring, this second beam being used to inspect the workpiece with a compressional mode of ultrasonic energy. In a form of the invention, an ultrasound-reflective surface is disposed in the path of the beam to correct for the inherent focusing effect of the curved surface contour of a workpiece to be inspected.
23 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for non-destructive inspection of a solid workpiece, comprising the steps of:
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generating ultrasound energy at a curved arc; focusing said ultrasound energy into a substantially cone-shaped hollow sector beam; directing said beam at a surface of the workpiece so as to establish shear mode ultrasound energy in the workpiece; receiving ultrasound energy from within the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for injecting ultrasound energy into a metal workpiece from within a bore in the workpiece, comprising:
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a transducer having electrodes in the shape of a curved elliptical arc; means for energizing the transducer; and a lens for focusing the ultrasound energy from said transducer into a substantually cone-shaped hollow sector beam that is directed toward a surface of the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for non-destructive inspection of a solid workpiece, comprising the steps of:
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generating ultrasound energy at an annular ring; focusing said ultrasound energy into a substantially cone-shaped hollow beam; directing said beam at a surface of the workpiece so as to establish shear mode ultrasound energy in the workpiece; and receiving ultrasound energy from within the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. Apparatus for injecting ultrasound energy into a solid workpiece, comprising:
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a transducer having an annular active region of piezoelectric material; means for energizing the transducer; means for focusing the ultrasound energy from said transducer into a substantially cone-shaped hollow beam that is directed toward a surface of the workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification