Phased array ultrasonic inspection method for industrial applications

US6789427B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Thomas James Batzinger · Burnt Hills, US
• Wei Li · Niskayuna, US
• Robert S. Gilmore · Burnt Hills, US
• Edward James Nieters · Burnt Hills, US
• William Thomas Hatfield · Schenectady, US
• Richard Eugene Klaassen · Sharonville, US
• James Norman Barshinger · State College, US
• Bruno Hans Haider · Ballston Lake, US
• Carl Lawrence Chalek · Scotia, US
• Robert John McElligott · Loveland, US
• David Franklin · Seattle, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 16, 2002
• Grant date: Sep 14, 2004
• Expiry date: Sep 16, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S15/8979
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for inspecting a component includes exciting a number of transducers forming an array to produce an ultrasonic transmission beam (beam) focused into the component. The array and the component are separated by a standoff. A number of echo signals are generated using the transducers, and the echo signals are processed in a number of channels. The processing includes both dynamical focus and providing a dynamic aperture on receive, both of which compensate for refraction of the beam at the component/standoff interface. A single-turn inspection method includes: (a) positioning the array facing the component, (b) exciting the transducers, (c) generating a number of echo signals, (d) changing the relative angular orientation of the array and the component around an axis and repeating steps (b) and (c), and (e) processing the echo signals to form at least one processed echo signal.