Method and circuit arrangement for disturbance-free examination of objects by means of ultrasonic waves

US7581444B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• GE Inspection Technologies, LP · US

Inventors

• Albrecht Maurer · Seligenstadt, DE
• Michael Strauss · Alzenau, DE
• Walter De Odorico · Bayern, DE
• Roman Koch · Blankenbach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 19, 2004
• Grant date: Sep 1, 2009
• Expiry date: Dec 5, 2025

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2291/044
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method and circuit arrangement for processing signals which are produced during disturbance-free examination of objects such as pipes or sheet metal, by reflecting ultrasonic waves at defective spots on the structure of the object. According to the method, a complete wave front is emitted on at least one section of the object which is to be examined by means of a plurality of independent transmitting elements, a wave reflected by the structure of the object is received by means of a plurality of receiving elements which are independent of each other, the signals received by the receiving elements are digitalized, and the digitalized signals are stored in a storage element according to amplitude and propagation time. In order to detect defective points on the structure of the object in a faster manner with improved signal/noise ratio, the defective points are detected by a phase-locked addition of the stored amplitude values of the propagation time.