Ultrasonic Inspection

Part 2

Ultrasonic Test Methods

Pulse Echo
Through Transmission
Transmission with Reflection

Pulse Echo Testing

Single probe sends and receives sound
Gives an indication of defect depth and
dimensions
Not fail safe

Defect Position

No indication from defect A (wrong orientation)

Through Transmission Testing

Transmitting and receiving probes on
opposite sides of the specimen
Presence of defect indicated by
reduction in transmission signal
No indication of defect location
Fail safe method

Through Transmission Testing

T

Transmission
signal

Minor Defect

Gross Defect
T

Transmission
signal reduced
R

R
Transmission signal
disappears

Through Transmission Testing

Advantages
Less attenuation
No probe ringing
No dead zone
Orientation does not
matter

Disadvantages
Defect not located
Defect cant be
identified
Vertical defects dont
show
Must be automated
Need access to both
surfaces

Transmission with Reflection

T

Transmission with Reflection

T

Pulse Length
A short pulse of electricity is applied to a
piezo-electric crystal
The crystal begins to vibration increases
to maximum amplitude and then decays
Maximum

10% of
Maximum

Pulse length

Pulse Length
The longer the pulse, the more
penetrating the sound
The shorter the pulse the better the
sensitivity and resolution

Short pulse, 1 or 2 cycles

Long pulse 12 cycles

Ideal Pulse Length

5 cycles for weld testing

The Sound Beam

Dead Zone
Near Zone or Fresnel
Far Zone or Fraunhofer

The Sound Beam

NZ

FZ

Intensity
varies
Exponential Decay

Distance

Sound Beam
Near Zone
Thickness
measurement
Detection of defects
Sizing of large
defects only

Far Zone
Thickness
measurement
Defect detection
Sizing of all defects

Near zone length as small as possible

Near Zone
2

D
Near Zone
4
V

D f
Near Zone
4V

Near Zone
What is the near zone length of a 5MHz
compression probe with a crystal diameter
of 10mm in steel?
2

D f
Near Zone
4V
2
10 5,000,000

4 5,920,000
21.1mm

Near Zone
2

D
Near Zone
4

D f

4V

The bigger the diameter the bigger the

near zone
The higher the frequency the bigger the
near zone
The lower the velocity the bigger the
near zone
Should large diameter crystal probes have a high
or low frequency?

Beam Spread
In the far zone sound pulses spread out
as they move away from the crystal

/2

K
KV
Sine
or
2 D
Df

Beam Spread

K
KV
Sine
or
2 D
Df
Edge,K=1.22
20dB,K=1.08
6dB,K=0.56
Beam axis

Beam Spread

K
KV
Sine
or
2 D
Df
The bigger the diameter the smaller the
beam spread
The higher the frequency he smaller the
beam spread
Which has the larger beam spread, a compression
or a shear wave probe?

Beam Spread
What is the beam spread of a 10mm,5MHz
compression wave probe in steel?

KV
Sine
2
Df
1.08 5920

5000 10
o
0.1278
7.35

Testing close to side walls

Testing close to side walls

Testing close to side walls

Sound at an Interface
Sound will be either transmitted across
or reflected back
Reflected

Interface

Transmitted

Inclined incidence(not at 90o)

Angle of Incidence = Angle of Reflection

60o

60o

Inclined incidence(not at 90
Shear
Comp

60o

Mode Conversion

Comp

60o

o)

Inclined incidence(not at 90o)

Incident

Transmitted
The sound is refracted due to differences in
sound velocity in the 2 materials

Snells Law
I

Material 2

Material 1

Sine I
Vel in Material 1

Sine R Vel in Material 2

Snells Law
C

Sine I Vel in Material 1

Sine R Vel in Material 2

20

Perspex

Sine 20
2730

Sine 48.3 5960

Steel

0.4580 0.4580

48.3
C

Snells Law
C

Sine I Vel in Material 1

Sine R Vel in Material 2

15

Sine 15 2730

Sine R 5960

Perspex
Steel
34.4
C

5960
SinR Sin15
2730

SinR 0.565
R 34.4

Snells Law
C

20

Perspex
Steel
48.3
24

C
S

1st Critical Angle

C 27.4

Compression wave refracted

at 90 degrees

33
S

2nd Critical Angle

C

57

S (Surface Wave)
90

Shear wave refracted at 90 degrees

Shear wave becomes a surface wave

1st Critical Angle Calculation

C 27.2

Sine I
2730

Sine 90 5960
Perspex
C

Steel

Sin90 1
2730
SinI
5960

SinI 0.458
I 27.26

2nd Critical Angle Calculation

C

Sine I
2730

Sine 90 3240

C
57.4
Perspex

Steel

Sin90 1
2730
SinI
3240

SinI 0.8425
I 57.4

Summary
Standard angle probes between 1st and
2nd critical angles (45,60,70)
Stated angle is refracted angle in steel
1st critical angle ; compression
refracted at 90 degrees
2nd critical angle shear refracted at 90
2nd critical angle produces surface
waves

Snells Law
Calculate the 1st critical angle for a
perspex/copper interface
V Comp perspex : 2730m/sec
V Comp copper : 4700m/sec

2730
SinI
0.5808 35.5
4700

Automated Inspections
Pulse Echo
Through Transmission
Transmission with Reflection
Contact scanning
Gap scanning
Immersion testing

Gap Scanning
Probe held a fixed distance above the
surface (1 or 2mm)
Couplant is fed into the gap

Immersion Testing
Component is placed in a water filled tank
Item is scanned with a probe at a fixed
distance above the surface

Immersion Testing

Front surface

Water path distance

Back surface

Immersion Testing
Angulation

Ultrasonic Displays

A scan
B scan End View
C scan Plan View
D scan Side View

Sine I Vel in Material 1

Sine R Vel in Material 2

K
KV
Sine
or
2
D
Df
2

D
Near Zone
4

D f

4V