Advanced NDT Hands-on Workshop:

Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing by Michael Moles

Presenter – Michael Moles

• Thirty years in automated ultrasonic testing, primarily with nuclear, petrochemical and aerospace•Employed in sales, marketing and long term planning with Olympus NDT (formerly R/D Tech) for twelve years •Over one hundred presentations and refereed papers•Ph.D. in Metallurgy and M.B.A. in Marketing•Registered Professional Engineer in Ontario, member of ASNT, ASME, AWS, CINDE•Code committee member on ASME Section V, ASTM and AWS D1.1•CGSB Level II in Industrial Ultrasonics•Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering.

Setting the Tone

Presentation objective

A brief re-introduction to phased arrays

Encoded scans

Pipeline AUT

Pipe mill AUT

Imaging

Volume focusing

Sources

Data mostly internal to Olympus NDT

Exception: Volume focusing from Krautkramer Japan.

Beam Focusing

•large range of

focal depth

(focusing)

• adjustable

each pulse.

Beam Steering

• large range of

inspection

angles

(sweeping)

• multiple

modes with a

single probe

(SW, LW)

Electronic Scanning• Electronic (linear) scanning emulates typical ASME-

type 45 and 60o shear wave inspections, and is much faster than raster scanning.

• Typical weld inspection requires two or more angles with implied raster size, step size, etc. Need to cover weld, HAZ, any position errors => significant amount of scanning

Tandem Probes for Vertical Defects

Sectorial Scanning Animation• This illustration shows a turbine blade root being

inspected using S-scans.

Sectorial Scans (S-scans)• Sectorial scanning is the ability to scan a complete

sector of volume without any probe movement.

• Useful for inspection of complex geometries, or those with space restrictions

• Combines the advantages of a wide beam and/or multiple focused probes in a single phased array probe

Determining Defect Location

Defect Analysis using S-scans

Crown defect –clearly located

Defect tip signal – easy to identify and size

T1 designation shows “top” or cap

Advanced PA Applications

Encoded (AUT) scans

Pipeline AUT

Pipe mills

Imaging

Volume Focusing

Universal ScannerThis a small, versatile,

easy to operate one-axis encoded, motorized scanner.

Used on plate and pipes from 4 inches in diameter to flat surfaces and on long seam welds 30 inches in diameter or larger.

Demonstration Video

Small Diameter Pipe Scanner Demonstration

Small pipes inspected using scanner

Uses low profile scanner

(<1/2” height) and CCEV

focused arrays

Semi-automated scanner.

Root Crack

TOFD technique

Radiography

Images

Can perform many different inspections,

incl. TOFD and “top, side, end” views

General purpose inspections.

Pipeline AUT

Pipeline AUT

High speed AUT systems – “fast, fast and fast”

Covered by API 1104

Require high quality inspections

Multiple probes or arrays traveling at 100 mm/sec (4”/sec)

Big swing towards PA due to increased capability

PA in Action

Pipeline AUTLatest ONDT version can run multiple scans simultaneously for coverage and detailed sizing

Weld overlay now standard, along with improved software, mechanics, umbilical and electronics. Much improved ~10-40

times faster for data collection.

Pipe Mill AUT

Pipe Mill Full Body Inspection System

Advanced mechanics

Complex centering systems

Main advantage is speed – can scan over + 30o

at very high speed

Fulfils API5L etc.

Full Body Inspection SystemLongitudinal inspection Systems

w Electronic scanning of 16-

element aperture for virtual

beam rotation

w 100% coverage with 4 or

6 cylindrical PA probes

(128 elements)

w 4 probes (15–45 mm)

w 6 probes (45–90 mm)

w Electronic beam focusing on ID

and OD (by water and metal

path compensation)

w Interlaced clockwise and

counterclockwise inspection

Imaging

S-scan Imaging Superimposed

S-scan

imaging offers

unique

possibilities

for

characterizing

defects and

components

Commercial –

more or less.

Projection Imaging

Volume Focusing

Volume Focusing (also called Total Focusing Method etc.)

Screen shot of bar being inspected by Volume

Focusing technique. Main advantages are: speed,

multiple angles

Uses single pulse and multiple receivers to

reconstruct beams at different angles.

Volume Focusing

Top shows 2 mm

FBH at 10 mm

from bottom. Lower

shows 3 mm FBH.

Images compare

with other PA

systems, but not

really viable as a

technique yet.

Needs more

development first,

especially on

applications.

Summary

• Phased arrays are viable inspection tools, from manual PA to encoded PA to advanced applications

• Even simple encoded scanning on well established welds can be very cost-effective

• Advanced techniques can be viable when they work; pipelines, pipe mills, imaging = “yes”

• Other areas, e.g. volume focusing, have some way to go.

Thank you for your attention

Any Questions???

Michael Moles

Olympus NDT

Tel: (416) 831 4428

E-mail: michael.moles@olympusndt.com