Ultrasonic Test

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What is Ultrasonic Test

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Manual Method

The most basic form of ultrasonic testing (UT) utilizes a high frequency, high energy cone of sound from a probe to “scan” the interior of a component for volumetric flaws or discontinuities. The sound wave is generated within the probe and transmitted into the component. The sound wave travels within the component and reflects off any internal features, including the walls of the component and any defects within it. As sound travels at a known, fixed speed within a given medium, the operator can predict when should an echo off the component wall be reflected back to the probe. An echo that is detected earlier than expected is therefore a sign of a discontinuity at that location. By moving the probe in a methodical manner across the surface of the component, an operator can not only measure the thickness of the component (Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge Measurement), but also detect any defects within it.

Due to the portable nature of the equipment, and the high accuracy in flaw detection and sizing, UT is often deployed to detect internal discontinuities in welded plate and pipes on site, and for measuring wall thicknesses of in-service pipes, boilers and pressure vessels.

Immersion Method

Immersion Ultrasonic Testing is a variation of the standard UT technique. Instead of using a thin layer of oil or water-based gel to aid the transmission of soundwaves from the probe to the component, the soundwave is transmitted either via a jet of water (also known as a squirter) or by immersing the component into a tank of water. Immersion UT is therefore often automated or mechanized, and can carry out rapid, repeatable, and very accurate UT scans to collect data which can be further analyzed. This is unlike the standard, Manual A-Scan method, which does not normally leave a record of the scan.

Some applications for Tank Immersion type Immersion UT include the rapid detection of laminations, determination of Crack Area Ratio after HIC testing, as well as rapid inspection of welded plate coupons. Applications of water jet type Immersion UT include wall thickness measurement of small diameter, thin wall pipes such as those typically used in heat exchangers.