# US 10,768,148 B2 · Method for detecting flaw in train wheel with single ultrasonic pulse and testing device therefor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,768,148 B2 - Document ID: US10768148B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/536,816 - Filed: 2015-12-09 - Published: 2018-01-18 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-18 - Assignees: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbH - Applicants: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbH - Inventors: Stephan Falter; Luca Scaccabarozzi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768148B2 ## CPC - G01N 29/262: {by electronic orientation or focusing, e.g. with phased arrays (phased arrays per se G10K11/34)} - G01M 17/10: Suspensions, axles or wheels - G01N 29/043: {in the interior, e.g. by shear waves} - G01N 29/27: by moving the material relative to a stationary sensor - G01S 15/8911: {using a single transducer for transmission and reception} - G01S 15/8915: {using a transducer array} - G10K 11/341: {Circuits therefor} - G01N 2291/044: Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects - G01N 2291/106: one or more transducer arrays - G01N 2291/2696: Wheels, Gears, Bearings - G01S 15/8993: {Three dimensional imaging systems} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract The invention relates to a method for testing of a train wheel by ultrasound. The method is based on a pulsed ultrasonic field in the train wheel to be tested by an array of individually controllable ultrasonic transmitting transducers acoustically coupled to the train wheel each controlled with a specific analog transient excitation signal. Each analog transient excitation signal generated based on an ultrasonic transmitting transducer-specific stored digital transient excitation function. The resulting echo signals from the train wheel to be tested are recorded by an array of individually controllable ultrasonic receiving transducers. Each ultrasonic receiving transducer can provide an analog, time-resolved echo signal. The received echo signals can be digitized in a transducer-specific way and stored in a set. A plurality of different reception processing rules can then be applied to the latter. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for carrying out the method. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for detecting a flaw in a region of interest in a train wheel that is rotatable about an axis of rotation, comprising: providing an array of individually controllable ultrasonic transmitting transducers for insonifying an ultrasonic field; moving the array of individually controllable ultrasonic transmitting transducers relative to the train wheel in a substantially circular manner about the axis of rotation; controlling each of the ultrasonic transmitting transducers with a specific transient excitation signal, each transient excitation signal being generated based on an ultrasonic transmitting transducer-specific stored digital transient excitation function; receiving, by an array of individually controllable ultrasonic receiving transducers, resulting echo signals from the test object, with each ultrasonic receiving transducer providing an analog time-resolved echo signal; transducer-specific digitizing of the time-resolved analog echo signals; temporarily storing the time-resolved, transducer-specific, digitized echo signals in the form of an echo signal set; and correlating the temporarily stored echo signal set with a single ultrasonic pulse insonified into the train wheel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transmitting transducers are controlled such that a line-like focus of the insonified ultrasonic field forms in the region of interest, or a two-dimensionally extending focus extending along the sound propagation direction of the ultrasonic field. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, comprising: applying a plurality of different reception processing rules to the echo signal set, wherein a reception processing rule is characterized by at least the following reception processing parameters: the number and identity of the ultrasonic receiving transducers whose echo signals are being taken into account in the reception processing rule; individual phase shifts applied to the echo signals taken into account in the reception processing rule; and time frames in which the echo signals lie that are to be taken into account in the reception processing rule. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the applied reception processing rules differ in at least one of the reception processing parameters. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to any of claim 1, comprising: predefining a sound field geometry, which is adapted to the region of interest of the train wheel and to the testing task to be carried out, of the ultrasonic field insonified into the train wheel, determining the ultrasonic transmitting transducer-specific digital transient excitation functions that are suitable for generating an ultrasonic field in the train wheel with the predefined sound field geometry by the array of ultrasonic transmitting transducers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the suitable ultrasonic transmitting transducer-specific digital transient excitation functions are determined based on a point transfer algorithm or a Fourier transform algorithm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a transducer-specific coding is additionally modulated onto the ultrasonic transmitting transducer-specific transient excitation signals. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the high-frequency modulation can be detected on the receiving side and the high-frequency modulation is used for associating the detected transducer-specific echo signal with the respective ultrasonic transmitting transducer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transmitting transducer-specific transient excitation functions are generated by a series of multilevel square wave signals. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the reception processing rules represent an implementation of the paint brush method or of the dynamic depth focusing method. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the circular movement is produced by a rotation of the rotatably mounted train wheel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic field is insonified as follows: through the wheel rim into the wheel disk; through an end face of the wheel disk into the wheel hub or the transition zone between the wheel disk and the wheel hub; through an end face of the wheel rim into the wheel rim; or through the running surface into the wheel rim or into the transition zone between the wheel rim and the wheel disk. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, comprising generating a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image of at least the region of interest of the train wheel, in which the flaw indications found are registered in a spatially resolved manner. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein characteristics of the flaw indications found are represented in a graphically coded manner. ### Claim 15 A testing device for the detection of a flaw, in a region of interest in a train wheel, comprising: a transmitting array of individually controllable ultrasonic transmitting transducers for insonifying an ultrasonic field into a train wheel; a controller configured for controlling the ultrasonic transmitting transducers for insonification of the ultrasonic field into the train wheel; a receiving array of individually controllable ultrasonic receiving transducers for receiving resulting echo signals from the train wheel, with each ultrasonic receiving transducer providing an analog time-resolved echo signal; a generator for generating a circular relative movement of the ultrasonic transmitting array, the ultrasonic receiving array and the train wheel about a common axis of rotation; a transducer-specific digitizer for digitization of the time-resolved analog echo signals; and a temporary storage for storing the time-resolved, transducer-specific, digitized echo signals in the form of an echo signal set; wherein the controller is configured to: control each ultrasonic transmitting transducer of the transmitting array with a specific transient excitation signal, respectively, each transient excitation signal being generated based on an ultrasonic transmitting transducer-specific stored digital transient excitation function, digitize the time-resolved analog echo signals based on transducer-specific digitization; temporarily store the time-resolved, transducer-specific, digitized echo signals in the form of an echo signal set; and correlate the temporarily stored echo signal set with a single ultrasonic pulse insonified into the train wheel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The device according to claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to additionally modulate a transducer-specific coding onto the ultrasonic transmitting transducer-specific transient excitation signals. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The device according to claim 15, wherein the controller is configured for controlling the ultrasonic transmitting transducers in such a way that a line-like focus of the insonified ultrasonic field forms in the region of interest. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The device according to claim 15, comprising: an evaluator configured for applying a plurality of different reception processing rules to the echo signal set, a reception processing rule being characterized by at least the following reception processing parameters: the number and identity of the ultrasonic receiving transducers whose echo signals are being taken into account in the reception processing rule; individual phase shifts applied to the echo signals taken into account in the reception processing rule; and time frames in which the echo signals lie that are to be taken into account in the reception processing rule. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The device according to claim 18, wherein the applied reception processing rules differ in at least one of the reception processing parameters. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The device according to claim 18, wherein the reception processing rules represent an implementation of the paint brush method or of the dynamic depth focusing method. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The device according to claim 18, wherein the evaluator is configured for detecting high-frequency modulation and using the high-frequency modulation for associating the detected transducer-specific echo signal with the respective ultrasonic transmitting transducer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The device according to claim 15, comprising a generator for generating a series of multilevel square wave signals based on which the ultrasonic transmitting transducer-specific transient excitation functions are generated. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The device according to claim 15, comprising a rotating device for a rotation of the rotatably mounted train wheel. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The device according to claim 15, comprising a retaining mechanism for the ultrasonic transmitting array or/and the ultrasonic receiving array for mechanically retaining the respective array, so that the respective array comes to rest against: one of the end faces or the running surface of the wheel rim; the end face of the wheel disk; or the wheel hub. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The device according to claim 24, wherein the retaining mechanism is configured to support both the ultrasonic transmitting array and the ultrasonic receiving array. ### Claim 26 (depends on 15) The device according to claim 15, comprising a visualizer configured to generate a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image of the train wheel, in which flaw indications found are registered in a spatially resolved manner. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The device according to claim 26, wherein the visualizer is configured for presenting characteristics of the flaw indications found in a graphically coded manner in the generated two-dimensional or three-dimensional image.