Method for Ultrasonic Inspection of Irregular and Variable Shapes

A method comprising:

• (a) determining a shape of an inspection zone and a range of variation thereof;
• (b) determining a position of an ultrasonic transducer array that, when phased, can project focused beams at a plurality of target locations in the inspection zone;
• (c) determining focal laws for interrogating target locations of inspection zones having shapes which vary within said range of variation using focused beams having different steering angles;
• (d) positioning the ultrasonic transducer array in said determined position;
• (e) pulsing the ultrasonic transducer array in accordance with said determined focal laws;
• (f) forming respective return signals representing respective echoes returned to the ultrasonic transducer array from the inspected part;
• and
• (g) selecting a respective parameter value of a respective best return signal for each interrogated target location.

A method for inspecting a part having a surface, the method comprising:

• positioning an array of transducer elements at a first position along an axis with an orientation that allows the array, when phased, to project focused beams which are respectively normal or nearly normal to first and second target locations on said surface, a centerline of said array and said first and second target locations lying in a first plane;
• while said array is in said first position, electrically pulsing respective groups of transducer elements of the array in sequence using time delays in accordance with a first set of focal laws, which pulsing causes each pulsed group to emit a respective focused beam directed at said first target location at respective steering angles;
• applying time delays in accordance with said first set of focal laws to form respective return signals from electrical signals output by said respective groups of transducer elements in response to echoes from said first target location following emission of said focused beams directed at said first target location;
• selecting a first return signal having a characteristic which indicates it corresponds to an emitted beam that was normal or nearly normal to the part surface at said first target location;
• while said array is in said first position, electrically pulsing respective groups of transducer elements of the array in sequence using time delays in accordance with a second set of focal laws, which pulsing causes each pulsed group to emit a respective focused beam directed at said second target location at respective steering angles;
• applying time delays in accordance with said second set of focal laws to form respective return signals from electrical signals output by said respective groups of transducer elements in response to echoes from said second target location following emission of said focused beams directed at said second target location;
• selecting a second return signal having a characteristic which indicates it corresponds to an emitted beam that was normal or nearly normal to the part surface at said second target location;
• and
• displaying first and second pixels in a first column, wherein said first pixel has a value which is a function of at least a parameter value of said first return signal, and said second pixel has a value which is a function of at least a parameter value of said second return signal.

A method for inspecting a part having a surface, the method comprising:

• (a) positioning a first array of transducer elements at an axial position along an axis with a first orientation that allows the first array, when phased, to project focused beams which are respectively normal or nearly normal to a first target location on said surface, a centerline of the first array and said first target location lying in a plane;
• (b) while said array is in said first position, electrically pulsing respective groups of transducer elements of the first array using time delays in accordance with a first set of focal laws, which pulsing causes each pulsed group to emit a respective focused beam directed at said first target location at respective steering angles, said beams being emitted in sequence;
• (c) applying time delays in accordance with said first set of focal laws to form respective return signals from electrical signals output by said respective group of transducer elements of the first array in response to emission of said focused beams directed at said first target location;
• (d) selecting a first return signal having a characteristic which indicates it corresponds to an emitted beam that was normal or nearly normal to the part surface at said first target location;
• (e) after steps (a) through (d) have been performed, positioning a second array of transducer elements at said axial position along said axis with a second orientation different than said first orientation that allows the second array, when phased, to project focused beams which are respectively normal or nearly normal to a second target location on said surface, a centerline of the second array and said second target location lying in said plane;
• (f) while said second array is in said axial position, electrically pulsing respective groups of transducer elements of the second array in sequence using time delays in accordance with a second set of focal laws, which pulsing causes each pulsed group to emit a respective focused beam directed at said second target location at respective steering angles;
• (g) applying time delays in accordance with said second set of focal laws to form respective return signals from electrical signals output by said respective group of transducer elements of the second array in response to emission of said focused beams directed at said second target location;
• (h) selecting a second return signal having a characteristic which indicates it corresponds to an emitted beam that was normal or nearly normal to the part surface at said second target location;
• and
• (i) displaying first and second pixels in a column, wherein said first pixel has a value which is a function of at least a parameter value of said first return signal, and said second pixel has a value which is a function of at least a parameter value of said second return signal.

A system for scanning a part comprising:

• a first array of transducer elements;
• a shoe to hold said first array in a first position with a first steering plane;
• a pulser/receiver unit capable of sending control signals to and receiving data signals from said array;
• and a computer system programmed with data acquisition software for controlling said pulser/receiver unit and data analysis software for selecting a respective best signal for each spatial element of the part,
• wherein said computer system is capable of operating in accordance with said data acquisition software to control said pulser/receiver to perform the following operations:
• (a) electrically pulsing respective groups of transducer elements of the array in accordance with respective focal laws of a first set of focal laws to emit a plurality of focused beams in sequence, said focused beams being directed at different angles toward a target location on a surface of the part;
• and
• (b) after each respective group of transducers is pulsed, receiving electrical signals from the respective group in accordance with respective focal laws of a second set of focal laws to form a respective return signal representing a respective echo returned to a respective group from the inspected part;
• and
• wherein said computer system is capable of operating in accordance with said data analysis software to perform the following operations:
• (c) processing said return signals to derive respective values of a parameter characterizing said return signals;
• and
• (d) selecting one of said respective parameter values that satisfies a first condition.