Ultrasonic pulser/receiver for ultrasonic test equipment

In a programmable digital processor controlled ultrasonic diagnostic test equipment arrangement, an interactive operator-machine interface, comprising:

• a programmable digital processor;
• a display device;
• a keyboard input device;
• wherein a plurality of option selection menus is displayed on said display device, said menus allowing an operator to input operational control parameters or choose from a variety of system operational control selections, and wherein said processor is programmed to provide for display on said display device a plurality of option selection menus including a main menu for selecting from a variety of system programs and sub-menus, at least one of said sub-menus comprising a menu for selecting and configuring ultrasonic testing procedures and inputting specific desired test parameters.

In a computer controlled nondestructive testing system for performing ultrasonic inspections, said system having a programmable digital processor for data acquisition and equipment control, a modular ultrasonic transducer excitation and return signal amplification circuit arrangement, comprising:

• a plurality of transducer interface circuit cards, each card containing either a transducer excitation circuit or a return signal amplification circuit;
• and
• a testing system digital control processor having an interactive operator-machine interface including a display device for providing a plurality of selection menus allowing an operator to choose from a variety of system operational control selections, wherein at least one return signal amplification circuit comprises
• a logarithmic-gain ultrasonic signal amplification circuit having a plurality of selectable gain settings, and wherein said gain settings are selectable by said digital processor via said selection menus and are also selectable manually by operation of a selector switch.

In a computer controlled ultrasonic diagnostic test equipment arrangement having a menu oriented interactive operator-machine system interface comprising a display device for displaying various selection menus and a means for inputting operator selections, a method for selecting and setting desired ultrasonic testing parameters and operations for controlling diagnostic testing procedures, comprising steps of:

• (a) presenting on said display device a display of one or more procedure and parameter selection menus;
• (b) initializing the test equipment in accordance with selections or information inputted by an operator in response to menus presented in step (a);
• and
• (c) conducting ultrasonic scanning and acquisition of data in accordance with selections or information inputted by an operator in response to said menus.

In a programmable digital processor controlled ultrasonic diagnostic equipment arrangement for examining a cylindrical forging, a method of acquiring ultrasonic data indication sets, comprising the steps of:

• rotating said forging along its longitudinal axis;
• setting up a "zero degree" reference indication with respect to a predetermined rotational position of said cylindrical forging, wherein the "zero degree" reference of said cylindrical forging is determined by monitoring signal pulses generated by a switch actuated by a trip device attached to the cylindrical forging;
• generating ultrasonic diagnostic signals and acquiring ultrasonic return signal data from one or more transducers in sliding contact with the forging during each revolution of its rotation;
• and
• associating ultrasonic return signal data acquired during a rotation of said cylinder with a position along the cylindrical forging by reference to said "zero degree" reference indication and signal pulses generated by said trip device.