Multi channel multiplexed inspection system and method

A 32 channel multiplexing system for inspecting a structure, comprising:

• thirty-two transmit transducers;
• thirty-two receive transducers capable of receiving signals emitted by said transmit transducers following propagation of said emitted signals through the structure;
• thirty-two receive channels coupled to said receive transducers;
• a multiplexing system coupled to said thirty-two inspection data receive channels and comprising a logarithmic amplifier for processing data from said thirty-two receive transducers transmitted through said thirty-two inspection data receive channels and providing logarithmic amplification to each channel with at least 70 dB of dynamic range.

A method for multiplexing channels of an inspection system comprising repeating the steps of:

• receiving signals from a plurality of inspection data receive channels;
• and
• multiplexing said received signals, wherein said multiplexing comprises:
• filtering said received signals;
• switching between said plurality of inspection data receive channels to select one inspection data receive channel and define a switched received signal;
• logarithmically amplifying said switched received signal;
• linearly amplifying said switched, logarithmically amplified received signal;
• and
• converting said switched, logarithmically amplified, linearly amplified received signal from analog to digital;
• correlating the multiplexed signals to a physical structure of a part under inspection;
• and
• presenting the correlated information on a display for review by a user.

A system for inspecting a structure, comprising:

• an interface board;
• at least one pulser board communicably coupled to said interface board;
• a plurality of transmit channels communicably coupled to said pulser board;
• at least one receiver board communicably coupled to said interface board;
• and
• a plurality of receive channels communicably coupled to said receiver board, wherein said receiver board is comprising a logarithmic amplifier for processing signals from said plurality of receive channels and providing logarithmic amplification to each channel for at least 70 dB of dynamic range,
• wherein said receiver board further comprises a mulitplexer for providing 70 dB of isolation between inspection data receive channels, and wherein said receiver board is capable of processing data from said plurality of inspection data receive channels with 70 dB of isolation provided by said multiplexer and with logarithmic amplification of 70 dB of dynamic range provided by said logarithmic amplifier, and
• wherein said multiplexer is a series of multiplexing chips and wherein said 70 dB of isolation is provided by a 60 dB multiplexing chip serially coupled to a 10 dB multiplexing chip of said multiplexer.