Characterization of Welded Components Flaws Using an Ultrasonic Expert System Based on Static Patterns

Abstract

Ultrasonic testing of welds is a nondestructive evaluation method in which high-frequency sound waves are introduced into materials for the detection of imperfections or flaws in the material. These sound waves travel through the material and are reflected at interfaces such as surface boundaries, grain boundaries, cracks, and pores. The reflected acoustic energy is converted to electrical signals that are recorded and analyzed to determine the presence and location of flaws or discontinuities. The objective of this study is to present an expert system according to static patterns in pulse-echo inspection. It determines numbers, locations and types of weld defects based on DIN EN 1713. This paper gives a brief outline of how the expert system algorithm operates to identify a number of defect scenarios. Since the proposed algorithm is verified by experiments, it allows the user to automatically address and interpret any defects.