Nondestructive Evaluation System Research Articles

Quantitative Measurement and Evaluation of High-Resolution Ultrasonic Sound Fields using a Novel Automated Ultrasonic Immersion Scanner

Ultrasonic probes are an integral part of the automated ultrasonic non-destructive testing and evaluation (NDT&E) systems to detect and size the defects in a wide range of structural materials in production lines. A complete quantitative assessment of the performance characteristics of an application-specific UT probe is needed to be evaluated on the basis of the international standard DIN EN ISO 22232-2. This requirement of full assessment not only improves the quality assurance of the manufactured probes by evaluating the acceptance criteria but also provides the useful technical information to the end-user to optimize the automated ultrasonic testing on-site. In addition, the evaluation of probe characteristics should be carried periodically throughout their service life. In this work, we developed a novel high-precision ultrasonic immersion scanner to evaluate the full ultrasonic probe characteristics which include the squint angle measurement in three different reference planes (XY, XZ, and YZ), RF-signal and its frequency spectrum at water-steel interface, focal distance, focal range, focal width, focal length and also the angle of beam divergence in different planes of the sound field distribution. In the newly developed UT immersion scanner, for the first time, we successfully integrated the high-precision Hexapod with six axes to achieve a few micrometer (~15 µm) spatial-resolution in the measured sound field patterns and a good angular resolution (~0.05°) in the squint angle measurement. In addition, we used a verified UT instrument in accordance with the standard DIN EN ISO 22232-1 to obtain more accurate amplitude values (±0.5 dB) while scanning a test block. The automated scanning, data acquisition, evaluation, visualization and the automated test report generation are carried based on the standard DIN EN ISO 22232-2. The measured sound beam characteristics of both focused and non-focused application-specific ultrasonic probes with center frequencies ranging from 0.2 - 15 MHz using the pulse-echo technique on a 3 mm half-ball steel reflector are presented. In addition, the measured sound beams of an application-specific 5 MHz multi-element transmit-receive (TR) probe using the 3 mm flat-bottomed-hole (FBH) reflector in a steel reference plate are discussed. Finally, the quantitative analysis of the measured sound field results and the acceptance criteria in accordance with DIN EN ISO 22232-2 are discussed.

Non-destructive testing by eddy current sensor for crack orientation detection using HHO optimizer by differential probe

In this research, the design of non-destructive eddy current evaluation systems was improved using Harris Hawks optimization (HHO). To determine the orientation of cracks from eddy current data, a numerical approach was developed based finit elements methode FEM and on an iterative inversion technique that minimizes a non-linear least squares objective function that evaluates the overall difference between forecasts and observationsin axisymmetric model. In this paper the HHO optimization and steepest descent methods were compared and studied in order to minimize the objective function. To measure the precision of the estimated crack orientation, the lower bounds of the HHO optimization on crack orientation were obtained. This work explores the concept of an HHO algorithm that searches for the optimal solution within a large solution space for a specific crack orientation problem.The algorithm starts its search at any point in the solution space and looks for better solutions by searching in the "local" area surrounding the start point. The algorithm ends when it finds what it believes to be the best solution or when predetermined stopping criteria are met.

Probability of detection for corrosion-induced steel mass loss using Fe–C coated LPFG sensors

The traditional probability of detection (POD) method, as described in the Department of Defense Handbook MIL-HDBK-1823A for nondestructive evaluation systems, does not take the time dependency of data collection into account. When applied to in situ sensors for the measurement of flaw sizes, such as fatigue-induced crack length and corrosion-induced mass loss, the validity and reliability of the traditional method is unknown. In this paper, the POD for in situ sensors and their associated reliability assessment for detectable flaw sizes are evaluated using a size-of-damage-at-detection (SODAD) method and a random parameter model (RPM). Although applicable to other sensors, this study is focused on long-period fiber gratings (LPFG) corrosion sensors with thin Fe–C coating. The SODAD method uses corrosion-induced mass losses when successfully detected from different sensors for the first time, while the RPM model considers the randomness and difference between mass loss datasets from different sensors. The Fe–C coated LPFG sensors were tested in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution until the wavelength of transmission spectra did not change. The wavelength shift of 70% of the tested sensors ranged from 6 to 10 nm. Given a detection threshold of 2 nm in wavelength, the mass losses at 90% POD are 31.87%, 37.57%, and 34.00%, which are relatively consistent, and the upper-bound mass losses at 95% confidence level are 33.20%, 47.30%, and 40.83% from the traditional, SODAD, and RPM methods, respectively. In comparison with the SODAD method, the RPM method is more robust to any departure from model assumptions since significantly more data are used. For the 90% POD at 95% confidence level, the traditional method underestimated the mass loss by approximately 19%, which is unconservative in engineering applications.

Enhanced Global Convolution Networks for Defect Detection in Full Wavefield Imaging

Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) techniques based on ultrasonic guided waves can provide relevant information about the health status of an inspected structure. The analysis of the wavefields recorded through Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometers (SLDVs) has been used successfully in NDE systems to detect damages in planar isotropic materials, such as interlaminar fractures in composites. However, the high spatial point resolution required to ensure an accurate localization and quantification of defects typically implies a time-consuming acquisition process, which limits the applicability of such approaches. In this work, we exploit the potential of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to perform segmentation on full wavefield images, obtained by reconstruction from a low resolution grid having a spatial sampling rate below the Nyquist frequency, for the purpose of detecting and localising delaminations in carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) plates. In particular, we trained an improved version of Global Convolutional Networks (GCN) using a public dataset containing 475 simulated cases of full wavefield Lamb waves propagation in a CFRP plate, generated by an actuator with a carrier frequency of 50 kHz. We adopted channel and spatial attention mechanisms to improve the accuracy of the networks and applied our method on (i) the resulting image given by the root mean square value (RMS) in time for each spatial position and on (ii) the 3-dimensional animation representing the full wavefield propagation. Our networks show the ability to accurately locate target damages with a spatial resolution 8 times higher than the dimension of the adopted sampling grid, achieving an Intersection over Union score equal to 0.78 with a number of scanning point more than 60 times lower than the number of pixels in the output segmentation mask.

Evaluation of full-sized and thick cross-laminated timber using in-line non-destructive techniques

ABSTRACT Advancements in non-destructive evaluation systems for predicting mechanical properties of cross-laminated timber appear to have been limited to laboratory scale, reduced sample sizes, or difficult practical solutions for industry implementation. This study has developed classical vibration analysis methods for industry adoption in large-scale, rapid panel characterisation through frequency analysis. The non-destructive method allowed for the prediction of the elastic moduli in both axial directions (Ex and Ey) and shear moduli (Gxz, Gyz, and Gxy) for thin or thick plates. The comparison with the static reference method and non-destructive technique showed a good consistency for predicting the elastic and shear moduli of the cross-laminated timber with mean percentage differences for Ex, Ey, and Gxy of 5.2%, 7.9%, and 18.9%, respectively. An observation was made that the accurate determination of the mechanical properties required enough correctly identified frequencies/modes. Mode shapes generated from experimental data through modal assurance criterion were compared with finite element analysis to confirm the assessment method yielded frequencies specific to the panel, rather than other contributing effects (environment, boundary conditions, panel variability, mesh resolution).

A Non-Destructive Methodology for the Viscoelastic Characterization of Polymers: Toward the Identification of the Time-Temperature Superposition Shift Law.

Polymers find widespread applications in various industries, such as civil engineering, aerospace, and industrial machinery, contributing to vibration control, dampening, and insulation. To accurately design products that are able to predict their dynamic behavior in the virtual environment, it is essential to understand and reproduce their viscoelastic properties via material physical modeling. While Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) has traditionally been used, innovative non-destructive techniques are emerging for characterizing components and monitoring their performance without deconstructing them. In this context, the Time-Temperature Superposition Principle (TTSP) represents a powerful empirical procedure to extend a polymer's viscoelastic behavior across a wider frequency range. This study focuses on replicating an indentation test on viscoelastic materials using the non-destructive Viscoelasticity Evaluation System evolved (VESevo) tool. The primary objective is to derive a unique temperature-frequency relationship, referred to as a "shift law", using characteristic curves from this non-invasive approach. Encouragingly, modifying the device setup enabled us to replicate, virtually, three tests under identical initial conditions but with varying indentation frequencies. This highlights the tool's ability to conduct material testing across a range of frequencies. These findings set the stage for our upcoming experiment campaign, aiming to create an innovative shift algorithm from at least three distinct master curves at specific frequencies, offering a significant breakthrough in non-destructive polymer characterization with broad industrial potential.

X-ray multi-scale microfabrication system and x-ray imaging evaluation system all in one beamline

We have completed a system that can achieve both deep x-ray lithography and submicron x-ray lithography with a single beamline by introducing the combination of x-ray plane and cylindrical mirrors. This x-ray lithography system can provide a large-scale microfabrication processing with 210 × 300 mm2 (A4 size). To exploit multiscale lithography, the beamline has a beam transport vacuum duct with a two-stage stacked structure and a 5-axis stage. This two-stage stacked structure allows us to fabricate both micron scale structures with high aspect ratios and submicron scale structures using the same beamline. In addition, x-ray imaging and computer tomography (CT) system are connected to the x-ray lithography system for nondestructive inspection and evaluation of the fabricated microstructures. The x-ray imaging system constructed this study has a relatively low energy range of x-ray energy in the beamline, which is in the range of 2–15 keV or less. Therefore, relatively good absorption contrast can be obtained for plastic materials, biomaterials, and the like. Since nondestructive imaging of the processed shape by x-ray lithography is possible, it is a very useful system in processing and evaluation can be performed simultaneously. This system also enables us to obtain the live images with keeping the creature alive in liquid using an indirect x-ray imaging system which converts x-ray images to visible light images through the fluorescent plate.

Irradiation of ultrasonic sensors and adhesive couplants for application in light water reactor primary loop piping and components

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Nuclear Sector and US Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program are committed to engaging in research and development endeavors to address materials aging issues specific to long term operation of light water power reactors. To this effect, EPRI launched an industry initiative to develop nondestructive evaluation systems for online monitoring of existing cracks in light water reactor primary coolant loop piping and components. One of the goals of this initiative is to develop a sensor system (or systems) that can determine nondestructively if cracks are growing or arrested and, in the case of the former, to characterize their growth rates. A missing component of this initiative is an experimental assessment of how sensors and adhesive couplants will perform in service when exposed to chronic energetic neutron radiation, particularly at the primary coolant loop hot and cold leg dissimilar metal welds, which join the primary loop piping to the reactor pressure vessel and reside in the vicinity of the reactor core. The objective of this experimental study was to determine how ultrasonic transducers and adhesive couplants perform when exposed to irradiation in a test reactor to simulate and accelerate in-service exposure. To achieve this objective, the signal stability of piezoelectric transducers and performance of adhesive couplants as a function of accumulated fast neutron fluence were characterized by collecting ultrasonic data in-situ during irradiation. Of particular interest were the ultrasonic signal quality and time decay of the amplitude of acoustic reflections as a function of fast neutron fluence. The results of the study showed that, of the 8 transducer/substrate sample assemblies tested, only 3 generated usable ultrasonic signals through the conclusion of the irradiation campaign. It was found that high temperature epoxy tends to ultrasonically couple the sensors to the substrates better than three types of refractory ceramic cements studied, as is supported by post irradiation examination. The results obtained through this experimental study will be utilized in the achievement of the overall goal of development of a sensor system to perform online monitoring of primary loop components.This manuscript has been authored in part by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The publisher acknowledges the US government license to provide public access under the DOE Public Access Plan (https://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan [energy.gov]).

Development of magnetic image super-resolution model for nondestructive testing

Electromagnetic testing (ET) is a method in the nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methodology for detecting and evaluating cracks in engineering structures by measuring the distribution of the electromagnetic field. With the development of advanced deep learning (DL) techniques, DL is getting attention in crack detection problems through the measuring signals of NDE systems. However, obtaining the necessary big data for such experiments is a time-consuming and expensive task. Moreover, the quality of the crack detection results heavily depends on the quality and spatial resolution of the input image data. In this research, we solve the above-mentioned problems by proposing a DL-based method on the magnetic image for both the image super-resolution and image denoise. We first build a magnetic image simulation framework for the ET system, and thus, it is possible to build a large dataset for training the DL model. Second, we build a DL model for enhancing the quality of the magnetic image in both the spatial resolution and the denoise signal. This approach helps to reduce the cost of experiments (i.e. reducing the number of sensors for each experiment), sensor fabrication process, and noise removal of the ET system. We evaluate the proposed approach on several cracks with different sizes and shapes of aluminum specimens. The evaluation metrics, such as the structural similarity index measure (SSIM) and root mean square error show good performance of the proposed approach and compared to traditional methods.

Creep Life Assessment Method for Super304H Boiler Tubes Based on HTS-SQUID Gradiometer

This paper presents a novel method for the creep life assessment of Super304H (KA-SUS304J1HTB, ASME code: 2328) boiler tubes based on a discrete-type eddy-current-testing (ECT) HTS-SQUID nondestructive evaluation (NDE) system. Six specimens were subjected to internal pressure creep tests at a stress level of 110 MPa and a temperature of 700°C. The specimens were inspected at various creep test times using our NDE system, which included an ECT probe and a HTS-SQUID gradiometer. By studying the physical characteristics and microstructures of the specimens at different test times, we found that the electrical conductivity and permeability of the specimens varied with an increasing test time. The detected signals may have been generated from creep voids and/or surface microcracks. Based on the NDE inspection results, creep life assessment curves that can be used for assessing the remaining creep life of the Super304H boiler tubes were plotted. The results confirmed the possibility of assessing the remaining creep life using our HTS-SQUID-based system in a nondestructive manner.

Development of an HTS-SQUID Based Nondestructive Evaluation System for Boiler Tubes On-Site Inspection in Thermal Power Plant

In ultra-supercritical (USC) thermal power plants, Super304H (KA-SUS304J1HTB, ASME code: 2328) is widely used in the superheater and reheater tubes in boilers because of its excellent creep rupture strength under high-temperature and -pressure conditions. Thus, a degradation diagnosis of these tubes after long-term operation should be conducted using a quick and easy inspection. In this study, in order to discover the degradation of the boiler tubes for early diagnose before they rupture, a high-temperature superconductor (HTS)–superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) with high sensitivity was used. A SQUID-based nondestructive evaluation system for the on-site inspection of boiler tubes in an USC thermal power plant was developed. Our system comprises a movable eddy current testing (ECT) probe and HTS-SQUID gradiometer. Five LED markers were set on a manually operated ECT probe for position detection using a stereo camera. Customized software was used for data acquisition through a lock-in amplifier and data visualization on a PC with a connected smart glass. Thus, the system can be used for quick inspection by time-sequence signals and detailed scanning through a two-dimensional contour map projected on the smart glass. Therefore, this study successfully introduced an HTS-SQUID-based nondestructive evaluation system for the on-site inspection of boiler tubes.

Microwave imaging sensor system using metamaterial lens for subwavelength resolution

Lenses made of negative refractive index metamaterials can overcome the diffraction-limited resolution of imaging at working distances in the far-field. This paper describes a novel negative index metamaterial (NIM) lens imaging sensor system for subwavelength microwave nondestructive evaluation (NDE) using homodyne detection measurements. The split-ring resonator (SRR) - wire based NIM lens is optimized to work at 6.3 GHz (wavelength λ = 48 mm). Coherent homodyne detection scheme provides a simple, low-cost, and highly sensitive NIM lens imaging sensor system that can be used in the field under practical conditions. Imaging of an omnidirectional source using negative refraction is shown using the proposed system. A focal spot of size 0.62λ was obtained in the image plane of the metamaterial lens with a source to image distance of 1.67λ. The focal spot position was further shifted in the azimuthal plane by simple movement of the source. The study demonstrates unique focus-scanning capability of NIM lenses for target localization without the need for complex tuning mechanisms. The feasibility of the system to image subwavelength defects inside dielectric materials in reflection mode is also investigated for its potential application as an NDE sensor. Defects comprising subwavelength hole of diameter 0.25λ and a groove of dimensions 0.31λ x 0.1λ placed at the focal plane of the lens was imaged using the proposed sensor system.

Quality assessment of SUS316L fabricated by metal additive manufacturing with eddy current inspection

Guaranteeing the quality of additive manufacturing (AM) components after fabrication is very important. In this study, a discrete non-destructive evaluation (NDE) system that includes an eddy current testing (ECT) probe and a fluxgate sensor was developed. In conventional ECT, the defect detection depth is limited by the skin depth of the material under investigation and requires a high frequency of the order of MHz. However, in the NDE system, the high sensitivity of the fluxgate sensor and the use of an ECT coil make it possible to detect subsurface defects at a relatively low frequency. A double-excitation coil was used to excite eddy currents in the specimen at relatively low frequencies, whereas a planar differential coil was used as a pick-up loop connected to an input coil that was inductively coupled to the fluxgate sensor. Based on the developed NDE system, five stainless steel (SUS316L) specimens fabricated by powder bed fusion were inspected. A strong correlation was observed between the detected signals and internal porosity, which was confirmed using X-ray computed tomography images. Although this approach cannot detect the local existence of defects, it can be applied for quality assessment, such as density and distribution of porosity in metallic parts fabricated by AM.

Non-Destructive Hyperspectral Imaging and Machine Learning-Based Predictive Models for Physicochemical Quality Attributes of Apples during Storage as Affected by Codling Moth Infestation

The demand for high-quality apples remains strong throughout the year, as they are one of the top three most popular fruits globally. However, the apple industry faces challenges in monitoring and managing postharvest losses due to invasive pests during long-term storage. In this study, the effect of codling moth (CM) (Cydia pomonella [Linnaeus, 1758]), one of the most detrimental pests of apples, on the quality of the fruit was investigated under different storage conditions. Specifically, Gala apples were evaluated for their qualities such as firmness, pH, moisture content (MC), and soluble solids content (SSC). Near-infrared hyperspectral imaging (HSI) was implemented to build machine learning models for predicting the quality attributes of this apple during a 20-week storage using partial least squares regression (PLSR) and support vector regression (SVR) methods. Data were pre-processed using Savitzky–Golay smoothing filter and standard normal variate (SNV) followed by removing outliers by Monte Carlo sampling method. Functional analysis of variance (FANOVA) was used to interpret the variance in the spectra with respect to the infestation effect. FANOVA results showed that the effects of infestation on the near infrared (NIR) spectra were significant at p < 0.05. Initial results showed that the quality prediction models for the apples during cold storage at three different temperatures (0 °C, 4 °C, and 10 °C) were very high with a maximum correlation coefficient of prediction (Rp) of 0.92 for SSC, 0.95 for firmness, 0.97 for pH, and 0.91 for MC. Furthermore, the competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) method was employed to extract effective wavelengths to develop multispectral models for fast real-time prediction of the quality characteristics of apples. Model analysis showed that the multispectral models had better performance than the corresponding full wavelengths HSI models. The results of this study can help in developing non-destructive monitoring and evaluation systems for apple quality under different storage conditions.

Memory linked knowledge domain transfer few-shot learning for thermography nondestructive evaluation system

Infrared NDT techniques are suitable for detecting near-surface and sub-surface defects in composite materials. However, significant detection challenges remain while data volume is quantitatively limited for training weak contrast between defective and non-defective regions. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end memory linked knowledge domain with transfer few-shot learning segmentation network with a wider general model that solves the problems of insufficient data support. The proposed method is shown to attain high detection performance for multiple types of specimens by using cross domain adaption. By improving the support branch, a foreground-background joint guidance linked with memory bank is proposed. This provides better guidance information for the query branch. In addition, the intra-class and inter-class loss metric distance between defective and non-defective features is increased for better segmentation performance. In order to enable interpretability of the model, robust experiments have been conducted to detect the inner debond on multiple carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. A comparative analysis is presented and compared with the state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms.

A metasurface radar for steering ultrasonic guided waves

This article presents a new metasurface made of shape memory alloy (SMA) unit cells for steering ultrasonic guided waves in desired emitting directions. The philosophy behind the controllable wave steering performance of the metamaterial system resides in the tunability of its stopband. Such a tunable feature originates from the reversible dramatic variation of the elastic modulus of the shape memory element under the thermal loads. The research starts with the investigation of the adjustable bandgap behavior of the metastructure at different statuses from the scrutiny of the wave dispersive characteristics. Additionally, a systematic parametric study is carried out to unfold the bandgap evolution principle by changing the SMA stub height. Subsequently, numerical modeling of the wave steering behavior is performed by shifting the stopband of one sector within the unit-cell-ring away from the excitation frequency. The wavefield images associated with the wave directionality plots demonstrate that the thermally-activated metasurface area can open up a transmission path for the ultrasonic waves, while the rest portion will not allow guided waves to penetrate. By rotating the designated sector, the metamaterial structure could work like a wave emission radar, realizing the steerable unidirectional wave radiation from a single piezoelectric transducer. In the end, the targeting phenomena are validated by the Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometry (SLDV) experimental tests. The proposed active metasurface system with the controllable ultrasonic wave interrogating capability may find its application for directional guided wavefield generation in future Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) systems.

Field Application of a Vis/NIR Hyperspectral Imaging System for Nondestructive Evaluation of Physicochemical Properties in 'Madoka' Peaches.

Extensive research has been performed on the in-field nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of the physicochemical properties of ‘Madoka’ peaches, such as chromaticity (a*), soluble solids content (SSC), firmness, and titratable acidity (TA) content. To accomplish this, a snapshot-based hyperspectral imaging (HSI) approach for filed application was conducted in the visible and near-infrared (Vis/NIR) region. The hyperspectral images of ‘Madoka’ samples were captured and combined with commercial HSI analysis software, and then the physicochemical properties of the ‘Madoka’ samples were predicted. To verify the performance of the field-based HSI application, a lab-based HSI application was also conducted, and their coefficient of determination values (R2) were compared. Finally, pixel-based chemical images were produced to interpret the dynamic changes of the physicochemical properties in ‘Madoka’ peach. Consequently, the a* values and SSC content shows statistically significant R2 values (0.84). On the other hand, the firmness and TA content shows relatively lower accuracy (R2 = 0.6 to 0.7). Then, the resultant chemical images of the a* values and SSC content were created and could represent their different levels using grey scale gradation. This indicates that the HSI system with integrated HSI software used in this work has promising potential as an in-field NDE for analyzing the physicochemical properties in ‘Madoka’ peaches.

A magnetoelectric-ultrasonic multimodal system for synchronous NDE of surface and internal defects in metal

In the field of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of solid metal materials, it has been a challenge to detect surface and internal defects simultaneously by using a single physical mechanism technique. Conventionally, different testing techniques, in which each one is particularly sensitive to a certain type of defect, are employed to gain full defect information. However, a separated testing method is always a time-consuming and laborious work. Here, we report a magnetoelectric-ultrasonic hybrid transducer and multimodal system for quantitative NDE of metal, which integrates a magnetoelectric composite wrapped with a coil for generating alternating current field and simultaneously measuring magnetic abnormal of surface defects (referred to as ME-ACFM) and a dual-piezoceramic ultrasonic transducer (DP-UT) for generating acoustic pulses and detecting the echo signal of internal defects, respectively. A bipulse signal with different pulse widths is used for excitation of the hybrid transducer, in which one is corresponded to the resonant frequencies of 5 MHz for DP-UT, and another to 122 kHz for ME-ACFM. The huge difference between two resonant frequencies is helpful for restraining signal interference each other. Experimental investigations show that when scanning the tested specimens (standard steel No.45 and aluminum plates), the surface and internal defects information can be obtained simultaneously almost without a dead zone. The surface defect resolutions of 0.1 mm width and 0.1 mm depth, and the inside defect resolution of 2 mm blind hole are obtained; the experimental errors for surface defect (crack) depth up to 5 mm are around 5 %; while experimental errors for ultrasonic depth measurement (with a blind zone of 1.25 mm) is less than 0.63 mm. The proposed hybrid transducer and multimodal system open up a new way for designing multi-physical mechanism based NDEs.

Ultrasonic and phased-array inspection in titanium-based alloys: A review

Ultrasonic testing procedures are among the most extensively used techniques in non-destructive testing and non-destructive evaluation systems. Meanwhile, phased array inspection or phased-array ultrasonic testing techniques as a well-known type of ultrasonic testing in advanced non-destructive testing systems are utilized in numerous applications, including oil and gas, medical imaging applications, railway, automotive, marine, and aviation industries. Phased-array ultrasonic testing-based methods can also be used in a variety of weld inspections, bond testing, thickness profiling, flaw detections, corrosion inspections, and in-service crack detection. The rapidity, safety, easiness, affordable price, and accurate visualization of phased array in measuring the defect characteristics such as size, shape, depth, and orientation allow its wide usage and even as a substitute for other inspection methods like radiographic methods. In phased array methods, more than one sound wave is employed to enhance the reliability and flexibility of inspection through the operation of several transducer assemblies, involving 16 to 256 small individual elements. Titanium having many desirable properties like high strength to weight ratio found many industrial applications, which highly necessitates its persistent inspection. For this aim, the present study focuses on the application of the phased-array ultrasonic testing technique for inspecting Ti components specifically in additive manufacturing, welding inspections, and defect detection of complex geometries and composites. Moreover, modern applications and improved computation methods are discussed. The development of phased-array ultrasonic testing inspection systems, particularly high throughput and efficient in situ and mobile equipment, and new computation methods will open new horizons toward the highly sophisticated inspection procedures.

Short-Wave Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging System for Nondestructive Evaluation of Powdered Food

Short-Wave Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging System for Nondestructive Evaluation of Powdered Food