Ultrasonic inspection and deployment apparatus

Patent · Tue Mar 06 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6893457

Michaels, J E; Meech, Jr, S J; Michaels, T E

An ultrasonic inspection apparatus for the inspection of metal structures, especially installed pipes. The apparatus combines a specimen inspection element, an acoustical velocity sensing element, and a surface profiling element, all in one scanning head. A scanning head bellows contains a volume of oil above the pipe surface, serving as acoustical couplant between the scanning head and the pipe. The scanning head is mounted on a scanning truck which is mobile around a circular track surrounding the pipe. The scanning truck has sufficient motors, gears, and position encoders to allow the scanning head six degrees of motion freedom. A computer system continually monitors acoustical velocity, and uses that parameter to process surface profiling and inspection data. The profiling data is used to automatically control scanning head position and alignment and to define a coordinate system used to identify and interpret inspection data. The apparatus is suitable for highly automated, remote application in hostile environments, particularly high temperature and radiation areas.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy
• Patent Number(s): US 4434660
• OSTI ID: 6893457
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 19 Mar 1981; Other Information: PAT-APPL-245304
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
PIPES
ULTRASONIC TESTING
BELLOWS
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
DESIGN
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
POSITIONING
PROBES
REMOTE CONTROL
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TRANSDUCERS
ACOUSTIC TESTING
CONTROL
CONTROL SYSTEMS
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
TESTING
420500* - Engineering- Materials Testing