Ultrasonic Array Imaging for Non-Destructive Testing

Bruce Drinkwater, Professor of Ultrasonic Engineering at the University of Bristol
A FESI Publishing Monograph (2021)

“Ultrasonics is one of the most widely used non-destructive testing (NDT) methods due to its ability to receive signals from defects hidden deep within structures. Traditional ultrasonic inspection is performed by scanning a single transducer over the structure, but often the resolution achieved is limited and the interpretation challenging. Recent years have seen shift from this traditional approach to the use of ultrasonic arrays, capable of forming images of the interior of the structure. Array images allow any defects found to be mapped onto engineering drawings, leading to an intuitive interpretation of the results. The high resolution of array images also means that smaller defects can be found and their shape extracted.

This book aims to describe the current ultrasonic array imaging methods and the on-going research efforts to maximise the potential of arrays. A key theme is that an array measures the defect scattering behaviour and this encodes all the available information about the size and shape of the defect. In this way the scattering is the fingerprint of the defect. This defect focused approach leads naturally to an understanding of how to optimally design an array and the associated inspection strategy.”

ISBN: 978-09935485-4-3; 112 pages

If you are intersted in finding out more, including purchasing your own copy see the FESI website

Or its avauilable at all good bookshops, e.g. Waterstones