There is provided a method capable of decreasing a friction force in friction stir welding, in which a welding tool is used. In a method of friction stir welding workpieces together by rotating and pressingly plugging a welding tool, formed from a harder material than the workpieces, into a weld zone of the workpieces and moving the welding tool relatively in a welding direction, a power supply device allows a current to flow between the welding tool 1 and the workpieces to cause resistance heating of the welding tool. Combined use of resistance heating makes it possible to decrease a friction force. Preferably, a conductive ceramic is coated on surfaces of the welding tool to cause resistance heating.

Friction stir welding method

Apparatus for endoscopic or gastroscopic examination of patients, comprising an endoscope (5) having a probe head (6) provided with an imaging transducer being preferably an ultrasonic or camera-based transducer, said endoscope (5) being adapted to be inserted through the mouth of the patient, and position detection means (7,15) to provide probe head position information which together with corresponding imaging examination results are adapted to be stored in recording means (24). As known per se the endoscope (5) has a visible distance scale or indication (15) along a length thereof. The position detection means comprise a small video camera (7) with a mounting device (7A) for holding the camera in a fixed position in relation to the patient's teeth and with the field of view of the camera covering said endoscope (5) and said distance scale or indication (15) thereon, at the point of entering the patient's mouth.

Apparatus for endoscopic or gastroscopic examination

A welding system has: a welding mechanism, a reception laser light source, a reception optical mechanism, an interferometer, a data recording/ analysis mechanism and a data recording/ analysis mechanism. The reception laser light source generates reception laser light so as to irradiate the object to be welded with the reception laser light for the purpose of detecting a reflected ultrasonic wave obtained as a result of reflection of a transmission ultrasonic wave. The reception optical mechanism transmits, during or after welding operation, the reception laser light generated from the reception laser light source to the surface of the object to be welded for irradiation while moving, together with the welding mechanism, relative to the object to be welded and collects laser light scattered reflected at the surface of the object to be welded.

Welding system and welding method

A system and method for identifying flaws in a part being inspected includes generating a 3-d representation of the part, the 3-d representation comprising 3-d spatial coordinates corresponding to different locations on the part, and registering the 3-d spatial coordinates with corresponding locations of a part being inspected. An image of the part being inspected is generated, and a flaw in the part being inspected is identified from the generated image. A location of the flaw is correlated to a corresponding 3-d spatial coordinate, and a device is controlled to perform an operation on the part being inspected at the flaw location using information of the corresponding 3-d spatial coordinate.

System and method for analyzing and identifying flaws in a manufactured part

Methods manage non-destructive evaluation (“NDE”) data. NDE data for an asset is received and at least one alignment algorithm to align the NDE data to a simulated model associated therewith is determined. The NDE data is automatically aligned to the simulated model, a display representation that visually represents the aligned NDE data on the simulated model is generated, and information about the aligned NDE data is exported. Additionally, second NDE data associated with the at least a portion of the asset may also be received, at least one alignment algorithm to align the data determined, and the second NDE data aligned. Respective indications associated with the first and second NDE data may be determined and visually represented on the simulated model. Moreover, a shot descriptor file may be analyzed to determine whether additional NDE data is required to complete an alignment of NDE data.

Managing non-destructive evaluation data

A three dimensional object under test is measured to obtain shape data representing a shape of the three dimensional object. The object under test is measured using, for example, an ultrasonic probe LED to obtain defect test data. A processing mechanism forms a three-dimensional graphic image of a defect zone from the defect test data and a three-dimensional graphic image of the object under test from the shape data. A display mechanism is provided for displaying the three-dimensional graphic image of the defect zone superimposed over the three-dimensional graphic image of the object under test.

Ultrasonic defect testing method and apparatus

PURPOSE: To realize positive flaw detection by subjecting a three-dimensional work having complex free curved face to ultrasonic flaw detection and displaying a defective part thereof three-dimensionally as a multicolor graphic image. CONSTITUTION: External shape of a work 1' is measured by means of a laser light while, thickness and rear surface shape are measured by means of an ultrasonic probe 4', a CCD camera, or a PSD camera 12. Measurement data is fed to a three-dimensional graphic unit 16 where a multicolor three- dimensional image is displayed. Relative position, size, and the like of defective part are then identified positively to determine flaw detecting conditions which are then stored as a reference data for later flaw detection or ultrasonic flaw detection of other work. Since the position and size of defective part are imaged three-dimensionally along with the shape of the work 1', defective part can be measured accurately and countermeasure can be taken. Furthermore, aerial measurement or underwater flaw detection can be carried out in one processing environment without requiring two-dimensional operation. COPYRIGHT: (C)1994,JPO&Japio

Method and equipment for ultrasonic flaw detection

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform the ultrasonic flaw detection of the flaw 4 such as a crack or the like generated in the vicinity of the surface 3 non-uniformly changed in thickness of an article 1 to be inspected by the corrosion of a steel peripheral wall from an external surface 2. SOLUTION: A plurality of vibrators 13 are arranged in one arranging direction 14 so as to be adjacent to each other to constitute a probe 5. The probe 5 is arranged just above the position 18 to be inspected in the vicinity of the surface 3 of the article 1 to be inspected, and a drive signal P is applied to the probe 5 to detect the thickness D1 of the peripheral wall at the position 18 to be inspected. Next, the probe 5 is shifted in the arranging direction 14 of the vibrators, and the drive signal P is applied to the probe 5 to converge ultrasonic beam 21 to the position 18 to be inspected. By this constitution, the flaw 4 at the position 18 to be inspected can be accurately detected. COPYRIGHT: (C)2002,JPO

Ultrasonic flaw detector

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform a jointing operation of a jointed member at high efficiency in a manner that a jointing direction varies by mounting a jointing tool to a rotor which can be rotated around an axial core perpendicular to a jointing part surface of a jointed member and fixed to a specific rotation position under an inclined condition. SOLUTION: A tool supporting member 25 is fixed to a rotor 24 while it is inclined against its axial core by a given angle α. Also, the tool supporting member 25 can be rotated around a Z direction axial core by a motor 28 along with the rotor 24. The tool supporting member 25 is pressed downwards via a main body frame 18 by an air cylinder 34, so that a jointing tool T is pressed to and brought into contact with a jointed member P. As a result, even if plate thickness variation due to manufacturing error of the jointed member P, setting error to a fixed board, or partial deformation on the fixed board face occur, positional relationship between the jointed member P and the jointing tool T is kept approximately constant, for performing good jointing.

Friction jointing device and friction jointing method

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable an inspector to perform visual understanding as the relationship between plate thickness and flaw detection and to precisely evaluate defects for an ultrasonic flaw detection method and an ultrasonic flaw detection device that inspect internal defects at a welded joint section or the like nondestructively. SOLUTION: A plurality of ultrasonic flaw detections are performed in the thickness direction of a body 10 to be inspected by ultrasonic flow detection channels 16, 17 composed of transmission probes 12, 13 and reception probes 14, 15; time when ultrasonic waves are propagated in the body 10 to be inspected is converted to an ultrasonic flaw detection image with linear display by corresponding to distance in thickness direction in each ultrasonic flaw detection result; the plurality of converted ultrasonic flaw detection images are synthesized in the thickness direction of the body 10 to be inspected for obtaining a flaw detection image; and the thickness direction of the body 10 to be inspected is allowed to be seen as one flaw detection image. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Hideyuki Hirasawa

Papers

Ultrasonic defect testing method and apparatus

Method and equipment for ultrasonic flaw detection

Ultrasonic flaw detector

Friction jointing device and friction jointing method

Ultrasonic flaw detection method and device