An ultrasonic array is a single transducer that contains a number of individually connected elements. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the use of ultrasonic arrays for non-destructive evaluation. Arrays offer great potential to increase inspection quality and reduce inspection time. Their main advantages are their increased flexibility over traditional single element transducer methods, meaning that one array can be used to perform a number of different inspections, and their ability to produce immediate images of the test structure. These advantages have led to the rapid uptake of arrays by the engineering industry. These industrial applications are underpinned by a wide range of published research which describes new piezoelectric materials, array geometries, modelling methods and inspection modalities. The aim of this paper is to bring together the most relevant published work on arrays for non-destructive evaluation applications, comment on the state-of the art and discuss future directions. There is also a significant body of published literature referring to use of arrays in the medical and sonar fields and the most relevant papers from these related areas are also reviewed. However, although there is much common ground, the use of arrays in non-destructive evaluation offers some distinctly different challenges to these other disciplines.

Ultrasonic arrays for non-destructive evaluation: A review

Processing of ultrasonic array data is traditionally based on having parallel transmission circuits that enable staggered firing of transmitter elements to produce the desired wavefront. This paper describes an alternative approach in which the full matrix of time domain signals from every transmitter–receiver pair is captured and post-processed. Various post-processing approaches are modelled and assessed in terms of their ability to image a point-like reflector. Experimental results are then presented which show good quantitative agreement with the modelled results. An advanced processing algorithm is also implemented which allows the array to be focused at every point in the target region in both transmission and reception. This approach is shown to offer significant performance advantages for NDE.

Post-processing of the full matrix of ultrasonic transmit-receive array data for non-destructive evaluation

Ultrasonic guided wave inspection is expanding rapidly to many different areas of manufacturing and in-service inspection. The purpose of this paper is to provide a vision of ultrasonic guided wave inspection potential aswe move forward into the new millennium. An increased understanding of the basic physics and wave mechanics associated with guided wave inspection has led to an increase in practical nondestructive evaluation and inspection problems. Some fundamental concepts and a number of different applications that are currently being considered will be presented in the paper along with a brief description of the sensor and software technology that will make ultrasonic guided wave inspection commonplace in the next century.

A Baseline and Vision of Ultrasonic Guided Wave Inspection Potential

Disclosed herein are methods, compositions and tools for repairing articular surfaces repair materials and for repairing an articular surface. The articular surface repairs are customizable or highly selectable by patient and geared toward providing optimal fit and function. The surgical tools are designed to be customizable or highly selectable by patient to increase the speed, accuracy and simplicity of performing total or partial arthroplasty.

Patient selectable joint arthroplasty devices and surgical tools

Methods and devices are disclosed relating improved articular models, implant components, and related guide tools and procedures. In addition, methods and devices are disclosed relating articular models, implant components, and/or related guide tools and procedures that include one or more features derived from patient-data, for example, images of the patient's joint. The data can be used to create a model for analyzing a patient's joint and to devise and evaluate a course of corrective action. The data also can be used to create patient-adapted implant components and related tools and procedures.

Patient-adapted and improved articular implants, designs and related guide tools

Optimum beam steering of linear phased arrays

One of the fundamental features of phased arrays is the ability to focus the propagating waves to a specific point within the load material by inducing a parabolic time delay. This required focusing time delay has been modified from the current formulation to incorporate either an odd or even number of elements. A brief procedure leading to the derivation of the pressure distribution for beam focusing is described, which gives rise to an unclosed form. Consequently, a numerical method is desirable for the analysis of beam focusing. Using this approach, beam directivity and pressure distributions are studied to predict the behavior of focusing as compared to steering. This shows a benefit of focusing over steering within the near field of the array, and that the directivity of focusing converges to that of steering in the far field.

Beam focusing behavior of linear phased arrays

Influence of phased array element size on beam steering behavior

Ultrasonic beam steering characteristics for linear phased array transducers are simulated numerically by visualizing the full-field acoustic pressure field of the waves radiated from a linear phased array transducer. The influences of various transducer parameters on the beam steering properties are studied, including number of elements, inter-element spacing, element size, frequency of the transducer and the steering angle. In addition, the effects of these parameters on the near field characteristics are investigated by analyzing the acoustic pressure profile in the steering direction. The simulation results agree well with the analytical solutions which are valid only in the far field. A suggested scheme for optimal transducer design is presented.

A Simulation Study of the Beam Steering Characteristics for Linear Phased Arrays

An ultrasonic defect detection system (10) includes a steered beam transmitter (12) for directing an ultrasonic beam (14) through the front face to the back face of a specimen (16); a sensor device for sensing the location on the front face of the near shadow of a defect from the beam reflected from the back face before the defect and the far shadow of the defect from the beam reflected from the back face after the defect; and an arithmetic circuit responsive to the location of the shadows on the front face for determining the distance between the transmitter and the near and far boundary of the near shadow and at least the near boundary of the far shadow for calculating the location and/or the size and/or the orientation of the defect.

Shi-Chang Wooh

Papers

Optimum beam steering of linear phased arrays

Beam focusing behavior of linear phased arrays

Influence of phased array element size on beam steering behavior

A Simulation Study of the Beam Steering Characteristics for Linear Phased Arrays

Ultrasonic defect detection system