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ULTRASONIC TESTING

Ultra sonic sound – above 20,000 Hz

Audible sound – 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
Infra sonic sound – below 20 Hz

METHOD:
Ultra sonic testing uses high frequency sound waves ( usually .5 MHz – 20 MHz ) to
conduct examination and make measurements.
A typical pulse echo UT inspection system consists of transducer or pulse (generate
and receive ultrasonic sound), a pulser- receiver unit and a display device. A pulser- receiver
is an electronic device that can produce high voltage electrical pulses. Driven by the pulser,
the transducer generates high frequency ultrasonic energy. The sound energy is induced
and propagates through the material in the form of waves. When there is a discontinuity
(such as crack) in the wave path, part of the energy will be reflected back from the flow
surface. The reflected wave signal is transformed into an electrical signal by the transducer
and is displayed on the screen. From the signal, information about the reflector location,
size, orientation and other features can be found out.
A couplant (water, oil, grease, starch etc.) is required for removing the air between
the interface of transducer and test material.

PRINCIPLE:
‘’ Acoustic Impendence Mismatch’’
Acoustic- sound energy
Impendence- resistance
Mismatch- difference
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The reflection (echo) is due to the difference in impedance in the medium through the
sound travels.
The greater the impedance mismatch, the greater the percentage of energy that will be
reflected at the interface or boundary between the medium and another.
The reflected energy percentage,

R.E % =

The transmitted energy percentage

T.E % = 100 – R.E %

ADVANTAGES:
 Volumetric analysis ( length, width and depth )
 Only single sided access is needed when pulse-echo technique is used
 It is highly accurate in determining the reflector position and estimating its size and
shape
 It provides instantaneous results
 Portable equipment
 Detailed images can be produced with automated systems

LIMITATIONS:
 Surface must be accessible to transmit ultrasound (smooth surface)
 High technical knowledge and skill is required
 Couplant is required
 Linear defects oriented parallel to the sound beam may go undetected
 Reference standards are required for both equipment calibration and the
characterization of flows

APPLICATION:
Almost all materials can be inspected except which are rough, irregular in shape,
very small, exceptionally thin or not homogeneous.

BASIC PHYSICS :

 VELOCITY, FREQUENCY AND WAVE LENGTH

V =f × λ
V= velocity of sound (unit- m/s)
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f = frequency of sound (unit - hertz, Hz)

λ= wave length of sound (unit - m)
Sensitivity of the transducer is half of its wavelength.

 MODE OF SOUND WAVES

 Longitudinal or compressive wave
 Shear wave or transverse wave
 Surface wave or Rayleigh wave
 Plate wave or lamb wave

 REFRACTION
When the sound wave enters in to a medium from another medium with different
velocities at an angle, the wave will refracted at an angle and travels through the same
medium.

 SNELL’S LAW

=
i = angle of incidence
r = angle of refraction
v1= velocity of sound in first medium
v2 = velocity of sound in second medium

EQUIPMENT & TRANSDUCERS:

PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCERS
It consist of a piezoelectric crystal which converts electric signals to mechanical
vibrations and vice versa
Examples of piezoelectric crystals

 Quartz ( Sio2)
 Barium Titanate (BaTio3)
 Lithium Sulphate (LiSo4)
 Lead Titanate (PbTio3)
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TYPES OF TRANSDUCERS:
 Normal probes
 T-R probes
 Angle probes
 Paint Brush transducers
 Focused transducers

Normal Probe T-R Probe

Angle Probe

Specialized portable equipment that are dedicated for ultrasonic inspection merge
the pulser – receiver with the scope display is one small size battery operated unit.
The pulser section of the instrument generates short, large amplitude electric pulses
of controlled energy, which are converted in to short ultrasonic pulses when applied to an
ultrasonic transducer. Typical pulser circuits will apply from 100 volts – 800 volts to a
transducer.
In the receiver section the voltage signals produced by the transducer, which
represent the received ultrasonic pulses, are amplified. The amplified signal is available as
an output for display or capture for signal processing.
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DATA PRESENTATION:
Ultrasonic data can be collected and displayed in a number of different formats. The
three most common formats are,

 A- scan presentation – gives the reflector depth and volumetric analysis is possible.
 B- scan presentation – gives a profile ( cross – sectional ) view
 C- scan presentation – gives a plan type view
TECHNIQUES:
1. Contact technique
a) Normal beam technique
 Pulse echo method
 Through transmission method
 Based on time

Pulse Echo Method Through Transmission method

Based on time method

b) Angle beam technique
c) Surface beam technique
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2. Immersion technique
a) Submerged technique
b) Bubbler technique
c) Wheel transducer technique

Submerged Technique Bubbler Transducer

Wheel Transducer Technique

Sound path distance,

S × material thickness
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CALCULATIONS:
ANGLE BEAM INSPECTION:

ϴR= angle of refraction or probe angle

Sin (90-ϴR) =

Depth= sound path × sin (90-ϴR) OR

Depth= sound path × cos ϴR

Cos (90-ϴR) =

Distance = sound path × cos (90-ϴR) OR

Distance = sound path × sinϴR

INSPECTION OF WELDED JOINTS:

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tan (90-ϴR) =

½ skip =

= T × cot (90-ϴR) [since: = cotϴ ]

= T× tan ϴR [since: [ cot (90-ϴ) = tan ϴ]]

½ skip distance= T× tan ϴR

Full skip distance = 2T × tan ϴR