Ultrasonics International 8 7 abstracts

Ceramic and composite material characterization using EMAT ultrasonic reflection tomography
ultrasonic velocity C-scans D.A. Hutchins, J. Hu and D.K. Mak, Queen "s University,
Kingston, Canada
J.J. Gruber, US Army Materials Technology Laboratory,
Watertown, USA Images of artifical defects within metallic samples have been
obtained, using ultrasonic reflection tomography. EMATs
This poster presentation will show the use of colour-coded were used for generation and detection, and being non-
ultrasonic wave velocity C-scans for ceramic and composite contact in nature, could be scanned easily along the surfaces
material characterization. Both longitudinal and shear wave of the sample.
scans will be presented. Velocity C-scans clearly show elastic Data were collected by scanning the two EMATs along
modulus variation caused by porosity variation within ceramic the surface of the sample. For each source and receiver
parts. They also display fibre volume variation within com- location, a signal was obtained representing a shear wave
posites. The poster paper will present examples where reflection from the defect. This was digitized, and its time of
composite fibre volume, matrix porosity, and ceramic elastic flight estimated. In a typical scan, the source was initially
modulus are quantitatively estimated from velocity C-scans. fixed, and the receiving EMAT scanned to several positions;
Velocity C-scans of unidirectional fibre graphite epoxy, this was then repeated for multiple source locations. Times
sintered silicon carbide (SIC), and hot-pressed titanium of flight were determined using a Data 6000 digital oscillo-
diboride (Tib2) will be presented. Furthermore, the material scope, with a movable cursor to measure the delay between
properties that contribute to the salient features of the scan a trigger and the received reflected signal. Defects were
will be examined. Finally, the instrumentation and techniques simulated by machining holes of different shapes and sizes
used to produce the velocity C-scans will be shown. completely through aluminium specimens.
The reconstruction technique is an extension of the
"Sonoscan" technique, described by Hanstead; instead of
using a single transducer in a B-scan mode, however, the
present method uses a separate source and receiver. Recon-
struction of images is, therefore, more complicated and relies
on the fact that the point of reflection must lie on an ellipse,
whose foci are the source and receiver locations. The form
of this ellipse is determined only by the total time of
propagation. If now more than one set of transduction
Use of consumable acoustic waveguide rods in locations is used, and the reflector is a point, all the ellipses
should intersect at the defect position (neglecting experi-
continuous casting of steel
mental error). For a defect of finite size, a series of intersecting
O. V. Abramov, A.M. Grinberg, A.P. Gus'kov, G.A. Kryuchnikova points would be expected, which would trace out the outline
and V.M. Lyudkovskiy, Institute of Sofid State Physics, of the defect shape. This approach has been implemented
Moscow, USSR in two ways. First, the ellipses may be drawn, and their
intersections determined. The image may then be represented
Structure improvement of continuously cast steel billets is in pixel form, with various degrees of plotting threshold used
an urgent problem. Today, continuous casting is the most to optimize the representation. Another way is to calculate
efficient method of billet-making. Meanwhile, the existing the intersection positions directly and plot them as a single
steel caster designs and processes feature important dis- point on an image.
advantages. For example, problems with continuously cast The range of applications of the above technique will be
billet quality narrow the available product range. In fact, described, as well as the possible extension of the approach
there is no dependable process for the continuous casting to materials testing using a pulsed laser source.
of ShKh15 type ball bearing steel. Physical and physico-
chemical treatments of solidifying steel may be used as an
effective tool for resolving the billet quality problem.
This study deals with the physical phenomena resulting
from continuous feeding of vibrating waveguides to solidify- A real-time imaging system for non-destructive testing
ing steel. The waveguide is used in the form of a rod with B. Nouailhas, P. Alais and P. Kummer, Electricite de France,
a preselected section and melting in contact with the Saint-Denis Cedex, France
solidifying steel. Elastic flexural vibrations are excited to
enhance waveguide melt heat transfer. A real-time imaging system for non-destructive testing
Special tests were made to analyse the acoustic flux arising inspired from medical echographic knowledge is presented.
in the liquid phase and enable the heat transfer rate increase Oblique incident beams are used in non-destructive tech-
to be assessed in the rod-melt system. The results of these niques to evaluate defects. Deliberately choosing the sim-
tests were used to construct a mathematical model of plicity, we have decided to limit our focussing technique to
waveguide rod dissolution (fusion) in a melt. An asymptotic a focussed beam of transversal waves at an angle of incidence
analysis of model equations sheds light on the application of about 45 ° in steel, with an angular aperture which should
potentials of variously profiled waveguides. allow reasonable lateral resolutions. In such conditions, we
Numeric solutions have been achieved and relevant may use an array of transducers oriented at 45 ° in a staircase
diagrams plotted to predict the process parameters which shape. The acoustical link with steel is ensured by a front
may be used in specific caster designs. plate mould from a silica-charged epoxy resin, with a
The present method was tested in an actual billet caster. longitudinal wave sonic velocity of 3100 m s ~, which allows
Various vibrating waveguides were fed to the melt. The rod a relatively good conversion of ultrasonic energy into trans-
section was varied in size and shape (round and rectangular verse waves in steel. We have fixed our choice to a pitch
waveguides were used). Billet macrostructure was found to along the array equal to 2 mm, i.e. a 128 mm long array of
have improved in all the tests compared to control experi- 64 transducers.
ments. Structural inhomogeneities, however, were revealed The device is very similar to a medical B echographic
in the billets when round waveguides were used. The tests system using a linear array: it electronically operates the
are in agreement with theoretical predictions. Process translation of a focussing aperture made of 16 transducers.
recombinations have been given for the continuous casting In the present device, delay instructions are programmed in
of steels with a broad solidification temperature range. a PROM circuit for a mean incidence of 45 ° in steel (sonic

380 Ultrasonics 1987 Vol 25 November