Ultrasonic inspection of ceramic structures

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for ultrasonic inspection of ceramic structures are described. The method may include transmitting an ultrasonic waveform through a ceramic structure via an ultrasonic transmitter, wherein the ceramic structure includes two opposing ends and one or more external faces extending between the two opposing ends, the one or more external faces being at least partially encapsulated by a shell, and the ultrasonic transmitter is positioned adjacent to a first end of the two opposing ends. The method may also include receiving the propagated waveform via an ultrasonic receiver positioned adjacent to a second end of the two opposing ends; and generating an image based at least in part on the propagated waveform, the image showing at least a portion of the shell and one or more detected features of the ceramic structure at the one or more external faces of the ceramic structure adjacent to the shell.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC §119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 767,671, filed on November 15, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Background Art

[0002] The following generally relates to ultrasonic inspection of ceramic structures.

[0003] Catalytic converters can be widely used in the development of emission control systems in various applications such as vehicle and engine manufacturing, non-road engines and other machinery manufacturing. In some cases, catalytic converters can convert toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas into less toxic pollutants by catalytic oxidation-reduction reactions. In or in addition to catalytic converters, substrates and filtering products can also be implemented to reduce emissions, optimize power and improve fuel economy. For example, substrates can be coated with metal catalysts to convert gases such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons into gases such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water vapor.

[0004] Substrates or honeycomb filters may be used in emission systems (e.g., catalytic converter systems, exhaust systems). For example, during normal operation or production, various features of the substrate (e.g., defects, cracks, or microscopic damage) may appear. However, these features may be difficult to identify using traditional contact and non-contact inspection techniques. Summary of the invention

[0005] The features described generally relate to methods, systems, devices, or apparatuses that support ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures. A method for detecting features of a ceramic structure is described. The method may include transmitting an ultrasonic waveform through a ceramic structure via an ultrasonic transmitter, wherein the ceramic structure includes two opposing ends and one or more external faces extending between the two opposing ends, the one or more external faces being at least partially encapsulated by a shell, and the ultrasonic transmitter is positioned adjacent to a first end of the two opposing ends, receiving the propagated waveform via an ultrasonic receiver positioned adjacent to a second end of the two opposing ends, the propagated waveform being the ultrasonic waveform after traversing the ceramic structure; and generating an image based at least in part on the propagated waveform, the image showing at least a portion of the shell and one or more detected features of the ceramic structure at the one or more external faces of the ceramic structure adjacent to the shell.

[0006] Some examples of the method may further include encapsulating one or more external faces of the ceramic structure with the housing, wherein the housing has a first acoustic impedance that is within a predetermined range of a second acoustic impedance of the ceramic structure. In some examples, encapsulating the one or more external faces may include sliding the housing around the ceramic structure. In some examples, encapsulating the one or more external faces may include coupling a first body portion and a second body portion of the housing around the ceramic structure.

[0007] In some examples, transmitting the ultrasonic wave waveform through the ceramic structure includes transmitting the ultrasonic wave waveform through an air-ceramic structure interface at the first of the two opposing ends.

[0008] Some examples of the methods described herein may further include adjusting a signal strength or gain of the ultrasonic waveform, and detecting a feature of the ceramic structure in the image based on the adjusted signal strength or gain.

[0009] In some examples, generating the image includes scanning the ceramic structure using the ultrasonic receiver to map an internal structure of the ceramic structure based at least in part on the propagated waveform, wherein the internal structure is indicative of the one or more detected features.

[0010] Some examples of the methods described herein may further include identifying the one or more detected features of the ceramic structure based on the discontinuity shown in the image.

[0011] Some examples of the methods described herein may further include adjusting a transducer velocity of the ultrasound transmitter; scanning the ceramic structure using the ultrasound receiver to map an internal structure of the ceramic structure based at least in part on the adjusted transducer velocity; and generating the image based at least in part on the scanning.

[0012] In some examples, the ceramic structure includes a honeycomb filter.

[0013] A housing is also described. In some examples, the housing can include a sleeve material having a first acoustic impedance within a predetermined range of a second acoustic impedance of a honeycomb filter structure having two opposing ends and one or more exterior faces extending between the two opposing ends; and a wrapping face of the sleeve material facilitating encapsulation of at least a portion of the one or more exterior faces of the honeycomb filter structure by the sleeve material, the wrapping face of the sleeve material being adjacent to the one or more exterior faces of the honeycomb filter structure when wrapping the honeycomb filter structure.

[0014] Some examples of the shells described herein may further include a packaging mechanism configured to couple a first packaging portion and a second packaging portion of the packaging surface, wherein when the first packaging portion and the second packaging portion are coupled, the first packaging portion and the second packaging portion surround at least that portion of the one or more external surfaces of the honeycomb filter structure when the honeycomb filter structure is packaged.

[0015] Some examples of the housing described herein may further include an internal lining material positioned between the packaging surface and the one or more exterior faces of the honeycomb filter structure upon packaging of the honeycomb filter structure.

[0016] In some examples, the inner lining material comprises a polymer sheet, a polystyrene foam, a rubber bladder, a modeling clay, or any combination thereof. In some examples, the packaging surface facilitates packaging of at least a portion of the one or more external faces of the honeycomb filter structure by the sleeve material in a horizontal or vertical direction. In some examples, the packaging surface is configured to be adjacent only to the one or more external faces of the honeycomb filter structure.

[0017] In some examples, the cross-sectional shape of the housing is different from the cross-sectional shape of the honeycomb filter structure. In some examples, the sleeve material includes a rubber sheet, a polymer sheet, a polystyrene foam, a ceramic mat, a plastic sheet, a metal material, or any combination thereof.

[0018] A system is also described. In some examples, the system may include: an ultrasound transmitter positioned adjacent to a first end of two opposing ends of a porous ceramic structure, wherein one or more exterior faces extending between the two opposing ends of the porous ceramic structure are at least partially encapsulated by a shell, wherein the ultrasound transmitter is configured to transmit an ultrasound waveform through the porous ceramic structure; an ultrasound receiver positioned adjacent to a second end of the two opposing ends and configured to receive a propagated waveform of the ultrasound waveform after traversing the porous ceramic structure; and a processor configured to generate an image based at least in part on the propagated waveform, wherein the image shows at least a portion of the shell and one or more detected features of the plurality of ceramic structures at the one or more exterior faces of the porous ceramic structure adjacent to the shell.

[0019] In some examples, the distance between the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver is greater than the height of the porous ceramic structure. In some examples, the ultrasonic receiver is aligned with and in the transmission direction of the ultrasonic transmitter.

[0020] In some examples, the ultrasonic receiver is movable along an axis perpendicular to the transmission direction of the ultrasonic transmitter. In some examples, the housing surrounds one or more exterior faces of the porous ceramic structure and includes a rubber sheet, a polymer sheet, polystyrene foam, a ceramic pad, a plastic sheet, a metal material, or any combination thereof.

[0021] Some examples of the systems described herein may further include a base plate configured to support one of two opposing ends of the porous ceramic structure, the base plate being positioned perpendicular to an axis between the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 Example exhaust system components supporting ultrasonic inspection of ceramic structures according to examples of the present disclosure are shown.

[0023] Figure 2 An example inspection system supporting ultrasonic inspection of ceramic structures according to examples of the present disclosure is shown.

[0024] Figure 3A An example casing system supporting ultrasonic inspection of ceramic structures according to examples of the present disclosure is shown.

[0025] Figure 3B An example housing system supporting ultrasonic inspection of ceramic structures according to examples of the present disclosure is shown.

[0026] Figure 3C An example housing system supporting ultrasonic inspection of ceramic structures according to examples of the present disclosure is shown.

[0027] Figure 4A An example mapping in support of ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to examples of the present disclosure is shown.

[0028] Figure 4B An example mapping in support of ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to examples of the present disclosure is shown.

[0029] Figure 5A An example signal gain table is shown in support of ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to examples of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 5B An example signal gain table is shown in support of ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to examples of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 6 An example system supporting ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to examples of the present disclosure is shown.

[0032] Figure 7An example system supporting ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to examples of the present disclosure is shown.

[0033] Figure 8 A method of supporting ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to an example of the present disclosure is shown.

[0034] Fig. 9 A method of supporting ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Ceramic honeycomb substrates and filters have been used to reduce the amount of harmful exhaust gases (e.g., vehicle exhaust) entering the ambient atmosphere. In diesel engine emission control systems, ceramic honeycomb substrates can be used as particulate filters in exhaust systems and catalytic converter systems, while similar concepts have been implemented in gasoline powered engines (e.g., utilizing direct injection configurations).

[0036] Quality inspection after manufacturing the ceramic substrate (or after using the substrate) can include non-destructive analysis, such as light boxes, network connection quality tests (ping tests), atomizers (iTest), etc. Other non-destructive testing methods (such as ultrasonic methods, X-ray methods (computer tomography (CT) scans), etc.) can be used to supplement (or can be used to replace) such processes. In ultrasonic testing, contact pulse echo and non-contact ultrasound (NCU) (also known as air-coupled ultrasound methods) can be used to identify substrate features. Such technologies can complement each other by identifying different types of features or flaws. For example, contact pulse echo can be used to identify radial features or flaws (such as cracks), while NCU can be used for axial feature or flaw detection.

[0037] According to some aspects, a sample holding device or segmentation procedure can be used to enhance image quality during NCU inspection of ceramic substrates. Prior to the NCU scanning process, the substrate sample can be encapsulated in a sleeve, shell, or housing, or wrapped in a foam or other polymeric material, rather than a stand-alone sample (e.g., in an ambient atmosphere). After performing the NCU scan, the encapsulation process can provide enhanced imaging results, and in some cases, the generated image can have improved resolution and higher quality throughout the substrate skin or surface area, especially around the substrate skin or surface area. Additionally or alternatively, adjusting the ultrasound receiver or transmitter position (e.g., distance or angle relative to each other) can improve image contrast and help reduce false positives during substrate inspection.

[0038] The features of the above disclosure are further described below in the context of ultrasonic inspection of ceramic structures. The NCU setup, system, and operation are illustrated and described in the context of ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures. These and other features of the present disclosure are further illustrated and described by reference to apparatus diagrams, system diagrams, and flow charts related to ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures.

[0039] Figure 1 An example exhaust system component 100 supporting ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to various examples of the present disclosure is shown. The exhaust system component 100 may include a housing 105, an inlet 110, and an outlet 115. The exhaust system component 100 may also include a substrate 120 housed within the housing 105, for example, and the substrate 120 may include an outer surface 125. The exhaust system component 100 may also include a sleeve 130 (e.g., a fabric or other material) located between the outer surface 125 and the housing 105, which may be used to retain the substrate 120 within the shell 105.

[0040] The exhaust system component 100 may be an example of an exhaust emission control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in the exhaust gas into less toxic pollutants through a catalytic oxidation-reduction reaction (e.g., a catalytic converter). The exhaust system component 100 may be implemented in an internal combustion engine fueled by gasoline or diesel. For example, the exhaust system component 100 may be implemented in an automobile, a generator, a forklift, a mining equipment, a locomotive, a motorcycle, etc. In some cases, the exhaust system component 100 may be implemented in a lean-burn engine (such as a kerosene heater, a stove, etc.).

[0041] In some aspects, the exhaust system component 100 can convert gases and pollutants entering through the inlet 110 into less toxic pollutants that exit through the outlet 115. For example, gases such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons can enter through the inlet 110 and can exit the exhaust system component 100 as other gases such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. In such cases, oxidation and reduction reactions (e.g., redox reactions) can occur within the exhaust system component 100 to convert toxic gases (e.g., emissions) into gases that are less harmful to the environment. The exhaust system component 100 can reduce emissions and improve fuel economy.

[0042] In order to convert toxic gases into less toxic pollutants, the exhaust system component 100 may include a substrate 120. The substrate 120 may be an example of a honeycomb filter made of a ceramic material, which in some cases may act as a carrier for a metal catalyst. For example, the interior surface of the substrate 120 may be coated with a metal catalyst. In this case, the toxic gas may flow into the exhaust system component 100 through the inlet 110, react with the metal catalyst coated on the interior surface of the substrate 120, and leave the exhaust system component 100 through the outlet 115 as a converted less toxic gas. In other examples, the substrate 120 may include a plurality of honeycomb layers configured to capture particulates of the exhaust gas passing through the substrate 120.

[0043] The substrate 120 can be packaged within the housing 105. For example, the outer surface 125 can abut the inner surface of the housing 105 (e.g., a pad material). In some cases, the substrate 120 can be packaged within the housing 105 by establishing a friction barrier between the outer surface 125 of the substrate 120 and the inner surface of the outer protective shell 105 or the sleeve 130 and maintaining radial pressure. In some examples, if the radial pressure is less than a threshold value for maintaining the substrate 120 within the housing 105, the substrate 120 may move within the housing 105, which may result in inefficient conversion or particle retention. In other examples, if the radial pressure is greater than a threshold value for maintaining the substrate 120 within the housing 105, the substrate 120 may be damaged during use (e.g., the outer surface 125 may suffer one or more defects or the substrate 120 may crack).

[0044] After manufacture or after use, the substrate 120 may be inspected to identify features such as defects, cracks, surface wear, surface profile, etc. Using a non-destructive inspection method (e.g., NCU) may be beneficial because it may allow the substrate 120 to be used after inspection (as opposed to destructive methods, which may be more invasive or may render the substrate 120 unusable after inspection). Placing the substrate 120 in an ambient atmosphere without encapsulation may be used to inspect for internal damage, however, due to the constraints involved in detecting damage on external areas, false positives may occur during identification of axial and face features. Thus, the inspection techniques described herein may include the use of an air-coupled pulser and receiver configuration (e.g., an ultrasonic transmitter or transducer configured to transmit ultrasonic waves through the substrate 120 to be received by the ultrasonic receiver or transducer) and a sample of the substrate 120 wrapped or encapsulated with an inert material (such as a rubber sheet, a polymer sheet, polystyrene foam, a ceramic pad, a plastic sheet, etc.). Such techniques may be used to reduce noise at material-air boundaries and aid in identifying axial and surface features of substrate 120 .

[0045] Figure 2An example inspection system 200 that supports ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. System 200 may include substrate 205. Substrate 205 may include a top surface 210 and a bottom surface 215 opposite top surface 210. In some cases, substrate 205 may include or be enclosed by housing 220. Substrate 205 may be as described in reference Figure 1 Examples of substrates described.

[0046] The inspection system 200 can be an NCU inspection system or other non-contact or non-invasive inspection system for inspecting the substrate 205. The inspection system 200 can be used to detect features of the substrate 205, such as axial or surface features, including cracks, flaws, defects, etc. The inspection system 200 can also be used to detect or identify internal features of the substrate 205. As described herein, these identification or detection techniques can be facilitated by using ultrasonic or other signals. Although not shown, a base plate can be used to support one of the top surface 210 or the bottom surface 215 of the substrate 205. The base plate can be positioned perpendicular to the axis between the transmitter 230 and the receiver 240.

[0047] Inspection system 200 may include a transmitter 230, which may be an ultrasonic transmitter or transducer. As shown, transmitter 230 is positioned adjacent to (e.g., above) top surface 210 of substrate 205 and is not in contact with substrate 205. Although transmitter 230 is shown as centered above substrate 205, transmitter 230 may be positioned in various positions, and in some cases, transmitter 230 may be angled or rotated. For example, transmitter 230 may be positioned along a horizontal axis above substrate 205, such as at position 235-a or 235-b. Additionally or alternatively, transmitter 230 may be rotated or angled, such as at position 235-b. Furthermore, transmitter 230 may be positioned along a vertical axis relative to substrate 205. For example, transmitter 230 may be positioned at position 235-c. Different positions 235 or angles may allow for enhanced imaging quality (e.g., enhanced contrast, higher resolution) during inspection, which may reduce false positives during feature detection.

[0048] Transmitter 230 may be configured to transmit an ultrasonic or other acoustic signal toward substrate 205, which may propagate through substrate 205 and be received by receiver 240. Receiver 240 may be an ultrasonic receiver or transducer, and may be configured to receive an ultrasonic or other acoustic signal (e.g., an ultrasonic wave transmitted by transmitter 230) that has propagated through substrate 205. As shown, receiver 240 is positioned adjacent to (e.g., below) bottom surface 215 of substrate 205 and is not in contact with substrate 205. Although receiver 240 is shown as being centered below substrate 205, receiver 240 may be positioned at various positions, and in some cases, receiver 240 may be angled or rotated. For example, receiver 240 may be positioned along a horizontal axis below substrate 205, such as at position 245-a or 245-b. Additionally or alternatively, transmitter 240 may be rotated or angled, such as at position 245-b. In addition, receiver 240 may be positioned along a vertical axis relative to substrate 205. For example, receiver 240 may be positioned at position 245-c. Different positions 245 or angles may allow for enhanced imaging quality (eg, enhanced contrast, higher resolution) during inspection, which may reduce false positives during feature detection.

[0049] As shown, the transmitter 230 is spaced apart from the receiver 240 by a distance 250. The distance 250 may be greater than the height or axial length 255 of the substrate 205, and as a result, an air gap 260 is formed between the top surface 210 of the substrate 205 and the transmitter 230. Because ultrasonic waves have greater attenuation in air than when traveling through a substrate 205 (e.g., made of a ceramic material), the greatest wave diffusion or scattering observed during inspection may be at the material-air interface (e.g., around the peripheral region of the substrate 205). This may result in poor image quality after scanning, which may make it difficult to identify features of the substrate 205. During manufacturing inspection, this may result in false positives or misidentification of features of the substrate 205, for example, when the substrate 205 may have been suitable for use, it may be considered that the substrate 205 is not suitable for use and fails a quality inspection.

[0050] According to some aspects, the housing 220 can be used and wrapped or configured to encapsulate the substrate 205 during the inspection process. The housing 220 can be made of a solid inert material, such as a rubber sheet, a polymer sheet, a polystyrene foam, a ceramic pad, a plastic sheet, etc. In some examples, the housing 220 can be made of a rigid material (such as a metal material). For example, a higher density material (e.g., in the case of a metal material) will result in a higher speed of sound through the material, thereby increasing the acoustic impedance. In some cases, as the acoustic impedance of the housing 220 increases, the ultrasonic waves emitted by the transmitter 230 will be more efficiently transmitted from the substrate 205 (e.g., a porous ceramic structure) to the housing 220, which can improve the quality of images generated by the NCU test or other inspection processes.

[0051] The shell 220 may include a layer of a single material from a variety of materials, and the shell 220 may extend along the height or axial length 255 of the substrate 205. For example, the shell 220 may extend a given length 265, which may enclose a portion or all of the substrate 205. The use of the shell 220 may help reduce or eliminate scatter observed during inspection (e.g., at the periphery or integument region of the substrate 205) by helping to provide a well-defined boundary of the substrate in an image (or set of images) generated by the receipt of ultrasound waves at the receiver 240 during one or more scans.

[0052] In some examples, when ultrasound waves propagate from one material to another, reflection, absorption, and transmission may occur. The amount of reflection, absorption, and transmission is related to the acoustic impedance (Z) of the medium, as shown in Equation 1 below:

[0053] I 反射 =(Z2-Z1) 2 / (Z2+Z1) 2 (I 入射 ) (1)

[0054] In Equation 1, Z1 is the acoustic impedance of material 1, Z2 is the acoustic impedance of material 2, and I 入射 is the energy of the incident wave, I 反射 is the reflected energy. For example, if a sound wave travels from material 1 to material 2, where material 1 is a ceramic structure with a higher acoustic impedance than material 2 (e.g., air), most of the energy will be reflected. Therefore, the greater the acoustic impedance mismatch between material 1 and material 2, the greater the reflection. Alternatively, if Z1 and Z2 are approximately the same, most of the energy can be absorbed by material 2 (i.e., the amount of energy reflected is reduced or lower than the energy transmitted through), and the transmitted energy can be represented by the following equation 2:

[0055] I 传输 =(2Z2)2 / (Z2+Z1) 2 (I 入射 ) (2)

[0056] In equation 2, I 传输 is the energy transmitted through material 2 in this example. Here, when the acoustic impedance of material 2 (Z2) is greater than or approximately the same as the acoustic impedance of material 1 (Z1), the transmission increases.

[0057] Furthermore, the acoustic impedance (Z) of a material, which affects the amount of incident sound reflection, absorption, and transmission, can be expressed as follows in Equation 3:

[0058] Z=ρC (3)

[0059] In Equation 3, ρ is the density of the material and C is the speed of sound in the material, where, for example, the speed of sound for ceramics can be determined using Equation 4 as follows:

[0060]

[0061] In Equation 4, B is the Young's modulus, and ν is the Poisson's ratio. Based on Equation 4, the higher the Young's modulus, the greater the speed of sound in the material. In addition, when the speed of sound in the ceramic material is higher, the acoustic impedance of the material is also greater. For example, the speed of sound in air is 340 meters per second (m / s). When an ultrasonic wave travels from a denser material (e.g., a ceramic material) to a less dense material (e.g., air), most of the energy of the incident wave is reflected back to the denser material (e.g., as shown in Equation 1), which may make it difficult for the inspection system 200 using NCU technology to image the edge of the substrate 205 with sufficient resolution (i.e., when the wave travels from air to the substrate 205, the air gap 260 causes most of the energy to be reflected, and as a result, less energy is transmitted through the substrate 205). To help reduce these harmful imaging effects, the housing 220 that encapsulates the substrate 205 can be a material with a higher density and a larger Young's modulus, which increases the acoustic impedance of the material to which the ultrasound is transmitted and reduces the acoustic impedance of the substrate 205 and the air. This can provide greater transmission of ultrasound waves through substrate 205 at the interface between air gap 260 and the substrate, thereby improving image resolution at the edges and providing a well-defined boundary.

[0062] Inspection system 200 can be used to detect or identify features (such as cracks or other defects) in substrate 205. According to Equation 5, the time of flight (TOF) through a medium is inversely proportional to the speed of sound:

[0063] TOF=d / C (5)

[0064] In Equation 5, d is the distance between the transmitter 230 and the receiver 240. Since the speed of sound in air is different from the speed of sound in the substrate 205 (e.g., a porous ceramic material), the ultrasonic signals that have propagated through the substrate 205 and have been received by the receiver 240 will be spaced apart in time. In order to identify features or discontinuities of the substrate 205 (e.g., a crack in the material), the propagated ultrasonic waves will be attenuated (e.g., the received signal strength will decrease) at the receiver 240 and may be delayed. The loss and / or delay of signal strength may allow the detection of discontinuities or the absence of discontinuities in the substrate 205, and may also provide an internal image of the substrate 205 by scanning the entire porous ceramic structure.

[0065] The inspection system 200 described herein can improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) during inspection of the substrate 205. For example, the inspection system 200 can provide enhanced image resolution around the outer surface or skin region of the medium 205 by using the housing 220. The inspection system 200 can help reduce the scattering of ultrasound waves around the edges of the substrate 205, which increases the SNR and can make axial or surface features more apparent during detection.

[0066] The inspection system 200 described herein can improve imaging resolution. For example, image quality and contrast can be enhanced when more energy is transmitted into the substrate 205 rather than reflected back toward the emitter 230. This enhancement can help reduce false positive interpretations during image analysis and detection of substrate 205 features.

[0067] The inspection system 200 described herein can be a cost-effective design. The housing 220 can be a plastic holder and can include lining materials such as polymer sheets, polystyrene foam, rubber bladders, modeling clay, etc. Such materials can allow for increased ultrasonic energy transmission into the substrate and reduced reflections or losses. According to some aspects, any low-cost solid material can be used for the housing 220 (e.g., as long as there is minimal adhesion to the substrate or reaching the substrate 205).

[0068] The inspection system 200 described herein can improve the inspection quality of the substrate 205. In some cases, the substrate 205 can be subjected to a canning process that can use pad materials and stainless steel. The NCU technology and the inspection system 200 can be used to identify damage that may occur during the canning process.

[0069] Figure 3A An example housing system 300-a supporting ultrasonic inspection of ceramic structures according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. The system 300-a may include a substrate 305-a and a housing 310-a. The substrate 305-a and the housing 310-a may be as described in reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 Examples of substrates and housings described.

[0070] exist Figure 3A , a cross-sectional view of a substrate 305-a and a shell 310-a is shown. The shell 310-a is wrapped or encapsulated around the outer surface of the substrate 305-a. The shell 310-a can extend along the length of the substrate 305-a, and in some cases can extend along the entirety of the substrate 305-a. Although the cross-section of the substrate 305-a is shown as circular, the cross-section of the substrate 305-a can be any shape. In some examples, the cross-section of the shell 310-a can have a shape different from the cross-section of the substrate 305-a (e.g., rectangular), as shown. In addition, the shell 310-a can vary in width and amount of material around the substrate 305-a, and in some cases, the shell 310-a may not be symmetrical about the substrate 305-a.

[0071] The housing 310-a can be made of a solid inert material, such as a rubber sheet, a polymer sheet, a polystyrene foam, a ceramic pad, a plastic sheet, etc. In some examples, the housing 310-a can be made of a rigid material (such as a metallic material). The housing 310-a can include a layer of a single material from a variety of materials. The use of the housing 310 can help reduce or eliminate scattering observed during inspection (e.g., at the periphery or outer skin region of the substrate 305-a) by helping to provide a well-defined boundary of the substrate in an image (or image set) generated during one or more NCU scans.

[0072] Figure 3B An example housing system 300-b supporting ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. The system 300-b may include a substrate 305-b and a housing 310-b. The substrate 305-b and the housing 310-b may be as described in reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 Examples of substrates and housings described.

[0073] exist Figure 3B, a cross-sectional view of a substrate 305-b and a shell 310-b is shown. The shell 310-b is wrapped or encapsulated around the outer surface of the substrate 305-b. The shell 310-b may extend along the length of the substrate 305-b, and in some cases may extend along the entirety of the substrate 305-b. Although the cross-section of the substrate 305-b is shown as circular, the cross-section of the substrate 305-b may be of any shape. In some examples, the cross-section of the shell 310-b may have the same shape (e.g., circular) as the cross-section of the substrate 305-b, as shown. In addition, the shell 310-b may vary in width and amount of material surrounding the substrate 305-b, and in some cases, the shell 310-b may not be symmetrical about the substrate 305-b.

[0074] The shell 310-b can be made of a solid inert material, such as a rubber sheet, a polymer sheet, polystyrene foam, a ceramic pad, a plastic sheet, etc. In some examples, the shell 310-b can be made of a rigid material (such as a metallic material). The shell 310-b can include a layer of a single material from a variety of materials. The use of the shell 310-b can help reduce or eliminate scattering observed during inspection (e.g., at the periphery or outer skin region of the substrate 305-b) by helping to provide a well-defined boundary of the substrate in an image (or image set) generated during one or more NCU scans.

[0075] Figure 3C An example housing system 300-c supporting ultrasonic inspection of ceramic structures according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. The system 300-c may include a substrate 305-c, a housing 310-c, and a fixture 315. The substrate 305-c and the housing 310-c may be as described in reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 Examples of substrates and housings described.

[0076] exist Figure 3C , a cross-sectional view of a substrate 305-c and a shell 310-c is shown. The shell 310-c is wrapped or encapsulated around the outer surface of the substrate 305-c. The shell 310-c can extend along the length of the substrate 305-c, and in some cases can extend along the entirety of the substrate 305-c. Although the cross-section of the substrate 305-c is shown as circular, the cross-section of the substrate 305-c can be any shape. In some examples, the cross-section of the shell 310-c can have the same shape (e.g., circular) as the cross-section of the substrate 305-c, as shown. In addition, the shell 310-c can vary in width and amount of material surrounding the substrate 305-c, and in some cases, the shell 310-c may not be symmetrical about the substrate 305-c.

[0077] In some examples, the housing 310-c can be a clamshell-type structure that uses a hinge 315 or other bracket or coupling mechanism to connect one end of the housing 310-c to a second end of the housing 310-c. In addition, although not shown, multiple hinges 315 can be used to connect parts of the housing 310-c to other parts, or to increase durability or stability of the housing 320-c.

[0078] According to some aspects, cushioning material 320 can be used with housing 310-c, which can reduce acoustic impedance mismatch between materials and allow for enhanced imaging during NCU inspections. Cushioning material 320 can be made of a solid inert material, such as a rubber sheet, a polymer sheet, Styrofoam, a ceramic pad, a plastic sheet, and in some examples can be made of soft or malleable modeling clay. In some instances, cushioning material 320 can be configured to secure substrate 305-c relative to housing 310-c.

[0079] The shell 310-c can be made of a solid inert material, such as a rubber sheet, a polymer sheet, polystyrene foam, a ceramic pad, a plastic sheet, etc. In some examples, the shell 310-c can be made of a rigid material (such as a metallic material). The shell 310-c can include a layer of a single material from a variety of materials. The use of the shell 310-c can help reduce or eliminate scattering observed during inspection (e.g., at the periphery or outer skin area of ​​the substrate 305-c) by helping to provide a well-defined boundary of the substrate in an image (or image set) generated during one or more NCU scans.

[0080] Figure 4A An example map 400-a is shown in support of ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to an example of the present disclosure. The map 400-a may include a base 405-a and one or more rings 415. The base 405-a may be as described in reference Figure 1 -Examples of substrates described in Figure 3.

[0081] exist Figure 4A , a cross-sectional view of the substrate 405-a after NCU mapping without the housing is shown. Figure 4A As shown, without the housing, there is a "halo effect" shown by one or more rings 415 at the edge of the substrate 405-a. Such an effect may result in inaccurate discontinuity detection or false positives due to poor image quality.

[0082] Figure 4B An example map 400-b is shown that supports ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to an example of the present disclosure. The map 400-b may include a base 405-b and a shell 410-b. The base 405-b and the shell 410-b may be as described in reference Figure 1 -Examples of base and housing as described in FIG. 3 .

[0083] exist Figure 4B , a cross-sectional view of a substrate 405-b and a shell 410-b is shown. The shell 410-b is wrapped or encapsulated around the outer surface of the substrate 405-b. The shell 410-b may extend along the length of the substrate 405-b, and in some cases may extend along the entirety of the substrate 405-b. Although the cross-section of the substrate 405-b is shown as circular, the cross-section of the substrate 405-b may be of any shape. In some examples, the cross-section of the shell 410-b may have the same shape (e.g., circular) as the cross-section of the substrate 405-b, as shown. In addition, the shell 410-b may vary in width and amount of material surrounding the substrate 405-b, and in some cases, the shell 410-b may not be symmetrical about the substrate 405-b.

[0084] The housing 410-b may be made of a solid inert material, such as a rubber sheet, a polymer sheet, a polystyrene foam, a ceramic pad, a plastic sheet, etc. In some examples, the housing 410-b may be made of a rigid material, such as a metal material. The housing 410-b may include a layer of a single material from a variety of materials. Figure 4B In, eliminated Figure 4A The use of shell 410-b can help reduce or eliminate scatter observed during inspection (e.g., at the periphery or outer skin region of substrate 405-b) by helping to provide a well-defined boundary of the substrate in an image (or set of images) generated during one or more NCU scans, as shown.

[0085] Figure 5A and Figure 5B An example signal gain table 500 is shown in support of ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to examples of the present disclosure.

[0086] Some parameters of the inspection systems described herein may be varied or modified to increase the effectiveness of a housing for encapsulating a substrate during NCU testing or other inspection processes. For example, increasing signal gain may have a positive effect when inspecting features in a substrate (e.g., due to a higher signal loss ratio (SLR)). Figure 5A As shown in Gain Table 500-a, a transmitted signal gain of 50 dB results in an average signal strength of 5.51 millivolts (mV) received at the receiver. When the signal gain increases from 50 dB to 70 dB, as shown in Figure 5BAs shown in Table 500-b, the received signal strength also increases to an average of 51.33 mV, which is almost 10 times stronger than the received signal strength when using a 50 dB gain. The resulting image quality can also be enhanced as the received signal strength increases.

[0087] Other parameters of an inspection system such as described herein can be varied to positively affect the image generated from the scan. For example, increasing the transmitted signal strength can help increase the SLR at the receiver to identify the presence of discontinuities in the material and map the internal structure of the substrate.

[0088] As signal strength increases (eg, from 300 volts (V) to 390 V), received signal strength may increase from 51.3 mV to 65.3 mV, which may increase image quality. Other parameters, such as transducer speed, may reduce scan time, as shown in Table 1 below.

[0089] Transducer speed (mm / s) Total scan time (minutes) 100 5 90 5.2 80 5.5 70 6.24 60 7.11 50 8.16

[0090] Table 1

[0091] Figure 6 An example block diagram 600 of a system 605 supporting ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. The system 605 may be referred to as an electronic device and may be an example of a component of a controller.

[0092] The system 605 may include an ultrasound controller 610, an ultrasound transmitter controller 615, an image generator 615, and a feature detector 620. These components may be in electronic communication with each other and may perform one or more of the functions described herein. In addition to the components not listed above, these components may also be in electronic communication with other components internal and external to the system 605 via other components, connections, or buses.

[0093] The ultrasonic controller 610 can be configured to transmit an ultrasonic waveform through a ceramic structure, wherein the ceramic structure includes two opposing ends and one or more external faces extending between the two opposing ends, the one or more external faces being at least partially encapsulated by a housing, and the ultrasonic transmitter is positioned adjacent to a first end of the two opposing ends. In some cases, the ultrasonic controller 610 can transmit the ultrasonic waveform through an air-ceramic structure interface at the first end of the two opposing ends. The ultrasonic controller 610 can be configured to adjust the transducer speed of the ultrasonic transmitter. In some cases, the ultrasonic controller 610 can be configured to adjust the signal strength or gain of the ultrasonic waveform.

[0094] The ultrasound controller 610, or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasound controller 610, may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions of the ultrasound controller 610 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasound controller 610 may be performed by a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described in the present disclosure.

[0095] The ultrasonic controller 610 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasonic controller 610 may be physically located at various locations, including being distributed so that portions of functionality are implemented by one or more physical devices at different physical locations. In some examples, the ultrasonic controller 610 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasonic controller 610 may be separate and distinct components according to various examples of the present disclosure. In other examples, the ultrasonic controller 610 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasonic controller 610 may be combined with one or more other hardware components, including but not limited to receivers, transmitters, transceivers according to various examples of the present disclosure, one or more other components described in the present disclosure, or combinations thereof.

[0096] The ultrasonic controller 610 can be configured to receive a propagated waveform positioned adjacent to the second of the two opposing ends, the propagated waveform being an ultrasonic waveform after traversing the ceramic structure. In some cases, the ultrasonic controller 610 can be configured to scan the ceramic structure using an ultrasonic receiver to map an internal structure of the ceramic structure based at least in part on the propagated waveform, wherein the internal structure indicates one or more detected features. The ultrasonic controller 610 can be configured to scan the ceramic structure using an ultrasonic receiver to map an internal structure of the ceramic structure based at least in part on the adjusted transducer velocity.

[0097] The ultrasound controller 610, or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasound controller 610, may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions of the ultrasound controller 610 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasound controller 610 may be performed by a general purpose processor, DSP, ASIC, FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described in the present disclosure.

[0098] The ultrasonic controller 610 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasonic controller 610 can be physically located at various locations, including being distributed so that portions of the functionality are implemented by one or more physical devices at different physical locations. In some examples, the ultrasonic controller 610 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasonic controller 610 can be separate and distinct components according to various examples of the present disclosure. In other examples, the ultrasonic controller 610 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasonic controller 610 can be combined with one or more other hardware components, including but not limited to receivers, transmitters, transceivers according to various examples of the present disclosure, one or more other components described in the present disclosure, or combinations thereof.

[0099] In some cases, ultrasound controller 610 can be in electronic communication with image generator 615. Image generator 615 can generate an image based at least in part on the propagated waveform, the image showing at least a portion of the shell and one or more detected features of the ceramic structure at one or more exterior faces of the ceramic structure adjacent to the shell. In some cases, image generator 615 can generate an image based at least in part on a scan.

[0100] The image generator 615, or at least some of the various subcomponents of the image generator 615, may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions of the image generator 615 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the image generator 615 may be performed by a general purpose processor, DSP, ASIC, FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described in the present disclosure.

[0101] The image generator 615 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the image generator 615 may be physically located at various locations, including being distributed so that portions of the functionality are implemented by one or more physical devices at different physical locations. In some examples, the image generator 615 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the image generator 615 may be separate and distinct components according to various examples of the present disclosure. In other examples, the image generator 615 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the image generator 615 may be combined with one or more other hardware components, including but not limited to receivers, transmitters, transceivers according to various examples of the present disclosure, one or more other components described in the present disclosure, or combinations thereof.

[0102] The feature detector 620 can be in electronic communication with the image generator 615 and / or the ultrasound controller 610. For example, the feature detector 620 can detect a feature of the ceramic structure at one or more external faces of the ceramic structure, which can be detected based at least in part on the one or more external faces at least partially encapsulated by the housing. In some cases, the feature detector 620 can detect the feature of the ceramic structure in the image based at least in part on the adjusted signal strength or gain. In some cases, the feature detector 620 can identify the one or more detected features of the ceramic structure based at least in part on discontinuities shown in the image.

[0103] The feature detector 620, or at least some of the various subcomponents of the feature detector 620, may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a processor, the functionality of the feature detector 620 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the feature detector 620 may be performed by a general purpose processor, DSP, ASIC, FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described in the present disclosure.

[0104] The feature detector 620 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the feature detector 620 can be physically located at various locations, including being distributed so that portions of the functionality are implemented by one or more physical devices at different physical locations. In some examples, the feature detector 620 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the feature detector 620 can be separate and distinct components according to various examples of the present disclosure. In other examples, the feature detector 620 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the feature detector 620 can be combined with one or more other hardware components, including but not limited to receivers, transmitters, transceivers according to various examples of the present disclosure, one or more other components described in the present disclosure, or combinations thereof.

[0105] Figure 7 An example block diagram 700 of a system 705 supporting ultrasonic inspection for ceramic structures according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. The system 705 may be referred to as an electronic device and may be an example of a component of a controller.

[0106] The system 705 may include an ultrasound controller 710, an ultrasound transmitter controller 715, and an ultrasound receiver controller 720. The system 705 may also include an image generator 725, a feature detector 730, and a housing component 735. These components may be in electronic communication with each other and may perform one or more of the functions described herein. In some cases, the ultrasound transmitter controller 715 and the ultrasound receiver controller 720 may be components of the ultrasound controller 710. The energy beam controller 710 may be in electronic communication with the phase controller 715. In addition to the components not listed above, these components may also be in electronic communication with other components inside and outside the system 705 via other components, connections, or buses.

[0107] The ultrasonic transmitter controller 715 can be configured to transmit an ultrasonic waveform through a ceramic structure, wherein the ceramic structure includes two opposing ends and one or more external faces extending between the two opposing ends, the one or more external faces being at least partially encapsulated by a housing, and the ultrasonic transmitter is positioned adjacent to a first end of the two opposing ends. In some cases, the ultrasonic transmitter controller 715 can transmit the ultrasonic waveform through an air-ceramic structure interface at the first end of the two opposing ends. The ultrasonic transmitter controller 715 can be configured to adjust the transducer speed of the ultrasonic transmitter. In some cases, the ultrasonic transmitter controller 715 can be configured to adjust the signal strength or gain of the ultrasonic waveform.

[0108] The ultrasound transmitter controller 715, or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasound transmitter controller 715, may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions of the ultrasound transmitter controller 715 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasound transmitter controller 715 may be performed by a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described in the present disclosure.

[0109] The ultrasonic transmitter controller 715 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasonic transmitter controller 715 can be physically located at various locations, including being distributed so that portions of the functionality are implemented by one or more physical devices at different physical locations. In some examples, the ultrasonic transmitter controller 715 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasonic transmitter controller 715 can be separate and distinct components according to various examples of the present disclosure. In other examples, the ultrasonic transmitter controller 715 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasonic transmitter controller 715 can be combined with one or more other hardware components, including but not limited to receivers, transmitters, transceivers according to various examples of the present disclosure, one or more other components described in the present disclosure, or a combination thereof.

[0110] The ultrasonic receiver controller 720 can be configured to receive a propagated waveform positioned adjacent to the second of the two opposing ends, the propagated waveform being an ultrasonic waveform after traversing the ceramic structure. In some cases, the ultrasonic receiver controller 720 can be configured to scan the ceramic structure using an ultrasonic receiver to map an internal structure of the ceramic structure based at least in part on the propagated waveform, wherein the internal structure indicates one or more detected features. The ultrasonic receiver controller 720 can be configured to scan the ceramic structure using an ultrasonic receiver to map an internal structure of the ceramic structure based at least in part on the adjusted transducer velocity.

[0111] The ultrasound receiver controller 720, or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasound receiver controller 720, may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions of the ultrasound receiver controller 720 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasound receiver controller 720 may be performed by a general purpose processor, DSP, ASIC, FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described in the present disclosure.

[0112] The ultrasonic receiver controller 720 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasonic receiver controller 720 can be physically located at various locations, including being distributed so that portions of the functionality are implemented by one or more physical devices at different physical locations. In some examples, the ultrasonic receiver controller 720 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasonic receiver controller 720 can be separate and distinct components according to various examples of the present disclosure. In other examples, according to various examples of the present disclosure, the ultrasonic receiver controller 720 and / or at least some of the various subcomponents of the ultrasonic receiver controller 720 can be combined with one or more other hardware components, including but not limited to receivers, transmitters, transceivers according to various examples of the present disclosure, one or more other components described in the present disclosure, or a combination thereof.

[0113] In some cases, the ultrasound controller 710 can be in electronic communication with an image generator 725. The image generator 725 can generate an image based at least in part on the propagated waveform, the image showing at least a portion of the shell and one or more detected features of the ceramic structure at one or more exterior faces of the ceramic structure adjacent to the shell. In some cases, the image generator 725 can generate the image based at least in part on the scan.

[0114] Feature detector 730 can be in electronic communication with image generator 725. For example, feature detector 730 can detect a feature of the ceramic structure at one or more external faces of the ceramic structure, which can be detected based at least in part on the one or more external faces at least partially encapsulated by the housing. In some cases, feature detector 730 can detect the feature of the ceramic structure in the image based at least in part on an adjusted signal strength or gain. In some cases, feature detector 730 can identify the one or more detected features of the ceramic structure based at least in part on a discontinuity shown in the image.

[0115] The ultrasound controller 710 can be in electronic communication with a housing component 735. The housing component 735 can encapsulate one or more exterior faces of the ceramic structure with a housing, wherein the housing has a first acoustic impedance that is within a predetermined range of a second acoustic impedance of the ceramic structure. In some cases, the housing component 735 can slide the housing around the ceramic structure. In other examples, the housing component 735 can couple a first body portion and a second body portion of the housing around the ceramic structure.

[0116] Figure 8 A method 800 for supporting ultrasonic inspection of ceramic structures according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. The operations of the method 800 may be implemented by an apparatus or components thereof as described herein. For example, the operations of the method 800 may be implemented by an apparatus or components thereof as described herein. Figure 6and Figure 7 The system 705 and system 805 described in the present invention are performed. In some examples, the device may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the device to perform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, the device may use dedicated hardware to perform aspects of the functions described below.

[0117] At block 805, a method may include transmitting an ultrasonic waveform through a ceramic structure via an ultrasonic transmitter, wherein the ceramic structure includes two opposing ends and one or more external faces extending between the two opposing ends, the one or more external faces being at least partially encapsulated by a housing, and the ultrasonic transmitter is positioned adjacent to a first end of the two opposing ends. The operations of 805 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 805 may be performed as described with reference to Figure 7 The described ultrasound transmitter controller is implemented.

[0118] At block 810, the method may include receiving a propagated waveform via an ultrasonic receiver positioned adjacent to the second of the two opposing ends, the propagated waveform being the ultrasonic waveform after traversing the ceramic structure. The operations of 810 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 810 may be performed as described in reference to Figure 7 The described ultrasound receiver controller is implemented.

[0119] At block 815, the method may include generating an image based at least in part on the propagated waveform, the image showing at least a portion of the shell and one or more detected features of the ceramic structure at one or more exterior faces of the ceramic structure adjacent to the shell. The operations of 815 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 815 may be performed as described in reference to Figure 7 The described image generator is implemented.

[0120] Fig. 9 A method 900 for supporting ultrasonic inspection of ceramic structures according to an example of the present disclosure is shown. The operations of the method 900 may be implemented by an apparatus or components thereof as described herein. For example, the operations of the method 900 may be implemented by an apparatus or components thereof as described herein. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The system 705 and system 805 described in the present invention are performed. In some examples, the device may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the device to perform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, the device may use dedicated hardware to perform aspects of the functions described below.

[0121] At block 905, the method may include encapsulating one or more external faces of the ceramic structure with a housing, wherein the housing has a first acoustic impedance that is within a predetermined range of a second acoustic impedance of the ceramic structure. The operations of 905 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 905 may be performed as described in reference to Figure 7 The housing components described are implemented.

[0122] At block 910, a method may include transmitting an ultrasonic waveform through a ceramic structure via an ultrasonic transmitter, wherein the ceramic structure includes two opposing ends and one or more external faces extending between the two opposing ends, the one or more external faces being at least partially encapsulated by a housing, and the ultrasonic transmitter is positioned adjacent to a first end of the two opposing ends. The operations of 910 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 910 may be performed as described with reference to Figure 7 The described ultrasound transmitter controller is implemented.

[0123] At block 915, the method may include receiving a propagated waveform via an ultrasonic receiver positioned adjacent to the second of the two opposing ends, the propagated waveform being the ultrasonic waveform after traversing the ceramic structure. The operations of 915 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 915 may be performed as described in reference to Figure 7 The described ultrasound receiver controller is implemented.

[0124] At block 920, the method may include generating an image based at least in part on the propagated waveform, the image showing at least a portion of the shell and one or more detected features of the ceramic structure at one or more exterior faces of the ceramic structure adjacent to the shell. The operations of 920 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 920 may be performed as described in reference to Figure 7 The described image generator is implemented.

[0125] The descriptions set forth herein in conjunction with the accompanying drawings describe example configurations and do not represent all examples that may be implemented or that fall within the scope of the claims. The term "exemplary" as used herein means "used as an example, instance, or illustration," and does not mean "preferred" or "advantageous over other examples." This detailed description includes specific details to provide an understanding of the described techniques. However, these techniques may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the concepts of the described examples.

[0126] In the drawings, similar components or features may have the same reference number. In addition, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference number with a dash and a second reference number that distinguishes between the similar components. If only the first reference number is used in the specification, the description may apply to any of the similar components having the same first reference number regardless of the second reference number.

[0127] The various illustrative blocks and modules described in conjunction with the disclosure herein may be implemented or executed using a general purpose processor, a DSP, an ASIC, an FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in an alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices (e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration).

[0128] In addition, as used herein (including in the claims), "or" used in a list of items (e.g., a list of items with a phrase such as "at least one of..." or "one or more of...") indicates an inclusive list, so that, for example, a list of at least one of A, B, or C means A or B or C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). And, as used herein, the phrase "based on" should not be interpreted as referring to a closed set of conditions. For example, an exemplary step described as "based on condition A" can be based on both condition A and condition B without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In other words, as used herein, the phrase "based on" should be interpreted in the same manner as the phrase "based at least in part on."

[0129] The description herein is provided to enable those skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the universal principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be granted the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a feature of a ceramic structure, the method comprising: transmitting an ultrasonic waveform through the ceramic structure via an ultrasonic transmitter, wherein the ceramic structure includes two opposing ends and an outer surface extending between the two opposing ends, wherein the outer surface is at least partially enclosed by a housing that surrounds the outer surface, and wherein the ultrasonic transmitter is positioned adjacent a first of the two opposing ends; receiving, via an ultrasonic receiver positioned adjacent a second of the two opposing ends, a propagated waveform, the propagated waveform being the ultrasonic waveform after traversal of the ceramic structure; and An image is generated based at least in part on the propagated waveform, wherein the image illustrates at least a portion of the shell and can illustrate one or more detected features of the ceramic structure at the outer surface of the ceramic structure adjacent to the shell.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The outer surface of the ceramic structure is encapsulated with the housing, wherein the housing has a first acoustic impedance that is within a predetermined range of a second acoustic impedance of the ceramic structure.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that Encapsulating the outer surface further includes sliding the housing around the ceramic structure.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that Encapsulating the outer surface further comprises: The first and second body portions of the housing are coupled around the ceramic structure.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Transmitting the ultrasonic wave waveform through the ceramic structure further comprises: The ultrasonic wave waveform is transmitted through an air-ceramic structure interface at the first of the two opposing ends.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: A feature of the ceramic structure is detected at the outer surface of the ceramic structure, the feature being detectable based at least in part on the outer surface being at least partially encapsulated by the housing.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: adjusting the signal strength or gain of the ultrasonic waveform; and Features of the ceramic structure in the image are detected based at least in part on the adjusted signal strength or gain.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Generating the image further comprises: The ceramic structure is scanned using the ultrasonic receiver to map an internal structure of the ceramic structure based at least in part on the propagated waveform, wherein the internal structure is indicative of the one or more detected features.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The one or more detected features of the ceramic structure are identified based at least in part on discontinuities shown in the image.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: adjusting a transducer speed of the ultrasonic transmitter; scanning the ceramic structure using the ultrasonic receiver to map an internal structure of the ceramic structure based at least in part on the adjusted transducer velocity; and The image is generated based at least in part on the scan.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The ceramic structure includes a honeycomb filter.

12. A housing, comprising: a sleeve material having a first acoustic impedance that is within a predetermined range of a second acoustic impedance of a honeycomb filter structure having two opposing ends and an outer surface extending between the two opposing ends, wherein the sleeve material is configured to define a boundary of the honeycomb filter structure in a pattern generated via ultrasonic waves; Wherein, the packaging surface of the sleeve material is configured to facilitate packaging of at least a portion of the outer surface of the honeycomb filter structure by the sleeve material, and the packaging surface of the sleeve material is adjacent to the outer surface of the honeycomb filter structure when the honeycomb filter structure is packaged, wherein the packaging surface of the sleeve material surrounds the outer surface of the honeycomb filter structure.

13. The housing of claim 12, further comprising: A packaging mechanism, wherein the packaging mechanism is configured to couple a first packaging portion and a second packaging portion of the packaging surface, wherein when the first packaging portion and the second packaging portion are coupled, the first packaging portion and the second packaging portion surround at least a portion of the outer surface of the honeycomb filter structure when packaging the honeycomb filter structure.

14. The housing of claim 12, further comprising: An inner lining material is positioned between the packaging surface and the outer surface of the honeycomb filter structure when the honeycomb filter structure is packaged.

15. The housing according to claim 14, wherein: The inner lining material includes a polymer material, a polystyrene foam material, a rubber material, clay or any combination thereof.

16. The housing according to claim 12, wherein: The wrapping surface facilitates wrapping of the at least a portion of the outer surface of the honeycomb filter structure by the casing material in a horizontal or vertical direction.

17. The housing according to claim 12, wherein: The wrapping surface is arranged adjacent only to the outer surface of the honeycomb filter structure.

18. The housing according to claim 12, wherein: The cross-sectional shape of the housing is different from the cross-sectional shape of the honeycomb filter structure.

19. The housing according to claim 12, wherein: The sleeve material includes polymer material, polystyrene foam material, rubber material, clay, ceramic material, metal material or any combination thereof.

20. A system comprising: an ultrasonic transmitter positioned adjacent a first of two opposing ends of a porous ceramic structure, wherein an outer surface of the porous ceramic structure extending between the two opposing ends of the porous ceramic structure is at least partially encapsulated by a housing that surrounds the outer surface, wherein the ultrasonic transmitter is configured to transmit an ultrasonic waveform through the porous ceramic structure; an ultrasonic receiver positioned adjacent a second of the two opposing ends and configured to receive a propagated waveform of the ultrasonic waveform after traversal of the porous ceramic structure; as well as and a processor configured to, in combination with the ultrasound receiver, generate an image based at least in part on the propagated waveform, wherein the image illustrates at least a portion of the shell and is capable of illustrating one or more detected features of the plurality of ceramic structures at the outer surface of the porous ceramic structure adjacent to the shell.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein: The distance between the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver is greater than the axial length of the porous ceramic structure.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein: The ultrasonic receiver is aligned with the transmission direction of the ultrasonic transmitter.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein: The ultrasound receiver is movable along an axis perpendicular to the transmission direction of the ultrasound transmitter.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein: The shell surrounds the outer surface of the porous ceramic structure and includes a polymer material, a polystyrene foam material, a rubber material, clay, a ceramic material, a metal material, or any combination thereof.

25. The system of claim 20, further comprising: A bottom plate is configured to support one of two opposite ends of the porous ceramic structure, the bottom plate being positioned perpendicular to an axis between the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver.

Images