Elastomer Ultrasonic Coupling Adaptor for Contact Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Focused ultrasonic transducers with concave-shaped front surfaces are unsuitable for contact inspections due to difficulties in coupling and focusing ultrasonic waves on parts with complex shapes, limiting their application in non-destructive testing.
Innovation Solution
An acoustic coupling adapter is developed, comprising an elastomeric body with a slanted frontal surface and a housing cavity for an acoustic couplant, allowing adjustable focal length and optimal beam incident angles for effective ultrasonic wave transmission between the transducer and test specimen, enabling contact mode inspections similar to immersion techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a focused ultrasonic transducer with a concave-shaped front surface is used for contact inspection, then the transducer can generate a localized ultrasonic beam, but it becomes difficult to couple and focus the ultrasonic waves on parts with complex shapes
Solution Approach 1:
An adaptor is introduced as an intermediary component between the focused ultrasonic transducer and the test specimen. The adaptor includes a flat coupling surface that facilitates acoustic coupling with the test specimen, while the transducer's concave front surface faces the adaptor. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction by providing a flat coupling interface that works well with complex-shaped parts while maintaining the transducer's focused beam generation capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an adaptor is introduced to enable contact mode inspection, then the focused transducer can be used for contact inspections, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adaptor employs a thin elastomeric layer as a flexible coupling medium between the transducer and test specimen. This thin film approach provides the necessary acoustic coupling while keeping the adaptor structure simple and minimal in complexity. The elastomeric material allows for effective ultrasonic wave transmission without requiring complex mechanical structures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables focused immersion non-destructive ultrasonic testing in a contact mode, allowing for effective detection of voids and defects in complex-shaped parts by optimizing acoustic coupling and beam alignment, enhancing inspection capabilities beyond traditional immersion methods.
Implementation Method 1
An adaptor acoustically couples an elastomeric body to a focused ultrasonic transducer via an acoustic couplant
Implementation Method 2
The elastomeric body has a frontal surface disposed at a face slant angle relative to a longitudinal axis... allowing adjustable focal length and optimal beam incident angles for effective ultrasonic wave transmission
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for non-destructive ultrasonic testing is disclosed that permits focused immersion measurements to be accomplished in a non-immersion, contact mode. The apparatus includes an adaptor for acoustically coupling an elastomeric body to a focused ultrasonic transducer via an acoustic couplant. The adaptor includes a housing for receiving the elastomeric body on one end, and the ultrasonic transducer on another end. A cavity is defined within the housing for receiving a liquid medium that acoustically couples the ultrasonic transducer to the elastomeric body. The elastomeric body has a frontal surface disposed at a face slant angle relative to a longitudinal axis, where the face slant angle can be optimized for the test material. The volume of the housing cavity may be adjusted so as to vary the focal length of the ultrasonic transducer.