Ultrasonic Probe for Hex Bolt Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial facilities, particularly nuclear utilities, face challenges in inspecting the integrity of fasteners like baffle bolts due to their inaccessible location and susceptibility to loosening and cracking, leading to costly and time-consuming replacements.
Innovation Solution
A tool with ultrasonic transducers that match the internal socket of fasteners to direct angled ultrasonic beams for flaw detection, using multichannel UT instruments and software to cover the entire circumference of the bolt, allowing for in-situ inspection without disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fasteners are inspected by removing them from service, then inspection reliability is improved, but equipment downtime and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
An ultrasonic inspection probe serves as an intermediary tool that transmits sound waves through the fastener material to detect internal flaws. The probe includes a coupling medium interface that facilitates acoustic energy transfer from the inspection device through the fastener head into the shaft, enabling non-destructive detection without removal from service.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical inspection methods (physical removal and visual/examination) with ultrasonic acoustic field-based detection. Ultrasonic waves propagate through the fastener material, and echoes from internal defects are detected and analyzed, substituting mechanical disassembly with acoustic sensing.
2Productivity
If fasteners are inspected without removal, then operational continuity is maintained, but inspection accuracy and access to critical areas deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection probe is designed to nest within the hexagonal socket of the fastener head. The probe body fits inside the socket space, positioning transducers in direct contact with the fastener material. This nested configuration provides acoustic coupling to the critical head-to-shaft transition zone without requiring external access or disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses ultrasonic wave propagation in the acoustic dimension to access the fastener's internal structure. By transmitting sound waves through the fastener head and analyzing echoes from the head-to-shaft region, the system achieves inspection capability in a dimension (acoustic field penetration) that bypasses physical access limitations.
3Ease of operation
If traditional inspection methods are used, then equipment access is simplified, but inspection capability for in-service fasteners is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasonic inspection system provides multi-functional capability by enabling inspection of fasteners in multiple states: installed on equipment, partially accessible, or fully accessible. The same probe design and ultrasonic methodology work across all these conditions, making the inspection system universal and adaptable to various operational contexts without requiring different approaches.
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 reliable and accurate detection of cracks in fasteners, reducing unnecessary replacements and enhancing safety by providing a non-invasive, cost-effective inspection method.
Implementation Method 1
The transducers induce angled ultrasonic beams into the fastener to detect flaws therein
Implementation Method 2
The presence of a defect such as a crack is determined based on the reply/echoes of the imparted ultrasonic beams
Data Source
AI summary
A tool for inspecting the integrity of fasteners in their environment of use and methods of performing such inspections are disclosed and claimed. The tool includes a probe that matches the internal socket by which the fastener is coupled to the workpiece. The probe contains ultrasonic transducers on flat portions corresponding to flat portions of the socket. The transducers induce angled ultrasonic beams into the fastener to detect flaws therein. The beams are angled so they can be directed to the areas of interest at the head to shank region of the fastener. The presence of a defect such as a crack is determined based on the reply/echoes of the imparted ultrasonic beams.