Ultrasonic Inspection Switching Matrix for Guided Wave Generation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasonic defect inspection systems require a large number of transmitter/receiver elements, pulsers, and supporting electronics, which is inefficient, especially when inspecting lossy substrates like polymers or carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) structures, as they often result in reduced ultrasonic wave energy.
Innovation Solution
The system reduces the number of ultrasonic driving channels by using a switching matrix to assign driving channels to ultrasonic elements, exploiting periodicity and anti-symmetric phase delays to generate guided waves over a wider range of wavelengths with the same hardware, allowing both bulk and guided waves to be produced with reduced hardware complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional ultrasonic inspection systems use a large number of transmitter/receiver elements, then coverage and detection capability are improved, but hardware complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the ultrasonic inspection function into separate transmitting and receiving modules, where a single transmitter generates guided waves that propagate through the specimen and are detected by multiple receivers at different positions. This segmentation allows comprehensive coverage without requiring multiple transmitters, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs guided waves that can propagate over long distances and interact with various types of defects (cracks, delaminations, inclusions) throughout the specimen. This multi-functional capability of guided waves allows a single transmitter to perform multiple inspection functions that would traditionally require multiple specialized transducers, thereby reducing overall hardware complexity.
2Power
If more ultrasonic driving channels are used, then wave energy and signal strength are improved, but energy consumption and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes guided waves that propagate continuously through the specimen along defined paths, maintaining wave energy over long distances without requiring repeated excitation from multiple channels. This continuous propagation allows efficient energy utilization where a single driving channel can sustain ultrasonic energy throughout the inspection area, reducing total energy consumption compared to systems requiring multiple intermittent excitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic excitation of the guided waves at optimized frequencies that resonate with the specimen structure, amplifying wave energy efficiently. This periodic action at resonant frequencies allows maximum energy transfer from a single driving channel, achieving high signal strength without proportionally increasing energy consumption.
3Area of stationary object
If conventional systems use multiple EMAT transmitters distributed over the pipe surface, then inspection coverage is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the inspection system into one fixed transmitter position and multiple receiver positions, where the transmitter generates guided waves that naturally propagate to cover the entire specimen area. This segmentation maintains comprehensive inspection coverage while simplifying the system from multiple active transmitters to one transmitter with several passive sensors, reducing installation and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a distributed array of transmitters across the surface to a centralized transmitter with receivers positioned at multiple locations along the wave propagation path. This dimensional reorganization of the sensor array allows comprehensive coverage through wave propagation geometry rather than spatial distribution of multiple active elements, simplifying the overall system architecture.
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
This approach increases signal strength and reduces hardware requirements, achieving stronger guided waves with fewer channels while maintaining the advantages of periodic phased array systems, such as reduced modal noise and improved energy transfer.
Implementation Method 1
The conventional piezoelectric transducer includes a crystal 2 (e.g., a piezoelectric element) and a couplant 4 (e.g., gel or fluid) that transfers vibrations onto the solid material 6
Implementation Method 2
Some conventional technologies use piezoelectric transducers or electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMAT) to generate ultrasonic waves in a solid material 6
Implementation Method 3
When the ultrasonic waves reach a crack or flaw 5, reflected ultrasonic waves are generated
Implementation Method 4
These reflected waves can be detected by a receiver that is also a piezoelectric element or an EMAT receiver
Implementation Method 5
When the alternating current (AC) flows into the coil 12, magnetic field of the permanent magnet 10 interacts with magnetic field created by the AC current in the coil 12 to generate eddy currents in the solid material 6
Implementation Method 6
The EMAT 15 produces vibrations in a conductive and/or paramagnetic solid material 6
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for specimen inspection using ultrasonic wave generation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus for inspecting a solid object using ultrasound includes: a pulser having pulser ports for outputting electrical signals. The apparatus also includes a switching array for receiving the signals from the pulser ports as individual channels, and routing the signals to individual elements of a transmitter array. The apparatus also includes the transmitter array, where each element of the transmitter array generates ultrasound in the solid object in response to the signal received from the switching array.