NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING


Ultrasonic tester makes waves for aviation


Multilayered ultrasonic testing brings improved structural test capabilities to the aerospace industry.


T


aking benefit from its history in the field of non-destructive testing (NDT) for more than six decades, UK company Sonatest has launched the innovative “WAVE” an interactive flaw detection system.


WAVE integrates a number of technologies in order to create something which Sonatest believes is new in the ultrasonic testing equipment market. Its customisable interface optimises daily workflows and its unique and embedded interactive scan plan with ray-tracing capability and simulation tools helps to consolidate the end results.


SCAN PLAN FOR COMPLEX GEOMETRIES One of the innovative features of WAVE is the interactive weld defect localisation system that has been developed to ease diagnostics of the inspected part and improve inspector confidence. The on-board scan plan can reproduce simple and


complex geometries such as flanges, T-joints or curved surfaces. WAVE’s real-time interactive ray-tracer engine then combines the transducer, its position and the part within the trace. By overlaying the A-scan over the beam path, localising echoes and flaws in a part is made significantly easier. Unique to WAVE, this feature helps to discriminate between a real flaw and a geometrical feature, thus avoiding unnecessary repairs due to misinterpretation of the data. According to François Lachance, Product Manager


at Sonatest, the Health and Safety Executive organisation in the UK conducted a blind test study (PANI-3) of certified ultrasonic testing inspectors and they confirmed that false calls (or false positives) are an inspection reality, especially for complex weld geometries. “With the introduction of our new WAVE UT


flaw detector, we offer a system that can make a difference by helping our customers to face these daily diagnostic challenges,” he says.


THE WAVE APPLICATION CONCEPT The WAVE unique application concept allows quality managers to customise the instrument’s user interface according to the specific needs of their procedures. By building such specific WAVE Apps, the operator can always work within an intuitive user interface that is easy to use and will guarantee workflow optimisation as well as prevent potential operational errors.


❱ ❱ Hand held touchscreen ultrasonic non-destructive tester reduces false detection rate with complex geometry recognition


Supporting the well-accepted Lean Manufacturing trend, this emphasis combines conformity and performance, which in the end requires less training and provides long-term financial benefits. According to Yvan Gosselin, Technical Director at


Sonatest, the company decided to take an inclusive approach to the WAVE product development by sharing design capabilities with existing customers to understand their views and requirements. This approach gave WAVE users the possibility to


specify how they want to operate the product in order to meet their specific needs, follow their workflow, and respect their procedures. This way, they can optimise and build their own standards. “We have already seen some partners create


applications, which allow their technicians to perform their inspection tasks with greater confidence and with a reduced chance of errors, says Gosselin. WAVE makes use of a combination of different technologies in order to offer an impressive 10 hours of autonomy into a modern, IP 67 conformant rugged and lightweight enclosure. The UTouch Technology developed by Sonatest allows WAVE to operate effortlessly. An intelligent algorithm makes the distinction between couplant and finger and makes the WAVE easy to use and what Sonatest believes to be the first true industrial touchscreen UT flaw detector on the market.


Aerospace Test & Validation Vol 2 No. 2 /// 9


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32