Abstract: A method for ultrasonic guided wave defect detection in a structure is disclosed. The method includes driving a plurality of transducers to cause guided waves to be transmitted in the structure in a predetermined direction or focused at a predetermined focal point, receiving at least one reflected guided wave signal, and generating image data of the structure based on the at least one reflected guided wave signal. Processed image data are generated by performing at least one of baseline image subtraction or image suppression on the image data, and a location of at least one possible defect in the structure is identified based on the processed image data.

Abstract: A system for detecting ice accretion includes a probe body, at least one magnetostrictive guided wave sensor for generating and receiving shear horizontal-type guided waves supported by said probe body, and a controller. The magnetostrictive guided wave sensor includes a ferromagnetic strip, at least one sensor coil disposed adjacent to said ferromagnetic strip, and at least one biasing magnet configured to induce a biasing magnetic field in said ferromagnetic strip. The controller includes a processor in signal communication with the at least one magnetostrictive guided wave sensor. The processor configured to cause the at least one magnetostrictive guided wave sensor to generate guided waves in the body, extract at least one signal feature from a guided wave signal received by the at least one magnetostrictive guided wave sensor, and determine at least one characteristic of ice accreted on an outer surface of said probe body.

Abstract: A system for non-destructive inspection of a structure includes a magnetostrictive pulser coil and a ferromagnetic strip. The ferromagnetic strip is coupled to the structure adjacent to the pulser coil. A scanner receiver probe is located adjacent to the ferromagnetic strip. The probe includes a probe body, a position encoder, and a magnetostrictive partial loading receiver coil. A magnet applies a biasing magnetic field to the ferromagnetic strip. A pulser system generates a time-varying current in the pulser coil to induce a time-varying magnetization in the ferromagnetic strip to generate guided wave energy in the structure. The probe detects reflected guided wave energy as the probe is moved around the circumference of the structure. A processor controls the pulser system, records guided wave reflections, and process the guided wave and probe position data to generate a one-dimensional image or a two-dimensional image of anomalies in said structure.

Abstract: An inspection system includes a magnetostrictive scanner probe, a ferromagnetic strip, at least one magnet, and a processor. The magnetostrictive scanner probe includes a probe body for supporting at least one flexible sensor coil and a position encoder. The ferromagnetic strip is configured to be coupled to a structure, and the at least one magnet is configured to apply a biasing magnetization to the ferromagnetic strip. The processor is configured to cause a time-varying current to be generated in the at least one flexible sensor coil to induce a time-varying magnetization in said ferromagnetic strip perpendicular to said biasing magnetization to generate shear horizontal-type guided wave energy into said structure, and process reflected shear horizontal-type guided wave energy received by the at least one flexible sensor coil as the probe is moved relative to said structure to generate at least one two-dimensional image of a region of said structure.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive transducer assembly for generating a longitudinal elastic guided wave of a selected frequency and mode and for guiding the wave into an open end of a heat exchanger tube for testing the tube. The transducer assembly comprises a current-carrying coil of wire, a magnetostrictive material wrapped around the coil of wire, a mechanism for pressing the magnetostrictive material against an inner surface of the tube, and one or more biasing magnets placed in the vicinity of the current-carrying coil of wire and the magnetostrictive material.

Abstract: A system includes at least one strip of ferromagnetic material and a plurality of pulsing/receiving coil circuits. The at least one strip of ferromagnetic material is induced with a bias magnetic field and is coupled to a surface of a structure under test. The plurality of pulsing/receiving coil circuits are aligned with a surface of the at least one strip of the ferromagnetic material. The plurality of pulsing/receiving coil circuits are individually controllable by a number of channels to excite guided waves in the structure under test using at least one of active phased-array focusing or synthetic phased-array focusing of the guided waves.

Abstract: A method for ultrasonic guided wave defect detection in a plate-like structure is disclosed. The method includes driving a plurality of transducers to cause guided waves to be transmitted in the plate in a predetermined direction or focused at a predetermined focal point, receiving at least one reflected guided wave signal, and processing the at least one reflected guided wave signal to identify a location of at least one possible defect in the plate-like structure. Defect detection data including the location of the at least one possible defect in the plate-like structure is stored in a machine readable storage medium.

Abstract: An inspection method includes driving a plurality of spaced apart transmitting transducer elements with a respective time delay and a respective frequency such that each of the transmitting transducer elements transmits an ultrasonic guided wave through a transmission medium defined by a material having at least one unknown physical property. The ultrasonic guided waves are received at a receiving transducer element disposed at a distance from the transmitting transducer elements. A respective time delay and a respective frequency for each of the transmitting transducer elements is determined that provides a maximum amplitude in a signal received at the receiving transducer element. The plurality of transmitting transducer elements are activated in accordance with the determined time delays and frequencies to transmit inspection signals through the transmission medium.

Abstract: A rail defect detection system includes a controller in signal communication with at least one transducer. The at least one transducer is configured to receive a predetermined number of guided elastic wave modes at specific frequencies and with specific wave structures from a rail and generate a signal in response. The controller includes a processor configured to identify a defect disposed along the rail in response to the signal received from the at least one transducer.

Abstract: An ultrasonic method for removing and/or avoiding unwanted build-up on structures is provided, wherein the term build-up refers to, but is not limited to, ice, dirt, mud, or other wanted debris or contamination. Deicing or anti-icing structures of interest can include, but are not limited to, helicopter rotor blades, other helicopter blade components, fixed wing aircraft components, windshields in aircraft, automobiles, and other vehicles, ship hulls or other ship components, heat exchangers and other tubing where frost or ice could form, air-conditioning components, head lamp and other light coverings, bridge structures and components, and any structure where anti-icing or deicing would be beneficial. One or more ultrasonic actuators permanently embedded or coupled to the structure may be used accomplish the removal. The technique presented herein could also be utilized for non-destructive evaluation and structural health monitoring applications.

Abstract: A system includes at least one strip of ferromagnetic material and a plurality of pulsing/receiving coil circuits. The at least one strip of ferromagnetic material is induced with a bias magnetic field and is coupled to a surface of a structure under test. The plurality of pulsing/receiving coil circuits are aligned with a surface of the at least one strip of the ferromagnetic material. The plurality of pulsing/receiving coil circuits are individually controllable by a number of channels to excite guided waves in the structure under test using at least one of active phased-array focusing or synthetic phased-array focusing of the guided waves.

Abstract: A method for the nondestructive testing of pipeline, and internal or external coatings, using guided ultrasonic waves excited from the inside or outside diameter, wherein at least two transducers are employed to send and receive ultrasound, wherein a data normalization scheme is employed to account for transducer variability, and wherein the hardware arrangement has a number of pulser channels and a number of receiver channels for the collection and storage of signals.

Abstract: A method for the nondestructive inspecting of coated or uncoated pipeline, using ultrasonic guided waves excited on the outer or inner pipe surface, wherein at least one or more transducers are individually or simultaneously excited to generate ultrasound, wherein multiple received signals with different focal spot positions are processed and combined to produce a reduced number of final waveforms that show defect axial positions in the pipe, wherein a data calibration scheme is utilized to adjust velocity variability for all the guided wave modes at different frequencies, and wherein the hardware arrangement has at least one pulser channel and one receiver channel for the collection and storage of signals.

Abstract: A method of performing a non-destructive examination of a piece of material, having the steps of providing an angle beam wedge and at least two transducers placed upon the wedge, wherein the transducers are placed in a phased array, placing the wedge upon the piece of material to be examined, producing a guided wave into the piece of material to be examined, wherein the guided wave is placed into the material through a synthetically changed incident angle, receiving the guided wave from the piece of material, and determining one of a presence of defects and lack of defects in the piece of material from the received guided wave. Transducers used may include 360 degree guided wave, radial polarized units, parallel shear units for shear horizontal activation and guided wave wheel probes.

Abstract: An inspection method includes driving a plurality of spaced apart transmitting transducer elements with a respective time delay and a respective frequency such that each of the transmitting transducer elements transmits an ultrasonic guided wave through a transmission medium defined by a material having at least one unknown physical property. The ultrasonic guided waves are received at a receiving transducer element disposed at a distance from the transmitting transducer elements. A respective time delay and a respective frequency for each of the transmitting transducer elements is determined that provides a maximum amplitude in a signal received at the receiving transducer element. The plurality of transmitting transducer elements are activated in accordance with the determined time delays and frequencies to transmit inspection signals through the transmission medium.

Abstract: A system for inspecting a pipeline having at least two transducers divided into segments, the segments each containing a number of sensors, wherein a maximum number of segments is equal to a number of transducers, an arrangement configured to send, receive and store signals, wherein the arrangement has a number of pulser channels and a number of receiver channels, wherein the arrangement has at least one multiplexing arrangement for multiplexing signals from the arrangement; and a time delay arrangement connected to the arrangement configured to send, receive and store signals. The system may also provide for focal point skewing, near real time coating compensation for proper excitation mode, adjusted time delay capability and the ability to focus beyond changes in geometry.

Abstract: An ultrasonic method for removing and/or avoiding unwanted build-up on structures is provided, wherein the term build-up refers to, but is not limited to, ice, dirt, mud, or other wanted debris or contamination. Deicing or anti-icing structures of interest can include, but are not limited to, helicopter rotor blades, other helicopter blade components, fixed wing aircraft components, windshields in aircraft, automobiles, and other vehicles, ship hulls or other ship components, heat exchangers and other tubing where frost or ice could form, air-conditioning components, head lamp and other light coverings, bridge structures and components, and any structure where anti-icing or deicing would be beneficial. One or more ultrasonic actuators permanently embedded or coupled to the structure may be used accomplish the removal. The technique presented herein could also be utilized for non-destructive evaluation and structural health monitoring applications.

Abstract: A method for the nondestructive testing of pipeline, and internal or external coatings, using guided ultrasonic waves excited from the inside or outside diameter, wherein at least two transducers are employed to send and receive ultrasound, wherein a data normalization scheme is employed to account for transducer variability, and wherein the hardware arrangement has a number of pulser channels and a number of receiver channels for the collection and storage of signals.

Abstract: A method for the nondestructive inspecting of coated or uncoated pipeline, using ultrasonic guided waves excited on the outer or inner pipe surface, wherein at least one or more transducers are individually or simultaneously excited to generate ultrasound, wherein multiple received signals with different focal spot positions are processed and combined to produce a reduced number of final waveforms that show defect axial positions in the pipe, wherein a data calibration scheme is utilized to adjust velocity variability for all the guided wave modes at different frequencies, and wherein the hardware arrangement has at least one pulser channel and one receiver channel for the collection and storage of signals.

Abstract: A method of performing a non-destructive examination of a piece of material, having the steps of providing an angle beam wedge and at least two transducers placed upon the wedge, wherein the transducers are placed in a phased array, placing the wedge upon the piece of material to be examined, producing a guided wave into the piece of material to be examined, wherein the guided wave is placed into the material through a synthetically changed incident angle, receiving the guided wave from the piece of material, and determining one of a presence of defects and lack of defects in the piece of material from the received guided wave. Transducers used may include 360 degree guided wave, radial polarized units, parallel shear units for shear horizontal activation and guided wave wheel probes.