Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer system has at least one ultrasonic transducer. Each ultrasonic transducer includes a housing having a wall that is made at least in part of an organic structural material that is substantially impervious to water; and an ultrasonic sensor element located at least in part within the housing and positioned to transceive ultrasonic signals. The wall is preferably cylindrical in shape and made of polyvinylchloride plastic. An electrically grounded shield is within the housing and adjacent to an interior wall surface. The ultrasonic sensor element may be a piezoelectric copolymer film ultrasonic sensor element.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer system has at least one ultrasonic transducer. Each ultrasonic transducer includes a housing having a wall that is made at least in part of an organic structural material that is substantially impervious to water; and an ultrasonic sensor element located at least in part within the housing and positioned to transceive ultrasonic signals. The wall is preferably cylindrical in shape and made of polyvinylchloride plastic. An electrically grounded shield is within the housing and adjacent to an interior wall surface. The ultrasonic sensor element may be a piezoelectric copolymer film ultrasonic sensor element.

Abstract: A calibration standard for calibrating an eddy current inspection probe sized and shaped to inspect a preselected non-planar feature of a manufactured part. The feature extends in a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction. Further, the feature has an end profile as viewed in the longitudinal direction having a substantially invariant shape and orientation. The calibration standard includes a body having a non-planar surface extending in a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction. The standard also has an end profile as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the surface substantially identical to the profile of the feature. The surface of the body has an elongate narrow opening extending into the body substantially normal to the surface and traversing the surface of the body at a substantially constant angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the surface as viewed normal to the surface.

Abstract: An eddy current device for inspecting a component, such as a closed surface area of a gas turbine engine or the like, includes an eddy current array circuit having an active face for positioning on a surface portion of the component during an inspection operation and backing on a surface of the eddy current array circuit opposite to the active face. The eddy current array circuit and backing are disposed over the operating face and expandable sides of an extendible pin. The extendible pin has a slot formed therein with interior side edges which narrow toward the operating face of the pin at a predetermined slope. The expanding pin is positioned to cause the angled sides to mate while engaging the interior angled sides of the round or shaped hole to cause the exterior sides of the expandable pin to expand outwardly a greater distance as the pin is pushed deeper into the hole. This causes the eddy current circuit to conform with the shape of the surface to be inspected.

Abstract: The invention is a three-dimensional computed tomography method for inspecting and comparing actual geometry to predetermined geometry of an object. The method includes the following steps: A) three-dimensionally scanning the object using computed tomography to produce multiple slices of actual geometrical data of the object; B) processing the multiple slices of actual geometrical data into actual boundary data which defines internal and external boundaries of the object; and C) producing actual point cloud data from the actual boundary data. The method further includes comparing the actual point cloud data to object geometry predetermined data. The comparing may include outputting an image comparing the point cloud data to the predetermined data and the image may represent the geometry of non-conformance between the point cloud data and the predetermined data. The image may be rotated to present the non-conformance from different viewpoints around the feature.

Abstract: A device for inspecting a component, such as a dovetail slot of a gas turbine engine or the like, includes an eddy current array circuit having an active face for positioning on the surface of the component during the inspection operation and a backing disposed on a face of the eddy current array circuit opposite to the active face. The eddy current array circuit and the backing are disposed over the operating face and expandable sides of an expandable bar. The expandable bar has a slot formed therein with interior side edges which narrow toward the operating face of the bar at a predetermined slope. An expanding wedge with angled sides is positioned to cause the angled sides to respectively matingly engage the interior sides of the slot to cause the exterior sides of the expandable bar to expand outwardly a greater distance as the wedge is pushed deeper into the slot to cause the eddy current array circuit into conformance with the shape of the surface being inspected.

Abstract: An eddy current device for inspecting a component includes an eddy current array circuit having respective pluralities of drive and sense elements and having an active face for positioning on a surface of the component during the inspection operation. A backing is disposed on a face of the eddy current array circuit opposite to the active face for concentrating an electromagnetic flux from the eddy current array circuit into the component when each of the plurality of drive elements is being energized. A mechanical arrangement is provided for supporting and deploying the backing and the array circuit to substantially conform with the surface portion under inspection and to cause each of the pluralities of drive and sense elements to be maintained at their respective substantially constant distances from the inspection surface during scanning, preferably at a controlled rate of scan.

Abstract: A blackline indictor for use in tomographic and/or radioscopic inspection of a weld joint is disclosed. The indicator includes a first elongated member having a first end and a second end and a second elongated member juxtaposed to said first member and also having a first end and a second end. The first ends of the elongated members are in contact with one another, and a spacer is disposed between the first and second members to position the second ends of the members at a selected distance from one another. The selected distance is at least equal to a thickness of the weld joint under inspection, and the first and second members and the spacer define a calibrated wedge shaped gap which is radiographically imageable to permit determination and control of the x-ray inspection parameters.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a component having dimensions larger than a fan beam angle of an x-ray inspection system includes the steps of: providing an x-ray beam having a selected fan angle in a source focal point; positioning a portion of the component substantially completely within the x-ray beam; rotating the component 360 degrees around a component inspection rotational axis; collecting the attenuated x-ray beam that passes through the component during rotation; generating a multiplicity of electrical signals responsive to the collected x-ray beam; incrementally moving the component inspection rotational axis about the x-ray source focal point to position another portion of the component within the x-ray beam; and repeating the steps of rotating the part 360 degrees about a component inspection rotational axis and incrementally moving the part inspection rotational axis about the x-ray source focal point until the entire component has passed through the fan beam.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing response to low intensity radiation in a radiation detector includes a housing surrounding a chamber, a window adjoining the chamber, and a slot formed in one side of the chamber for admitting a circuit board into the chamber. The board supports an array of elongated detector elements on a surface thereof, an electrically conductive plate within the chamber and substantially parallel with the array of detector elements, sealant means in the slot surrounding the circuit board for providing a gas impervious seal, an ionizable gas contained in the chamber under high pressure, and a collimator mounted in a collimator support and positioned outside the chamber for directing ionizing radiation through the window for detection.

Abstract: To improve computerized tomography (CT) imaging quality, a priori information of the test object is developed by probing the surfaces thereof at a multiplicity of points sufficient to spatially locate and define the envelope of the test object cross section to be imaged. A CT scan of the test object is then performed, and the CT image reconstructed therefrom is corrected with this a priori information. To expedite a priori information development, the convex hull of the test object is constructed from X-ray projection data and fitted with the probe developed measurement data to define the cross section envelope.

Abstract: Method for improving signal response of a linear array ionization detector. The detector employs a detector assembly having plural closely-spaced detector elements mounted on a substrate with the assembly positioned in a high pressure, gas-filled chamber. Signal response is improved by cleaning the assembly and coating it with a moisture resistant material before insertion into the chamber.