World
leading ultrasonic
inspection systems and instruments
     
     
For almost 20 years we have supplied automated and semi-automated ultrasonic testing
systems to meet the requirements of the most demanding customers throughout the
world. These incorporate our highly versatile PC based ultrasonic instruments
with an unrivalled combination of sensitivity, signal to noise ratio and
immunity to external noise sources.
We design and manufacture the complete system, including
mechanical scanning units, electrical / electronic control, ultrasonics and
software. You can rely on us to ensure that whatever system you need, it will
perform quickly and reliably to the highest standards.
We
can provide equipment designed to solve a specific inspection problem or
suitable for general purpose applications. The systems can be used for
generation of ultrasonic images of components using scanning mechanisms coupled
with data acquisition electronics, or they can automatically sort materials into
accept or reject categories.
Click
on the "products" link at the top of this page to see a selection of
the products we manufacture. The systems are divided into specific types - for
example immersion systems, squirter systems and so on. You
can see our latest Newsletter on the Download page.
LATEST NEWS NOVEMBER 2009
During late November and early December we will double our
production capacity by expanding into an adjacent building, giving us a total
area of around 19,000 square feet. Combined with increases in staff levels,
this will enable us to expand our capacity to meet the high level of current
and expected orders during 2010 and 2011.
Read an article about some of the latest USL
developments in the "Aerospace Testing International 2010 Review"
at: http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/2d772b66#/2d772b66/90
or alternatively get the article from our download page.
Factory acceptance trials on a 17 axis complex
geometry squirter inspection system have been successfully completed at USL.
The system will now be partially dismantled for transport and
installation at BAE SYSTEMS in Samlesbury, UK, joining two other similar
systems on the same site. The system has 10 simultaneous scanning axes, 5
programmable motorised fixture axes and 2 "axes" which actively
control the pump speed for the squirters.
The acceptance trials included not only
functional tests on representative composite parts, but also EMC testing
together with PUWER and CE certification assessment by an accredited third
party.
An order has been received to upgrade a small
laboratory scanning system at Oxford University, which was originally supplied
by USL in 1993. The ultrasonics, data acquisition and motion control units
will be replaced by state-of-the-art electronics, all housed within a desktop
PC running the latest USL Windows software. This will provide the University's
Department of Engineering Science with a modern facility for ultrasonic
inspection of advanced composite materials, using both linear and logarithmic
electronics suitable for a wide range of materials and sections.
USL has installed an upgraded ultrasonic, data
acquisition and motion control system on a Krautkramer scanner at a UK
aerospace R&D laboratory. The upgrade provides a comprehensive ultrasonic
capability, with software for multi-gate C scan imaging together with full RF
acquisition and processing.
-
New orders - immersion
systems
Recent orders have been placed for three immersion systems
by two different UK customers. One will be used for automated thickness
monitoring of diffusion bonded fan blades, with two way links with the customers CAD system. This will upload the optically measured surface profile,
which will be used to modify pre-programmed ultrasonic scan routines so that
they will perfectly match the component. The thickness measurement data will
then be downloaded back to the CAD system for analysis.
Two special purpose systems have also been ordered for an
engineering application. These are 4 axis systems incorporating a bubbler
probe, with the capability for programmed contour following of
roto-symmetrical parts.
-
Installation and acceptance -
immersion inspection system for composites
A 5 axis immersion system for composite inspection has been
installed at BAE SYSTEMS. This has two separate functions, depending on the
type of part to be tested. For complex geometry components, it uses a single
transducer to follow surface contours. For flat and single curvature parts
multi element phased array probes are used to achieve high speed inspections.
For example with a 128 element array probe scanning at a 1mm inspection pitch,
a throughput of 1 m2 per minute can be achieved, thanks to a
recent development of USL's PHASYS array electronics.
- New Orders - 2
complex geometry systems for composite inspection
Contracts have been signed with two new customers in
China and Malaysia for the supply of
complex geometry squirter inspection systems for composite materials. These
companies are major suppliers of composite parts to Boeing, Airbus and other
aircraft manufacturers. These systems will be the 9th and 10th
systems of this type supplied by USL in recent years.
In common with other
systems of its type, these will perform the following functions simultaneously
in the same scan:
A. Contour
following of complex shapes at high speed.
B. Through
transmission inspection using a logarithmic amplifier.
C. Pulse
echo inspection from both sides using a linear amplifier.
D. Full RF
waveform acquisition.
Double click on the picture to see a video
(This is NORMAL scanning speed, and is not increased to
make it look better!)
Machines with this configuration are currently in operation in UK,
Netherlands and China with further systems in manufacture for UK and
Denmark.
-
Delivery - 3 upgraded systems for inspection of titanium fan blades
A third upgraded immersion system has been
delivered to Rolls Royce for C scan inspection of bonded titanium alloy fan blades.
Previously
two separate inspections were necessary, but using our advanced ultrasonic
capability we are able to combine the two
tests into a single scan. We can carry out C scan inspections using a logarithmic and linear
amplifier at the same time and using the same probe.
In addition to upgrading the ultrasonics and data
acquisition, an additional rotary motion axis has been added, together with
special fixtures to hold and rotate the blades during the inspection.
The systems were originally manufactured by Meccasonics with
entirely analogue control and acquisition - it is now fully digital. A third
system will be upgraded in the near future.
-
Acceptance -
12 axis combined squirter and immersion C scan system
Acceptance
has been completed of a combined squirter and immersion system at the
National Aerospace Research Centre (NLR) in the Netherlands. This
comprises a 12 axis scanner with a 3.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 metre scan volume and a
turntable, together with a motorised removable immersion tank.
 
The system design allows very versatile operation including:
Squirter inspection using through transmission (TT) and pulse echo (PE)
techniques
Immersion inspection, also using TT and PE
Squirter and immersion inspection using a turntable
Scanning of complex geometry components
Click on the link below to see a video produced by
NLR.
http://www.nlr.nl/smartsite.dws?l=&id=10671
- Installation -
Propeller blade inspection system
A new 6 axis immersion system has been installed at a UK manufacturer of
composite propeller blades. This is the second system of its type at this
customer, the first having been in continuous production use for more than 9 years.
In common with the earlier unit, the new system will store the full RF
waveform during scanning over the blade profile and following the surface
contours, with B scan images being viewed offline while a new scan is taking
place
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