Electronics

USL Ultrasonic Sciences Ltd

PC expansion boards and related products for ultrasonics, data acquisition and motion control

The culmination of over 14 years experience in designing PC expansion boards

A complete range of boards for ultrasonic testing and data acquisition

Industry leaders in sensitivity, signal/noise ratio and noise immunity

Pulser receivers, high speed data acquisition, analogue digital converters, analog/digital gate boards, motion controllers

Since 1987 Ultrasonic Sciences have been designing and applying PC expansion boards in ultrasonic testing systems. The current range is the most comprehensive available anywhere. We guarantee that you will not find a better combination of sensitivity, noise immunity and acquisition speed from any comparable product. In fact, the performance equals or exceeds that available from even the most sophisticated of conventional "flaw detectors".

These boards are not intended for applications where the main requirement is to convert a PC into a "flaw detector". Our aim is to produce boards which can be combined to give the best possible ultrasonic performance, with the flexibility and adaptability provided by the PC format. Examples of applications include:

In line systems for tube, bar and plate inspection in manufacturing environments

Scanning acoustic microscopy

Single and multi-channel immersion tanks for industry, laboratory and research

Systems for inspection of welded tube, pipe and power generating plant

Squirter inspection systems for aerospace composites

The following table lists the brief specification of the expansion boards available - full details are available on other pages.

PULSER RECEIVERS
PM30 Pulser Receiver	Our latest Pulser Receiver, which combines both linear and logarithmic amplifiers in the same board. Used with a remote Pulser Preamplifier (PPA15) or Multiplexer - up to 32 channels). Frequency range 0.25 - 35MHz, 0-600V pulser with programmable pulse width and voltage, 120dB gain in linear mode, 90dB+ instantaneous dynamic range in log mode, continuously programmable band pass filters, 60dB DAC/TVG - main bang or interface triggered - 60dB per microsec possible. Secondary programmable amplifier (used for back wall monitoring for example) with up to 45dB gain.
PR15 Pulser Receiver	High specification Pulser Receiver for use in single and multi-channel applications. Used with a remote Pulser Preamplifier (PPA15) or remote Multiplexer (MUX8 - up to 8 channels). Frequency range 0.25 - 25MHz, high power pulser-800V, variable pulse width, 116dB gain, bandpass filters with programmable bandwidth and centre frequency, programmable DAC/TVG. Remote PPA or Multiplexer can be up to 300 metres distant. For use with the multiplexer this board is designated PRM15. Better than 1/64" FBH sensitivity at 250mms.
PL15 Pulser Receiver	High specification Pulser Receiver, similar to PR15 but using a logarithmic detector (log amplifier). Instantaneous dynamic range of >65dB, particularly suited to inspection of composites. Both PL15 and PR15 are fully programmable, with parameters programmed and switched at full PRF rates, up to 10kHz. For use with the multiplexer, the board is designated PLM15.
PR50 Pulser Receiver	High frequency Pulser Receiver for use in a range 20-50MHz. 300V spike pulser with fast rise time. 63dB gain. The PR50 must be used in conjunction with the MSC (Master System Controller) board. PR50 and MSC are normally housed in the USL Expansion Crate but can also be housed directly in the PC.
PR20 Pulser Receiver	Similar to the PR50 but designed for application in the 1 - 30MHz frequency range. 600V square wave pulser with variable pulse width (potentiometer adjustment).
DATA ACQUISITION BOARDS
ADC100XL Analog Digital Converter	100 Mega sample per second (100MHz) single shot analogue digital converter. Used for digitisation of RF / A scan waveforms.8x32kbytes memory with fully random access. Interleaved sampling at up to 25GHz. 4 independent inputs, each with offset and gain control. External or internal trigger. Interface trigger function. Fully supports multiplexing.
DSP Digital Signal Processor	Digital signal processing board for use with the ADC100. Processes digitised waveforms at high PRF rates on up to 8 gates simultaneously. Amplitude, time measurement and phase detection modes can be programmed. Used in C scan systems for metals and composites.
ATP4 Amplitude and Time Processor	Single shot measurement of peak amplitude and time of flight at frequencies up to 50MHz. Up to 4 programmable gates. Board can be configured for 1 or 2 time gates and up to 4 amplitude gates, with a total number of 4. 10 nanosec gate delay and width increments. Main bang and interface trigger modes. This board is used for in-line inspection applications requiring very high peak detection and time measurement data rates.
MOTION CONTROL
MSC Master System Controller	This board combines three functions - control of PR20/PR50 pulser receivers, stepper motor control of up to 3 axes, and general purpose analogue and digital I/O. Motor control and analogue input functions can be used for C scan imaging using an external flaw detector with analogue gated peak detector.
SI6 6 axis stepper motor interface	Provides stepper motor control and encoder input for up to 6 axes of motion. Scan program is controlled by the PC software.
EXPANSION & COMMUNICATION
UIMT100	Transmitter board for use in host PC when using the USL Expansion Crate (UIM73). This transfers the XT bus functions, and certain of the AT functions, into the expansion bus.
UIMC/UIMR	These boards are housed in the UIM73 Expansion Crate, linking with the UIMT100 in the host PC. The UIMR board is used when PR15 or PL15 boards are housed in the expansion crate.
UP15	This is used in conjunction with the PR15, PL15, PRM15 and PLM15 when they are housed directly in a PC. It provides low noise communication with the pulser receiver. For non-multiplexed operation, a 600V HT power supply is included.
UCM10	Used with PRM15 and PLM15 boards when multiplexing of the ATP4 parameters is required.