|
NEWS MAY 2008
See our latest Newsletter
on the Download page
- Installation - Complex geometry squirter system
in China
Installation of a major new system has been completed at
Hafei Aviation in Harbin. The company
manufactures parts for Boeing and Airbus among others and is one of the major
manufacturers of aerospace composites in China.
This customer already operates a recent squirter inspection
system from one of the world's main suppliers of NDT equipment. When the
customer witnessed the acceptance trials they compared the two systems by
commenting "If our XXXX system is a child, the USL system is an idol".
The
system has the same configuration as systems installed
at BAE SYSTEMS and Stork Fokker - the first system of this type was manufactured
by USL about 15 years ago. The 10 axis scanner comprises two totally independent 5
axis manipulators on each side of the part. This provides maximum flexibility
for inspection of components which have dual curvature. The total scan volume is
8 x 2 x 3 metres (X x Y x Z).
Parts to be tested are held in a programmable 5 axis fixture with vertical
columns suspended from the top of the scanner. The fixture moves automatically
to a pre-programmed position before loading each component. Parts are therefore
loaded in a consistent way so that the complex scan profiles can be repeated.
Since even small positioning errors could result in imperfect scan images, the
USL software can adjust the scan profile in 3D space to exactly match the true
position of the tested part, rather than the expected position.
The system acquires through transmission and pulse echo data from both sides
simultaneously, in both logarithmic and linear amplifier modes. multiple imaging
gates can be setup with a separate C scan image stored for each, without
compromising the scanning speed.
The USL software has Chinese menus with advanced functions for image
processing and measurement. Scan profiles can be generated from CATIA data or by
a "teach and learn" process with automated normalisation and
alignment procedures.
Double click on the picture to see a video
(This is NORMAL scanning speed, and is not increased to
make it look better!)
- New Orders - Complex geometry
squirter and immersion systems
An existing USL aerospace customer in UK has placed orders
for two new complex geometry inspection systems - one for squirter inspection
and one for immersion inspection. The squirter system will have a scan volume
of 5 x 2 x 3 metres (X, Y, Z) with the same 10 axis configuration as existing
USL complex geometry systems, one of which is shown below. This will be the fifth system of this type
manufactured by USL. In common with all the others, it will incorporate an
independent, programmable 5 axis motorised holding fixture.
The immersion system will have 5 axes with a scan volume of
4.7 x 2.1 x 0.9 metres and will have two different types of ultrasonic
instrumentation. The first will be a single channel high frequency unit
using the PM30 Pulser Receiver, for inspection of complex curved parts in both
composite materials and titanium alloy. The second is USL's new phased
array electronics designed for rapid inspection of flat and single curved
composite panels. This will drive a 128 element array using up to 32 elements
to form the beam. The scanning speed is already impressing customers, but
further development is in hand to increase the material throughput to around 1
m2 per minute on composite applications.
- New Order -
12 axis combined squirter and immersion C scan system
The
National aerospace research centre (NLR) in the Netherlands
has ordered a combined
squirter and immersion system for inspection of complex parts. 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 is designed for inspection of a wide range of components using
both squirter and immersion methods and using pulse echo and through
transmission techniques.
- New Order - 6
axis immersion B scan system
A USL immersion system has been in use in UK for "B scan"
inspection of composite propeller blades for more than 9 years - see the
picture below. This remains in continuous daily use for production inspection.
The same customer has now placed an order for a second system, essentially the
same as the earlier unit but with an updated specification.
This order is testament to the reliability and longevity of
USL systems. Almost all the 200 or so systems manufactured by USL since 1987
are still in regular use. The few exceptions are due to the closure of
customer's factories and even in these cases many of the systems concerned
have found a new lease of life by re-location to other sites.
- New Order -
Comprehensive upgrade of complex geometry system
An order has been placed by a UK company for a full upgrade
of USL's first 10 axis complex geometry system which was originally installed
in 1999 -see the picture below. The upgrade will include supply of new
squirter manipulators, a new 5 axis programmable fixture, updated ultrasonic
and data acquisition electronics and installation of the current version of
USL's complex geometry scanning and display software.
This will bring the system fully in line
with the more recent equipment supplied for similar applications and will
enhance the capabilities for full contour following of complex geometry
composite components. In common with these later systems, it will include
simultaneous through transmission inspection in log mode and pulse echo
inspection in linear mode.
A small system for inspection of electron beam welded A320 and A340 generator
rotors has been delivered to a customer in Australia.
This is a 2 probe system which measures weld penetration and integrity,
producing a polar C scan presentation. The unit is a self contained immersion
tank / scanner and computer / ultrasonic system - see below. Two
separate scanning probes are provided as shown on the right, one for each of two different weld
configurations. 
- New order
- multi channel ultrasonic systems for tube inspection
USL will supply two computer based multi-channel ultrasonic
systems to a USA manufacturer of seamless steel tubes following a recent order.
The first unit is a 3 channel unit for in-line thickness monitoring similar to a
unit installed at the same customer in 2007. The second is a 10 channel unit for
shear wave defect inspection and thickness monitoring. This will include
upgraded software which will not only control the data acquisition but will also
supervise control of the associated mechanical handling and probe deployment
systems. In addition, it will incorporate displays which show the status of the
entire testing system and statistics of the material being tested, for both
individual tubes and for batches of tubes.
- Increased
support - improved warranties and multi-language
software
USL now provides a 5 year return to base warranty on
ultrasonic electronic systems, including Pulser Receivers, external Pulser
preamplifiers and Multiplexers, data acquisition and motion control products.
This applies on all new systems, covering all costs for repair or replacement
and return delivery.
Multi language software is now available for plate inspection
systems and complex geometry scanning systems for composite testing
applications. Currently Chinese and Russian languages are implemented, in
addition to English, and other languages will be added as they are required.
We have delivered 8 sets of our PM30 Pulser Receivers and MUX8
Multiplexer units to Tecnatom in Spain. The company is a major supplier of NDT services and systems
to the aerospace and nuclear industries throughout the world.
The versatility of the PM30 / MUX8 combination is
illustrated by the fact that it is already widely used in diverse applications
such as:
-
Inspection of aerospace composites using the
logarithmic amplifier
-
Multi probe inspection of aluminium and titanium alloy
plate in the manufacturing plant
-
In-line testing of seamless steel tube
-
Inspection of thick pressure vessels in
nuclear and fossil fired power generating plant
-
Inspection of diffusion bonded aero-engine
fan blades at 25MHz
Although these products were primarily developed
for use in our own systems, they are available to systems integrators for OEM
applications. We are confident that the performance of this equipment cannot
be matched by any other equipment in terms of its frequency range,
sensitivity, dynamic range and immunity to external noise.
USL have installed an immersion system with a tank
size of 2.5 x 1.2 metres at a UK University for inspection of composite
panels. The system can use pulse echo, through transmission
and double through transmission techniques, with simultaneous collection and
display of C scans from logarithmic through transmission and linear pulse echo
measurements.
An acoustic microscope has been
delivered for routine production inspection of parts at a European
manufacturer. It includes a 200MHz pulser receiver and a 2GHz analog digital
converter, together with USL "Generic Scanner" software specifically
configured for this application.
In addition to the traditional
immersion testing mode, it includes an irrigated probe to permit inspection
without total immersion of the product. This will make it much easier to
automate the loading and unloading procedure in future. The system will be
used for precise measurement of the coating layer thickness and bonding
quality on unusual materials - which is equivalent to measurement of a
thickness down to 0.1mm on a more conventional material! It combines high
measurement accuracy with the high scanning speeds associated with the
Ultrasonic Sciences "ICAM" acoustic microscope, giving a
reciprocating scanning speed of up to 10 lines per second.
We have installed the
first USL phased array system at an aerospace manufacturer in UK.
This has been designed and manufactured by USL entirely in-house and does not
rely on technology from a third party, giving us maximum flexibility in
configuring it to suit the application. The
installed system drives 128 elements in a probe approximately 80mms wide, with
a scan completed up to 10 times faster than a conventional single probe system.
We are working to increase this speed even further. The
main screen is shown below with C scan, A scan, array probe setup and display
palette menus. Click on the image to enlarge. The scan shown is of a carbon
fibre composite component inspected in pulse echo mode. 
The
USL phased array system is modular in blocks of 32 channels / elements up to a maximum of 128
elements, with the maximum number of active elements also configurable in
groups of 32. It is available with sophisticated band pass filtering to give
optimum signal / noise ratio, up to 100dB gain and Distance Amplitude
Correction of 60dB. One unique feature is that it can operate with a
logarithmic amplifier as well as the conventional linear amplifier. The
introduction of this new phased array electronics means that we can now offer all possible options of single channel,
multiplexed multi-channel, parallel firing multi-channel and phased array in our
inspection systems, choosing the best one to suit the
requirements of the customer and the specific application.
Multi channel immersion inspection
systems have been installed at manufacturers of aluminium alloy plate in
Romania and China. The
overall size of the systems was such that it was not
practicable to ship fully assembled machines. Consequently the
immersion tank and the main structure was manufactured on site to
USL drawings,
with the scanning bridge, manipulator and electronics units being completed at
the USL factory and installed on the customer site. The system
in Romania has 7 axes (X, Y, Z, A, B for inspection and Z, Rotate for defect marking) and
8 ultrasonic channels, whilst the system in China has 10 axes (an extra Z axis
column with A and B axes) and up to 32 channels. The
larger of the two systems, shown below, has a scan area of 20 metres x 3.8
metres.
 
Both systems have an integrated full length raise
/ lower unit operated by synchronised screw jacks - these lift the plates
above the water level so that they can be easily handled by crane mounted
vacuum lifting mechanisms - see the picture below. All the lifting mechanisms are located outside the
water tank.
In 2000 we installed a special
purpose immersion system at an Austrian manufacturer of bimetallic shell
bearings. This included a turntable unit mounted on a raise / lower platform.
It has been in constant operation since then using a single
ultrasonic channel. We have now upgraded this system to 4
channels to increase the throughput as production volumes increase. The
upgrade includes a new ultrasonic system based on the PM30 Pulser Receiver
and MUX4 Multiplexer, a 4 probe manipulator and new
control and analysis software. As in the original single channel system, the
software includes a mathematical combination of "defect" and "backwall"
C scan images, which automatically differentiates between "real"
bondline defects and apparent defects caused by small surface blisters.
A three channel in line thickness monitoring unit has been commissioned for
a major seamless steel tube manufacturer in the USA. Many USL single and
multi channel units have been operating on the customer's UK site for over 15
years - all this equipment has now been transferred to the main tube
manufacturing site in the USA. This new addition will enhance the accuracy of
the inspection data and enable the manufacturer to achieve even better control
of his processes.
The new system (below) incorporates three irrigated probes which move
automatically to the correct position according to the incoming tube diameter,
which ranges from 40 to 130 mms. The probes are pneumatically actuated onto
the surface of the tube as it enters the test area.
 
The wall thickness is continuously monitored by the three probes as the
tube passes through at 1 metre / second, then the probes retract as the back
end reaches the test head. If the measurements are outside the control limits
a paint spray is actuated further down the inspection line.
In addition to controlling the thickness measuring system, the USL computer
also monitors the status of other inspection units:
a) a USL 4 channel shear wave unit for defect inspection
b) a rotating probe eddy current unit
c) a laser gauge for OD measurement
All the results from these tests are combined into a single inspection file
in the USL computer. The information can be displayed during the inspection of
each tube in a graphical form and also after the inspection remotely in the
supervisor's office. A typical display is shown below, with results are from a
simulated test.
- Installation -
Fan blade thickness monitoring system
Another fan blade inspection system has been installed at Rolls Royce. This is a 4 axis unit with a mechanical follower to maintain the
probe normal to the surface as it scan over the complex surface. This type of
follower is suitable for scanning with a relatively short water path, where
the inspection is not required to reach the edge of the part.
The system is designed to rapidly scan over the hollow part of the blade,
measuring the wall thickness and comparing this with the control limits. The
results are displayed in a graphical form in real time to show the areas which
are within the required limits and also any areas which are above or below
these limits. The machine completes an assessment of a blade in a few minutes
- a process which, in the past, could take up to one complete shift.
 Double
click
on the picture to see a video
It joins many other USL machines used for similar applications on this
site.
| 
