Hardness verification utilizing ultrasonic velocities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016299107-A1
Application number	US-201514684763-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 13, 2015
Priority date	Apr 13, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and system for determining a hardness of a component to be tested by utilizing an ultrasonic meter. The method and system both comprise selecting a component to be tested which has a longitudinal axis; positioning a probe of the ultrasonic meter for emitting a signal from an emitter of the probe into an end surface of the component to be tested and along the longitudinal axis of the component; emitting the signal from the emitter of the probe into the first surface of the component to be tested; passing the emitted signal through the component to be tested; reflecting the emitted signal via an opposed second surface of the component to be tested back toward a detector of the probe; detecting the reflected signal via the detector of the probe; and determining a hardness of the component to be tested based upon a velocity of the emitted signal.

First claim

Wherefore, I/we claim:

1 . A method of determining a hardness of a component to be tested by utilizing an ultrasonic meter, the method comprising the steps of:
selecting a component to be tested which has a longitudinal axis; positioning a probe of the ultrasonic meter for emitting a signal from an emitter of the probe into a first end surface of the component to be tested; emitting the signal from the emitter of the probe into the first surface of the component to be tested and along the longitudinal axis of the component and passing the emitted signal through the component to be tested; reflecting the emitted signal, via an opposed second surface of the component to be tested, back toward a detector of the probe; detecting the reflected signal via the detector of the probe; and determining a hardness of the component to be tested based upon a velocity of the emitted signal through the component to be tested.

2 . The method of determining the hardness of the component to be tested according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of locating both the emitter and the detector closely adjacent one another in an end face of the probe.

3 . The method of determining the hardness of the component to be tested according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of positioning the end face of the probe so that the end face extend normals to the longitudinal axis of the component to be tested.

4 . The method of determining the hardness of the component to be tested according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
determining a minimum threshold; accepting the components to be tested which have a value above the minimum threshold; and rejecting the components to be tested which have a value below the minimum threshold.

5 . The method of determining the hardness of the component to be tested according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
determining a minimum threshold; accepting the components to be tested which have a value equal to or above the minimum threshold; and rejecting the components to be tested which have a value below the minimum threshold.

6 . The method of determining the hardness of the component to be tested according to claim 4 , further comprising the step of determining the minimum threshold by testing at least one component to be tested which has a known hardness.

7 . The method of determining the hardness of the component to be tested according to claim 4 , further comprising the step of verify a reliability of the minimum threshold by testing at least one component to be tested which has a known hardness less than the minimum threshold.

8 . A system for determining a hardness of a component to be tested which comprises an ultrasonic meter, the system comprising:
a component to be tested which has a longitudinal axis; the ultrasonic meter having a probe of for emitting a signal from an emitter of the probe into a first end surface of the component to be tested: the emitter of the probe being located for emitting the signal into the first surface of the component to be tested so that the emitted signal passes through the component to be tested and along the longitudinal axis of the component and is reflected by an opposed second surface of the component to be tested back toward a detector of the probe; the detector of the probe detects the reflected signal, and a hardness of the component to be tested is determined based upon a velocity of the emitted signal passing through the component to be tested.

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen
• Magnachek

Inventors

• Hopkinson Iii Harold
• LAWRENCE Wally
• Holmes Eric
• LAUTERMILCH Joel
• HOLMES Tracy

Classifications

• G01N2291/02827

  Elastic parameters, strength or force · CPC title

• G01B17/02

  for measuring thickness · CPC title

• G01N29/226

  Handheld or portable devices · CPC title

• G01N2291/044

  Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects · CPC title

• G01N2291/011

  Velocity or travel time · CPC title