Systems and methods for viewing data generated by rotational scanning in non-destructive testing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9157895-B2
Application number	US-201213628066-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2012
Priority date	Sep 27, 2012
Publication date	Oct 13, 2015
Grant date	Oct 13, 2015

Abstract

The present application relates to a non-destructive testing system. The non-destructive testing system may include an ultrasonic probe and a hand-held display in communication with the ultrasonic probe. The hand-held display may be configured to display C-scan images or S-scan images.

First claim

We claim:

1. A non-destructive testing system for testing a work piece from within the work piece, the non-destructive testing system comprising:
an ultrasonic probe outputting at least one beam from a location within the work piece being tested;
a control unit for controlling the ultrasonic probe;
means for causing the beam to proceed in 360° of directionality within the work piece being tested;
wherein the ultrasonic probe and the control unit configured obtain C-scan images and corresponding S-scan images, the C-scan images and the corresponding S-scan images are of the same portion of the work piece being tested; and
a hand-held display in communication with the ultrasonic probe;
wherein the hand-held display is configured to display C-scan images or corresponding S-scan images.

2. The non-destructive testing system of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic probe comprises a two-dimensional array probe.

3. The non-destructive testing system of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic probe comprises a translational device.

4. The non-destructive testing system of claim 1 , wherein the hand-held display is configured to display the C-scan images in a radar-like view with a beam cursor.

5. The non-destructive testing system of claim 4 , wherein a position of the beam cursor corresponds to a related S-scan image.

6. The non-destructive testing system of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic probe produces a plurality of C-scan images.

7. The non-destructive testing system of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic probe produces a plurality of S-scan images.

8. The non-destructive testing system of claim 1 , further comprising a motor for rotating the ultrasonic probe.

9. The non-destructive testing system of claim 8 , wherein the motor comprises a position encoder in communication with the ultrasonic probe.

10. A method of viewing non-destructive test data in connection with testing a work piece from within the work piece, the method comprising:
maneuvering an ultrasonic probe within the work piece being tested and outputting at least one beam from a location within the work piece being tested;
ultrasonically scanning the work piece by causing the beam to proceed in 360° of directionality within the work piece being tested;
obtain C-scan images and corresponding S-scan images, the C-scan images and the corresponding S-scan images are of the same portion of the work piece being tested;
displaying a plurality of C-scan images on a hand-held display;
selecting one of the plurality of C-scan images; and
displaying an S-scan image corresponding to the selected C-scan image on the hand-held display.

11. The method of viewing of claim 10 , wherein the step of displaying the plurality of C-scan images comprises displaying the plurality of C-scan images in a radar-like view.

12. The method of viewing of claim 11 , wherein the radar-like view comprises rotating a beam cursor.

13. The method of viewing of claim 12 , wherein a position of the beam cursor comprises the S-scan image corresponding to the selected C-scan image.

14. The method of viewing of claim 10 , wherein the displaying steps comprise displaying the scans on a hand-held device.

15. The method of viewing of claim 10 , further comprising the step of resuming display of the plurality of C-scan images.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of maneuvering the ultrasonic probe comprises encoding a position of the ultrasonic probe.

17. A non-destructive testing system for testing a work piece from within the work piece, the non-destructive testing system comprising:
an ultrasonic probe outputting at least one beam from a location within the work piece being tested;
wherein the ultrasonic probed comprises a two-dimensional array;
a control unit for controlling the ultrasonic probe;
means for causing the beam to proceed in 360° of directionality within the work piece being tested;
wherein the ultrasonic probe and the control unit configured obtain C-scan images and corresponding S-scan images, the C-scan images and the corresponding S-scan images are of the same portion of the work piece being tested; and
a hand-held display in communication with the ultrasonic probe;
wherein the hand-held display is configured to display a plurality of C-scan images in a radar-like view or a corresponding S-scan image.

18. The non-destructive testing system of claim 17 , wherein the radar-like view comprises a beam cursor.

19. The non-destructive testing system of claim 18 , wherein a position of the beam cursor corresponds to a related S-scan image.

20. The non-destructive testing system of claim 17 , further comprising a motor to rotate the ultrasonic probe and wherein the motor comprises a position encoder in communication with the ultrasonic probe.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Oberdoerfer York
• Zhang Weiwei

Classifications

• G01N29/226

  Handheld or portable devices · CPC title

• G01S7/52061

  Plan position indication (PPI display); C-scan display · CPC title

• G01S7/52063

  Sector scan display · CPC title

• G01S15/894

  by rotation about a single axis · CPC title

• G01S15/8925

  the array being a two-dimensional transducer configuration, i.e. matrix or orthogonal linear arrays · CPC title