Introduction to

Ultrasonic Testing
SD 218
© Michael Berke
Agfa NDT GmbH, Hürth, Germany
1994 - 2002

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Straight beam probe

housing
socket

damping- matching-
block element
protecting face
crystal (probe delay)

workpiece Sound pulse

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Angle beam probe

damping blocks

housing
socket

perspex wedge
(probe delay) crystal

workpiece Sound pulse

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

 3

Sound field

N = near field length near field

far field

γ = angle of divergence
acoustical axis (central beam)

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw detection

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw detection

10 20 30 40

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw detection

10 20 30 40

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Bad flaw orientation

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Improper flaw location

crack

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Angle reflection

10 20 30 40

crack

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Angle reflection

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Vertical, near surface flaw

10 20 30 40

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Tandem technique (top)
a1

T 5 10 15 5 10 15
R

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Tandem technique (middle)
a2

T 5 10 15 5 10 15
R

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Tandem technique (bottom)
a3
T 5 10 15 5 10 15
R

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Improper flaw orientation

10 20 30 40

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Perfect flaw orientation

10 20 30 40

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw detectability with improper flaw
orientation
reflected sound waves

5 10 15

sound beam

flat defect
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
Flaw distance

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Principle of transit time measurement

finish signal
(echo)
transmitter
Stop-
watch
start signal
(pulse)
probe
sound transit transit time
path measurement

work piece

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

CRT / A-scan display

0 2 4 6 8 10

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Priciple, transmission pulse
transmitter
transmitter
transmission
pulse
sound wave starts at crystal

work piece

probe

light point

0 2 4 6 8 10
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
Priciple, sound wave in the workpiece
transmitter
transmitter

sound wave

work piece

probe

0 2 4 6 8 10
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
Priciple, sound pulse at the back wall
transmitter
transmitter

work piece

probe

0 2 4 6 8 10
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
Priciple, sound pulse at the coupling
surface
transmitter
transmitter

work piece

probe

0 2 4 6 8 10
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
Priciple, echo display and 2nd run
transmitter
transmitter

work piece

probe
back wall
echo

0 2 4 6 8 10
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
Probe delay

2 4 6 8 10
electrical mechanical
zero zero
(initial pulse) (surface)
crystal

probe

protecting face
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
Probe delay

electical
zero
(initial pulse)

probe 0 2 4 6 8 10

delay
(wedge) mechanical
zero
sound wave (surface)

work piece

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw location and echo display
flaw

work piece
probe
back wall
echo

flaw
echo

0 2 4 6 8 10

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw location and echo display
flaw

work piece

probe

back wall
echo

flaw
echo

0 2 4 6 8 10

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw location and echo display
flaw

work piece

probe

back wall
echo
flaw
echo

0 2 4 6 8 10

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw location and echo display
flaw

work piece

probe

back wall
echo
flaw echo
covered
by initial
pulse

0 2 4 6 8 10

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw location and echo display
flaw

work piece

probe

back wall
echo:
without
with flaw

0 2 4 6 8 10

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw location and echo display
flaw

work piece
probe

flaw echo
sequence

0 2 4 6 8 10

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

 Dead zone

dead zone

0 2 4 6 8 10
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
Longitudinal wave

wave length

direction of direction of propagation

osscillation

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Transverse wave
wave length

direction of direction of propagation

osscillation

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Relection and refraction
L
L
incident reflected
wave wave

medium 1

medium 2
refracted
wave

L
L

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Angle beam probe with both wave
types
10 20 30 40

L
T

possible flaw
locations

0 2 4 6 8 10
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
 Longitudinal surface wave
L

incident reflected
wave wave

perspex L

steel L

refracted
αα == α α11 == 27.5°
27.5° T waves
ββTT == 33.3°
33.3°
ββLL == 90°
90°
T
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
45° transverse wave in steel

incident reflected
wave wave

perspex

steel
refracted
transverse wave
T
αα == 36.4°
36.4°
ββTT == 45°
45°
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems T
Transverse surface wave
L
incident reflected
wave wave

surface
perspex wave

steel T O

αα == α α22 == 57°
57°
ββTT == 90°
90°

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Total reflection

L
incident reflected
wave wave

perspex

steel
total reflection

α
α >> 57°
57°

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Ranges for incident waves
27,5°
L
57°

perspex 90°
steel

33,3°

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Near surface detectability with angle
beam pobes

10 20

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

TR-probe / dual crystal probe

transmitter receiver
socket socket
acoustical damping blocks
barrier

crystal

delay

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Probe delay with
TR-probes BE
IP

0 2 4 6 8 10

TR-probe

work piece
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
Cross talk at
high gain BE
IP flaw
echo

cross talk
echo

0 2 4 6 8 10

TR-probe
flaw

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Range calibration

0 2 4 6 8 10 div.
0 50 100 mm
steel, L

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Calibration block 1 with angle beam
probes

5 10 15

70°
m
m
0
10

60°

45°

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

1st echo from circular section

5 10 15

0 2 4 6 8 10

100 mm

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Echo sequence from 100 mm radius

5 10 15

0 2 4 6 8 10

100 mm 200 mm 300 mm

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

25 mm radius of calibration block 2
this wave will be
absorbed !

s 1 = 25 mm
s 2 = 100 mm
s 3 = 175 mm
etc.
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
50 mm radius of calibration block 2

s 1 = 50 mm
s 2 = 125 mm
s 3 = 200 mm
etc.
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
100 mm range calibration on K2

5 10 15

0 2 4 6 8 10
0 100 mm
steel

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw loaction
s = sound path
s = k•R k = scale factor
R = screen reading

0 2 4 6 8 10

15 10 5

work piece reflector

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw location with angle beam probes
Sound entry point projection "flaw triangle"
point
a

s d a = s•sin ß
d = s•cos ß
ß = probe angle ß
s = sound path
flaw location
a = surface distance
d = depth

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw location with angle beam probes
a = surface distance
a' = reduced surface distance
x = x-value = distance:
index point -
front edge of probe
a
x a'
15 10 5

s d

work piece reflector

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw location with an angle beam probe
on a plate

a
15 10 5

T s
d = apparent depth

apparent flaw location

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw location with an angle beam probe
on a plate
d' = apparent depth a = s • sinβ
d = real depth d‘ = s • cosβ
T = work piece thickness d = 2T - d

a
15 10 5

T d real flaw location

s
d'
apparent flaw location
Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems
Large defects parallel to the scanning
surface

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Scanning the edge of the defect

Flaw echo drops to 50% of

its maximum value

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Determination of the defect area

probe position
with echo amplitude delamination
reduced to 50 %

"half value" positions

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw sizes and echo amplitudes

IP R BE IP R BE IP R BE

0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Flaw distances and
echo amplitudes
IP R BE

0 2 4 6 8 10

IP R BE

0 2 4 6 8 10

IP R BE

0 2 4 6 8 10

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Distance amplitude curves on the CRT
screen
B4S

6m
BE

3 mm m F
4 mm

0 100 200 300 400 500

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Defect evaluation by comparison - 1

instrument gain: G = 34 dB

IP F BE

80 %

0 2 4 6 8 10

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Defect evaluation by comparison - 2

IP R BE

0 2 4 6 8 10
instrument gain: 34 dB

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Defect evaluation by comparison - 3

IP RE BE

+ 8 dB

0 2 4 6 8 10

instrument gain: 42 dB

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Distance amplitude curve (DAC)

Echo 1 2 3 4

Position 1 2 3 4

10 20 30 40 10 20 30 40 10 20 30 40 10 20 30 40

0 2 4 6 8 10

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

DAC and TCG

DAC time corrected gain

0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems

Krautkramer NDT Ultrasonic Systems