Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT Welds) is an advanced method of ultrasonic testing that has applications in Industrial Non-destructive Testing. The PA probe consists of many small ultrasonic transducers, each of which can be pulsed independently. By varying the timing, for instance by making the pulse from each transducer progressively delayed going up the line, a pattern of constructive interference is set up that results in radiating a quasi-plane ultrasonic beam at a set angle depending on the progressive time delay. In other words, by changing the progressive time delay the beam can be steered electronically. It can be swept like a search-light through the tissue or object being examined, and the data from multiple beams are put together to make a visual image showing a slice through the object. The beam is controllable because a phased array probe is made up of multiple small elements, each of which can be pulsed individually at a computer-calculated timing. The term phased refers to the timing, and the term array refers to the multiple elements.
Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT Welds) - Level II
- Principles of Phased Array probes
- Principles of inspection sensitivity
- Phased Array Instrument
- Scanning with Phased Array probes
- Calibration and checks
- Software for data collection and data analysis
- Principles of data analysis
- Software familiarity
- Use of software tools for defect detection and sizing
- Data analysis
- Procedures for verification of flaw existence and position
- Reporting