Ultrasonic testing is a nondestructive testing method that uses ultrasonic waves to detect flaws in materials. The sound waves travel through the material and are reflected back to the transducer. A computer analyzes these signals and displays the results on an oscilloscope.
Ultrasonic testing is a method that uses sound to determine the internal structure of a material. It is used for many different applications, including non-destructive testing (NDT), nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and material characterization.
Using ultrasonic testing, you can detect flaws in the surface of a material or within its structure. It is a highly versatile and cost-effective quality control technique, capable of detecting defects such as cracks, voids, or delaminations as well as measuring thermal diffusivity in a wide range of materials.
Accurate detection of defects: Ultrasonic testing can be used to detect even minute flaws in components and products. This makes it ideal for detecting defects such as cracks or delamination in composite materials and other composite structures, which can be difficult to find with other methods such as X-ray radiography.
Fast results: The test takes only minutes to perform while requiring minimal preparation and setup time. This means that you don’t have to wait long before getting your results back after an inspection.
Highly accurate – Ultrasonic testing provides reliable results because it measures changes in physical properties that are directly related to stress concentration or damage in materials under test. The accuracy of ultrasonic measurements is limited only by the quality of equipment used for testing and operator skill level.
Wide range of applications – Ultrasonic inspection can be performed in almost any industry where solid materials are manufactured or used. The method is ideal for detecting flaws in products such as aircraft parts, automotive components and electronics circuits.
The most common ultrasonic test is ultrasonic thickness measurement, which uses the time it takes for sound waves to travel through the material being tested to determine its thickness. Ultrasonic testing can also be used for flaw detection and flaw sizing.
You don’t need special preparation or setup time before testing begins because there’s no setup involved at all — just place your sample in front of the sensor(s) and press start!
Ultrasonic testing is highly effective at detecting hidden cracks and voids in a wide range of materials. From metals to polymers, concrete, ceramics, and composite materials, an ultrasonic inspection can be performed using a variety of methods including:
Transmission Frequency Ultrasonic Testing (TFUT)
Transmission Frequency Acoustic Emission Testing (TFAE)
Interferometry (IF)