INSPECTION OF COMPONENTS WITH IRREGULAR SURFACES USING A CONFORMABLE ULTRASONIC PHASED ARRAY

A conformable phased array device has been developed for the inspection of components with irregular surface geometry. This low-cost device uses a standard linear phased array coupled to the pipe-work surface via a water-filled, low-loss membrane. The membrane coupled device allows rapid scanning of components with irregular surfaces without the need for multiple angled probes and time consuming mechanical scanning. Comparison testing between the conformable array and conventional rigid wedge technology demonstrates that internal noise within the membrane coupled device housing degrades inspection performance. Further development of the device has been completed, significantly decreasing this noise and improving device performance.