NDT
site. This configuration also allows the
customer to agree to the configuration
before installation on site.
At the customer site the installation of
the immersion tank, which is 10m long by
2m wide and has a depth of 637mm, has to
have its height reduced by 92mm because
of the installation of a glass plate that is
used for reflective purposes, and the robot,
that is positioned on a track cover the
whole of the inspection surface of the tank.
The operator’s station is located out of the
inspection area and specific laser safety
devices are used to stop all movement
should anyone inadvertently enter the
inspection area.
PHASE ONE
Phase one involves the inspection of parts
laid on a holder in the bottom of the tank.
Using a 32 element phased array probe at
5MHz, in double through transmission
using the glass in the bottom of the tank as
a reflector. Furthermore, the system in this
phase has the possibility of using a
specifically designed probe holder with a
gimbal arrangement and a single crystal
transducer ensuring that transducer is
always perpendicular to the surface of
curved component.
using the same immersion tank and the
same robot as in the first two phases.
INITIAL WORK
Before any installation could be carried out
at the customer site an installation was
built at the facilities of Tecnitest. Whilst
the immersion tank would not be the same
size of that at the customer site, the
inspection system was built to
accommodate all three phases of the project
and includes a robot on a track. This
allowed the Tecnitest engineers to program
the robotics and prove all of the inspection
techniques before transfer to the customer
AEROSPACETESTINGINTERNATIONAL.COM // SHOWCASE 2020 97
5MHz phased array probe and also, where
necessary, has the possibly of using a
gimbal to follow the contours of the
components using a single crystal
transducer.
Phase two provides a system for the
inspection of a curved complex
components, covering all surfaces in one
pass, using the same immersion tank and
robot as in phase one, but with up to
seven 5MHz 128 element phased
array transducers.
Phase three provides a system for the
inspection of components using a single
crystal through transmission system, again
“the industry is moving away from
large gantry systems to the more
flexible use of robotics”
2 // The system is operated
away from the inspection
area for safety reasons
3 // The robot is mounted
on a track for phases of
the test
2
3
/AEROSPACETESTINGINTERNATIONAL.COM