Industrial Ultrasonic Testing

Ultrasonic Testing (UT) is a form of non-destructive testing (NDT) that employs high-frequency sound waves for the purpose of characterizing the thickness or internal structure of a given sample. The frequencies used for UT are typically in the range of 500 kHz to 20 Mhz.

As a non-destructive testing method, ultrasonic testing is ideally suited to the detection of flaws, defects, and welded seams where destruction of the target sample is not an option.

In addition to detecting flaws in production samples, periodic UT inspections are also perfect for checking for corrosion in existing equipment, such as pipelines, and is therefore an indispensable part of any predictive maintenance program.

Ultrasonic Testing (UT) is ideally suited for the inspection of material structures such as metals, ceramics, plastics, and composites.

While denser materials up to and including concrete can be successfully inspected, the output resolution is usually less-defined.

Highly porous biological materials such as wood and paper do not react well to ultrasonic testing.

Some of the many advantages of Ultrasonic Testing (UT) include, but are not limited to:

• High definition flaw detection that also penetrates deeper than other NDT methods
• Can be used when only one side of the sample can be accessed
• Greater accuracy over other non-destructive testing (NDT) methods
• In addition to flaw detection, UT can also give you the orientation, shape, and size of the defect
• Non-hazardous, unlike Radiographic Testing (RT)
• UT lends itself to automated solutions, suited for production floor testing as well as very small, portable form factors for walk-around and fieldwork
• Unlike Radiographic Testing which requires time to develop film, UT results can be obtained - and shared - instantaneously

While Ultrasonic Testing (UT) offers many benefits over other non-destructive testing (NDT) methods, there are still some inherent drawbacks:

• UT inspection requires skilled technicians for set up, operation, and interpretation of results
• Some more complex, thin, or otherwise irregularly shaped samples may prove more difficult to inspect
• If your target material has loose or scaling paint, this will need to be removed prior to testing to ensure an accurate reading
• Radiographic Testing (RT) may have a higher degree of sensitivity, and thus accuracy, for inclusions and other volumetric flaws
• Ultrasonic Testing (UT) gauges in most cases need to be calibrated according to the target material being tested, which requires time and expertise
• Ultrasonic Testing (UT) are more expensive when compared to other non-destructive testing (NDT) technologies

There are numerous applications where industrial ultrasonic testing makes sense, but industries that rely on UT to a large degree are:

• Aerospace
• Automotive
• Oil & Gas
• Power Generation
• Metals & Casting
• Electronics & Battery
• Additive Manufacturing
• Research & Development

While there are several resources available for non-destructive testing training, Waygate Technologies offers NDT training across the broadest range of inspection methods, which are offered around the globe, or at a location of your choice.

Get your team up to speed on the latest in NDT today!