Development of Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing System Using Distributed Architecture

Abstract

With more rigorous requirements for reliability and safety of structures and materials, high resolution and fast imaging have been urgent needs of Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT). In order to improve the detection resolution and efficiency of complex structures and materials such as ultra-thick carbon steel and honeycomb plate, a PAUT system is proposed in this paper. The system uses a distributed architecture, which not only divides hardware resources, improves system performance, but also is scalable. PA, single- and multi-channel conventional UT, and TOFD (Time Of Flight Diffraction) modalities are combined, and PA modality is carried by the fully parallel non-multiplexed 128 PE (Pulse Echo) electronics with independently adjustable emitting and receiving parameters. In addition, the ultrasound analog front-end circuit is designed using discrete devices, providing more powerful analog performance than integrated chips. GTX (Gigabit Transceiver) and PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) are applied to high-speed data transmission, providing raw ultrasound data. Characterization and verification results indicate that the system is ideal for challenging inspections in many industries.