Phased Array and TOFD Inspection Solution

The PV-200 is an advanced, automated weld inspection solution (AUT). Combines acquisition unit (OmniScan), scanner, encoder, and software. Designed to meet the productivity requirements of construction welding in petrochemical and power-generation industries. PA, TOFD, UT, creeping wave.

Olympus has developed a versatile phased array solution for weld inspections. The PV-200 solution uses a variety of techniques to achieve a productive and efficient inspection. Phased array technology allows the scanner to adapt to different weld inspections without changing the probe position. This dramatically reduces setup time and eliminates many of the mechanical components needed with conventional ultrasonic probes. Fewer mechanical parts means fewer mechanical failures.

• Fast setup without manual probe adjustment
• Easy adjustment of ultrasonic parameters
• Smaller, more versatile scanners easily adjust to different weld configurations.
• Complete weld coverage in a single pass

The PV-200 solution brings together an Olympus acquisition unit, scanner, probes, and software tailored to your needs. The acquisition unit controls all the multielement-probe channels. The software is equipped with a dedicated calculator that guides you when changing beam angles, depth, and focus without moving the probe. Length and depth sizing for code acceptance /rejection is performed at the time of the inspection and results are recorded rapidly.

PV-200 attributes

• Inspect immediately after welding to help you monitor the welding process.
• Detect and size vertical defects using TOFD and tandem techniques (requires instrument with P-R option).
• Maximize the probability of detection (POD) with controlled focusing.
• Create an automatic setup procedure for any weld profile.
• Reduce data analysis and reporting time.
• Many inspection parameters such as weld profile are accommodated in software offering improved flexibility.

PV-200 Applications

• Wind tower construction
• Pressure vessel construction
• Structural construction welding
• In-service weld inspection
• Inspection of carbon steel, austenitic, and dissimilar welds
• Inspection of circumferential and long-seam welds

PV-200 Specifications

Part thickness: 8 mm to 100 mm
Part diameter: 100 mm up to flat
Part material: carbon steel and austenitic steels

Available Scanners for PV-200 solution

WeldROVER
HSMT-Compact
CHAIN
HSMT-Flex

Combining Different Techniques for Improved Efficiency and POD

Phased array channels for full volumetric weld coverage

TOFD channel for additional volumetric coverage

Combining PA and TOFD offers complete coverage of the weld.

PV-200 Options

Options are identical to those of the PV-100 described on page 4:

• Umbilical cables
• CFU03 - Electrical couplant-feed unit
• WTR-SPRAYER-8L - Manual couplant-feed unit
• TRPP-5810 - Remote pulser/preamplifier for TOFD inspections
• Panametrics 5682 - Preamplifier for TOFD inspections

Standard Inclusions

Contents of the PV-200 kit are configured depending on the thickness and material of the parts to inspect.

Typically a PV-200 kit consists of the following:

• OmniScan PA acquisition unit (16:128 or 32:128)
• UT probes and wedges
• PA probes and wedges
• Industrial scanner
• Encoder
• Umbilical cable
• Preamplifier
• Irrigation system

Pulse-Echo and TOFD Inspection Solution

The PV-100 is an advanced, automated weld inspection solution (AUT). Combines acquisition unit (OmniScan), scanner, encoder, and software. Designed to meet the productivity requirements of construction welding in petrochemical and power-generation industries. UT, TOFD, creeping wave.

The PV-100 solution is based on the proven OmniScan® UT flaw detector. This advanced UT instrument uses two inspection techniques simultaneously. The combination of time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD) and the pulse-echo or creeping wave technique allows a full volumetric inspection in a single pass.

Inspection results are available instantaneously providing immediate code based acceptance or rejection. This solution was specifically designed to meet the productivity requirements of construction welding in petrochemical and power-generation industries.

PV-100 attributes

• Quickly detect weld defects
• Accurately size defects
• Easily characterize weld defects
• Easily create customized reports
• On site inspection without production disruption
• Full data collection for auditing and code compliance

PV-100 Applications

• Wind tower construction
• Pressure vessel and piping construction
• Structural construction welding
• Structural welded components
• Production control
• In-service inspection of weld

PV-100 Specifications

Part thickness:8 mm up to 300 mm
Part diameter:100 mm up to flat
Part material:carbon steel

Available Scanners for PV-100 Solution

WeldROVER
HSMT-X03
HSMT-Flex

Combining Different Techniques for Improved Efficiency and POD

Pulse-echo channel, 60º shear wave for weld cap coverage.

Pulse-echo channel, 70º shear wave for weld root coverage.

TOFD channel for weld volume coverage.

Combining pulse-echo and TOFD channels offers complete coverage of the weld.

PV-100 Options

Umbilical cables

Two different umbilical cables are available:

• The closed-type umbilical offers the most rugged protection. It covers the cable with a resistant, waterproof, and dust proof conduit.
• The divisible type is composed of two split shells that protect the cables. Although not as rugged as the closed-type umbilical, it offers other advantages: the cables inside the umbilical can be changed at any time.

CFU03 - Electric Couplant-Feed Unit
The CFU03 is a portable electrical pump unit used to supply couplant to wedges during ultrasonic inspections.

WTR-SPRAYER-8L - Manual Couplant-Feed Unit
The manual feed unit offers a cheap and efficient way to supply couplant to wedges during automated inspections.

TRPP-5810 - Remote Pulser/Preamplifier for TOFD Inspection
The TRPP-5810™ unit is a high-performance remote pulser/preamplifier dedicated to TOFD inspections and compatible with Olympus industrial scanners.

Panametrics 5682 - Preamplifier for TOFD Inspection
The Panametrics 5682 ultrasonic preamplifier provides low-noise amplification of ultrasonic signals (for one probe) ranging from 500 kHz to 25 MHz.

Standard Inclusions

Contents of the PV-100 kit are configured depending on the thickness of the parts to inspect.

Typically a PV-100 kit consists of the following:

• OmniScan® UT acquisition unit
• UT probes and wedges
• Industrial scanner
• Encoder
• Umbilical cable
• Preamplifier
• Irrigation system

• Fast inspection of small- and large-diameter welds
• 100 % volumetric weld coverage
• Adaptable to butt welds, circumferential welds, long seams, one-sided access configuration, and most common weld profiles
• Inspection of wall thicknesses from 8 mm to 300 mm and part diameters from 100 m to flat
• Digital archiving of inspection data
• Elimination of film archiving
• Portable for in-house and field inspections
• Improved productivity compared to radiography
• Improved probability of detection (POD) compared to radiography
• Combining Different Techniques for Full-Weld Coverage and Improved Efficiency

Phased array pulse-echo technique
The phased array technique uses a mosaic of transducer elements in which the timing of the elements' excitation can be individually controlled to produce a certain desired effect, such as steering the beam axis or focusing the beam.

Pulse-Echo technique
The pulse echo technique is an ultrasonic test in which discontinuities are detected by the reflected echoes from defects.

Time-of-flight Diffraction (TOFD) technique
The time-of-flight diffraction technique is an ultrasonic test that relies on the diffraction of ultrasonic beams from the "corners" and "ends" of internal structures (primarily defects) in a component being tested.

Creeping wave technique
The creeping wave technique is an ultrasonic test in which discontinuities are detected by the return of a creeping wave that tracks the surface of the component being tested.

Automated Ultrasonic Testing Versus Radiography Testing

Ultrasonic technology has been proven very effective for pressure vessel weld inspections and it is easily adapted to common codes such as API and ASME Sec III, V, VIII, CC2235, CC2599, and CC2600.

Comparing the Indications

Analysis of the weld inspection results given by AUT and radiography shows that AUT provides both depth and height information, and is more sensitive to planar-type defects while eliminating radiation hazards.

Benefits of the Olympus PV Solution