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In line ERW Tube and Pipe
Inspection System

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This is the Olympus NDT ERW

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In-Line medium range
inspection system.

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This system is designed
for the inspection

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of ERW pipes as an in-line application

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with a range from 2 3/8 inches
up to 9 5/8 inches.

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A similar system to this one

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based on the same inspection concept

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can do an inspection of the
large diameter range

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starting at 4 inches up to 16 inches.

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This system is a turnkey solution

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that includes the inspection acoustics

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electronics, mechanics and control.

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The configuration of the
system includes

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a gantry portal that is holding
the inspection head.

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In the inspection head we will find

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the acquisition electronics.

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The acquisition electronics

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is a QuickScan LT 32/256 unit

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capable of firing 2 parallel apertures

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on the same probe.

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We are using 3 QuickScan units
in this installation.

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Each QuickScan is connected to
one phased-array probe.

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On the inspection head
we find 3 different layers.

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The 3 layers are
mechanically identical

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and on each layer we have
a phased-array probe.

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Each probe is capable of rotating

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around the pipe up to 180 degrees.

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From the inspection point of view

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each probe is performing
a different task.

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The first probe is dedicated
for weld-tracking.

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Probe number 2 and number 3

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are going to perform the clockwise

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and counter-clockwise
inspection on the weld line.

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The water wedge is mounted on a yoke

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that can be easily taken off
and re-installed in place.

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This design allows a very
fast changeover process

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when it is required to
change the probe

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due to an extreme size
change in the production.

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As part of the system we
also find the calibration stand.

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The calibration stand is used
in two very important sequences

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for the inspection system.

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For calibrating and
checking the calibration.

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During the calibration process

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the calibrator is going to
position the defect

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that we are going to calibrate

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precisely under the probe.

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Probes are rotated around
the reference notch.

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This allows all apertures on the probe

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to be adjusted at the
same sensitivity level.

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During the calibration sequence

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we will start by calibrating

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on a reference defect with the probe

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inspecting the first side of the weld.

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In Quickview, we can
see the signal response

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of every aperture of
the phased array probe

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as it is going over
the reference defect.

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The goal of the calibration

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is to equalize the response
of every aperture

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to a target of 80% plus or minus 5%.

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After the first pass,

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some of the aperture were
not at the 80% response level

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so we must calibrate all of them

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by adding or removing the gain level
for each aperture.

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Now, as you can see,

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after the second pass
the calibration is perfect.

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We can now move the probe inspection

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the other side of the weld.

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Again, the goal here is to equalize

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the aperture response to 80%
plus or minus 5%.

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The operator has the choice to

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select which aperture
needs to be calibrated

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or the operator can
select all the aperture

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at the same time and
confirm the choice

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with the Quickview
acquisition software.

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Once the operator clicks OK,

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calibration gain is
added or subtracted

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to their corresponding
acquisition gate.

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After the second pass,
the calibration is perfect.

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The Check Calibration process

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is a dynamic verification
of the system calibration.

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The reference pipe is
moved under the probes

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using the calibration stand

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at the same speed as
the production line.

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The calibration stand can travel

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up to one meter per second
or 200 ft. per minute.

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Acceleration of 8 meters
per square second

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allows it to accelerate
in a very short distance

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insuring scanning the
reference defects

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at the nominal inspection speed.

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During the check calibration sequence,

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Quickview will record
the amplitude response

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from the reference defects.

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For the check calibration
to be successful,

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we have to detect all of the defects

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over the alarm level.

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As you can see,
this check calibration was successful

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as all the defects were detected

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above the alarm level.

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For protecting the system

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we use a combination
of an encircling coil

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and an Eddy Current
Nortec 500 instrument.

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This protection system is designed

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to detect openings on pipes

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that could damage
the inspection probes.

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The coil is designed
to detect the variations

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in the magnetic field created
by the material variations

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coming, for example,
from an opening on a pipe.

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Any magnetic field
disturbance in the coil

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is going to generate an alarm

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that is going to be
detected by the PLC

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and it will trigger the
raising of the inspection probes.

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For more information on Olympus
ERW In-line inspection systems

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please contact your
local representative

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or visit us online at
www.olympus-ims.com.