When we launched the OmniScan™ X3 flaw detector, we also created educational materials to help our customers understand the advantages and limitations of total focusing method (TFM) technology.
TFM inspection of a 25 mm thick V weld using an OmniScan X3 flaw detector and an A31 probe
Over time, we’ve produced many TFM resources, from training videos to white papers, and everything in between. To save you time, here’s a compilation of our TFM reference materials to date.
TFM Webinars and Educational Videos
If you’re new to TFM, get up to speed by watching this animation. It breaks down how full matrix capture (FMC) and the total focusing method (TFM) work in simple terms. Watch FMC/TFM Basic Principles now!
Excerpts from the infographic, How it Works: Full Matrix Capture (FMC) and the Total Focusing Method (TFM)
Dive deeper with this series of 5 on-demand webinars on TFM. The Total Focusing Method Webinar Series covers basic principles, but also delves into topics such as TFM versus phased array—for example, when to use which—and code compliance when using TFM.
And learn more about the OmniScan X3 series’ TFM wave set coverage modeling tool in this video: Overview of the AIM Tool on the OmniScan X3 Flaw Detector. The Acoustic Influence Map (AIM) simulator can provide invaluable wave set selection guidance to advanced users as well as inspectors who are learning the TFM technique. Selecting the proper wave set can be a complex task when using TFM, particularly on curved parts, so having a powerful simulator like AIM onboard the instrument is key.
FAQs about TFM
To get answers to common questions about the total focusing method, go to our Frequently Asked Questions about the Total Focusing Method page.
Basic Principles of FMC/TFM Poster and Infographic
If you’d like to decorate your office with a handy (and handsome) reference on FMC and TFM, download our poster on Understanding FMC and TFM Technologies or the smaller format infographic, How it Works: Full Matrix Capture (FMC) and the Total Focusing Method (TFM).
Total Focusing Method (TFM) Application Advice
Looking for practical TFM application information? Read these app notes:
- Using the Total Focusing Method to Improve Phased Array Ultrasonic Imaging
- Using the Sensitivity Index of the Acoustic Influence Map (AIM) to Select the Optimal TFM Inspection Mode
- Selecting the Best Propagation Mode for a Reflector Using the AIM Modeling Tool for TFM (Total Focusing Method) Inspection
Total Focusing Method-Related Case Study and White Papers
Read about the tests conducted by the engineering firm EWI, comparing the efficacy of phased array and TFM for fatigue crack monitoring: Gaining a Better Understanding of Crack Growth in Cyclically Loaded Structures Using the Total Focusing Method.
You can also gain more in-depth knowledge about the OmniScan X3 flaw detector series’ innovative TFM imaging in these white papers on the Use of the Total Focusing Method with the Envelope Feature and the TFM Acoustic Influence Map.
Customer Stories and TFM Tips and Tricks
Image from TFM and Other Major Advantages of the OmniScan X3 Flaw Detector for NDT Inspectors—A Customer Review
For some light reading, peruse these blog posts to get our customer’s perspectives on the advantages of TFM as well as our inspection experts’ explanations:
- Innovative TFM Imaging’s Potential to Improve Engineers’ Structural Integrity Evaluations—A Customer’s Perspective
- Which Phased Array Probe Is Right for Your Total Focusing Method Inspection?
- All Your Flaws Revealed—TFM Imaging You Can Trust
- 4 Essentials for Building Your Code-Compliant TFM Strategy for Weld Inspection
- Top 3 FMC/TFM Enhancements of the New OmniScan X3 Flaw Detector Explained
- Master the Total Focusing Method (TFM) Using the Acoustic Influence Map (AIM) Software Tool
- TFM and Other Major Advantages of the OmniScan X3 Flaw Detector for NDT Inspectors—A Customer Review
We hope you find this list useful. Explore these materials at your own pace to help build your knowledge and increase your understanding of total focusing method technology.
Keep checking our website’s Resources tab to discover new material on TFM as we add it.
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