Ultrasonic instrument has been developed for use in quantitative nondestructive evaluation of material defects such as cracks, voids, inclusions, and unbonds. Instrument is provided with standard pulse source and transducer for each frequency range selected and includes integral aids that allow calibration to prescribed standards

Dubois, J. L.

Kranz, P. R.

Lynworth, L. C.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

February 1973	 B73-10051 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
Marshall Space Flight Center 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Prototype Ultrasonic Instrument for Quantitative Testing 
46,
The problem: 
Ultrasonic technology has great and largely unused 
potential for evaluating small discontinuities in solid 
materials. For example, many individual operators per-
form weld evaluations satisfactorily for a particular 
application; but when several of them evaluate the same 
specimen, different results are generally obtained. Ob-
viously, uniformly calibrated ultrasonic instruments are 
not being used. Furthermore, the basic characteristics 
of the instruments differ. These facts contribute to the 
mistrust many people have of ultrasonic technology and 
consequently many designers do not specify use of the 
method. 
The solution: 
An ultrasonic instrument was developed to be used 
in quantitative nondestructive evaluation of material 
defects. The instrument is provided with standard pulse 
source and transducer for each frequency range selected 
and includes integral aids that allow calibration to 
prescribed standards. 
How it's done: 
The instrument consists of a special pulser/receiver 
that plugs into a standard oscilloscope, a special RF 
power amplifier, a standard decade oscillator, and a set 
of broadband transducers for typical use at 1, 2, 5 and 
10 MHz. In addition, the system provides for its own 
calibration and presents a quantitative indication of 
time base and sensitivity scale factors and some measure-
ment data on the oscilloscope. Performance includes a 
velocimetry capability of better than 0.1 percent. 
The general features of the system include the 
specified integral aids to calibration of a high gain broad-
band receiver, a means of adjusting the receiver gain in 
discrete isteps, and mechanical vernier adjustments. to 
calibrate the steps in receiver gain. A standard high 
frequency source is used to generate pulses of known 
width and amplitude with a means of adjusting the 
transmitted pulse width and pulse repetition rate in 
steps of known magnitude. Other features include 
mechanical vernier adjustments to calibrate pulse char-
acteristics, methods of adjusting the output voltage of 
the transmitter continuously over a specified range, 
and provision for a voltage indicator for transmitter 
output. 
Notes: 
1. The information concerning this instrument may be 
useful to industry in detecting material cracks, voids, 
inclusions, and unbonds. 
2. Requests for further information may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Marshall Space Flight Center 
Code A&PS-TU 
Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama 35812 
Reference: B73-10051 
Patent status: 
NASA has decided not to apply for a patent. 
Source: L. C. Lynworth, J. L. Dubois, and

P. R. Kranz of

Panametrics, Inc.

under contract to

Marshall Space Flight Center

(MFS-22350) 
Category 02, 03 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National
	 Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States
	 information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
	 will be free from privately owned rights.
.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19730000051 2020-03-17T06:41:04+00:00Z


Prototype ultrasonic instrument for quantitative testing

A prototype ultrasonic instrument has been designed and developed for quantitative testing. The complete delivered instrument consists of a pulser/receiver which plugs into a standard oscilloscope, an rf power amplifier, a standard decade oscillator, and a set of broadband transducers for typical use at 1, 2, 5 and 10 MHz. The system provides for its own calibration, and on the oscilloscope, presents a quantitative (digital) indication of time base and sensitivity scale factors and some measurement data

Prototype ultrasonic instrument for quantitative testing

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