The Babcock & Wilcox Company

Joseph W Brophy

William E Lawrie

Thomas Powers

An ultrasonic apparatus and method for testing a material comprises an oscillator which generates a selected frequency in the ultrasonic range. A transducer is connected to the oscillator for applying an ultrasonic signal to the material and for receiving an echo signal back from the material. Two phase detectors are utilized one of which receives the echo signal and an in-phase oscillator signal to generate a first display signal, and the other of which receives a quadrature signal which is 90.degree. out of phase from the oscillator signal, as well as the echo signal to generate a second display signal. The first and second display signals are utilized in a visual display such as a cathode ray tube, to generate an image. The image changes according to the phase shift between the ultrasonic signal transmitted into the material and the echo signal, which, in turn, can be utilized to determine the presence and depth of a flaw or boundary in the material.

Growing community of inventors

Redmond, WA, United States of America

Joseph W Brophy