Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation

Siemens Power Generation, Inc.

Siemens Energy, Inc.

Paul D Vona

Paul John Zombo

Robert E Shannon

Max Rothenfusser

Christian Homma

Miguel A Felix

A method and apparatus for calibrating an acoustic thermography systemand/or enhancing the flaw detection abilities of such a system is provided. The method allows applying a material (e.g.,) to a specimenundergoing acoustic thermography inspection. The material is thermally responsive to acoustic energy transmitted to the specimen by the acoustic thermography system. In one aspect thereof, a thermal response of the material applied to the specimen when subjected to acoustic energy is processed to determine whether the level of acoustic energy applied by the acoustic thermographic system appropriately meets a desired amount of acoustic energy for inspecting the specimen. In another aspect thereof, the thermal response of the specimen in combination with the applied material may be processed to determine whether certain types of flaws (e.g., relatively wide flaws) are actually present in the specimen or to enhance the detectability of other flaws that would only faintly show up on the infrared images.

Method for calibrating and enhancing flaw detection of an acoustic thermography system

A flaw inspection system () contains a substrate () to be inspected, such as a generator tube wall, a rotor of a generator, an aircraft skin, having or thought to have interior defects () such as stress cracks, where the substrate () has attached reference blocks () also containing defects () of the type that might be found in the substrate, where an ultrasonic generator () emits sound waves () which contact all the defects, causing heat () which is sensed by a thermal camera () which, in association with a controller () causes images () to appear on a monitor () from which the type and number of defects () in the substrate () can be determined.

Reference standard systems for thermosonic flaw detection

An apparatus () for performing acoustic thermography including a fixture () having a compliant member () that allows contacting surfaces of a horn face () and a specimen surface () to self-align into parallel contact in response to only the contacting force (F) there between. When the contacting surfaces are brought together in a slightly non-parallel alignment, the contacting force develops a force component (F) that is normal to the plane of contact. This normal force causes deflection of a compliant member, thereby providing movement that brings the contacting surfaces into parallel alignment. The compliant member may be a spring (), elastomer (), swivel member (), bearing member (), or a curved non-stick surface () in various embodiments.

Self-aligning apparatus for acoustic thermography

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Cocoa, FL, United States of America

Paul D Vona