JPH07333203A - Ultrasonic inspection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the easy matching of a focus by excluding the measured data of the position corresponding to a lens echo from measured data stored in a waveform data memory. CONSTITUTION:The sampling processing of an A-scope image is performed according to an operational processing program 71 of A-, B- and C-scope images and a digitized raw waveform is read from a waveform data memory 3 to be stored in a waveform data memory area 63. A lens echo data erasing program 72 is executed and a discrimination code is read from a parameter memory area 62 to search for a lens echo position table 7a and the waveform data of the address corresponding to the position of the lens echo of the waveform data memory area 63 is cleared. Next, a lens echo position/measured data display program 74 is executed and display data is formed from the waveform data from which the lens echo of the waveform data memory area 63 is removed and transmitted to an image memory part 61 to be displayed on a display 8.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic inspection imaging apparatus, and more particularly, to an audio system that allows an inspector (measuring person) without specialized knowledge to easily perform focusing and gate setting. The present invention relates to an ultrasonic image inspection apparatus that displays a flaw detection image immediately below a surface by using a focus type water immersion probe (probe) with a lens.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An IC using a probe with an acoustic lens
When inspecting electronic components such as by ultrasonic waves, first,
While observing the oscilloscope, adjust the sample-probe distance to focus on the surface to be inspected. It adjusts the height of the probe so that the echo on the observation surface is maximized on the oscilloscope.On the oscilloscope, there are many signals in addition to the echo on the sample surface, which is the signal to be inspected, and the echo inside the sample. The reflection echo (lens echo) in the lens is observed.

An example of lens echo observed on an oscilloscope is shown in FIG. Here, the second echo from the right side of the oscilloscope screen is the sample echo 20.
Reference numerals 1, 22, and 23 are lens echoes. Then, T on the left side of the oscilloscope screen is a transmitted wave. Although many lens echoes 21, 22, and 23 are observed as multiple reflection echoes, the positional relationship between the piezoelectric element in the probe 3 and each lens lens generating lens echo is unique to each probe, and Since it is fixed, it has a standing wave. That is, based on the transmitted wave T, the lens echo is generated at a fixed time and with a fixed time width.

For example, in FIG. 6, the time when the transmission wave T is transmitted is t
= 0, t1 = 1.9 .mu.s, .DELTA.t1 = 0.2
μs, t2 = 3.0 μs, Δt2 = 0.1 μs, t3 =
3.7 μs, Δt3 = 0.2 μs, and so on.
When the operator adjusts the height of the probe with respect to the sample while observing the echo including these unnecessary echoes, the echo from the obtained sample moves left and right on the time axis of the oscilloscope (usually when the distance is shortened, Move to the left, move to the right when moving away). In this case, the previous lens echo is observed as a standing wave without moving, but in practice, it is difficult to determine which echo is the lens echo and which is the sample echo.

[0005]

While performing the work of adjusting the sample-probe distance, the measurer discriminates the sample echo from the lens echo to find the distance at which the sample echo is optimal for observation. In the gate setting,
The gate must be set by removing the lens echo so that the lens echo does not enter the gate. For such settings, the measurer is required to be a skilled person. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the lens echo is mixed with the sample echo which is repeatedly observed on the time axis of the oscilloscope while the reflection level is attenuated by the multiple reflection. Therefore, although a person skilled in the measurement can discriminate between them, it is practically very difficult for the person other than the person skilled in the measurement to perform ultrasonic measurement using the water-immersion probe with the acoustic lens. On the other hand, in parts inspection and the like, a person who is not always skilled in the inspection often participates in the inspection, and there is a strong demand for the development of an apparatus that allows even non-experts to easily perform focusing and gate setting. The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art in response to such a request, and even a measurer without specialized knowledge can easily perform focusing and gate setting. An object is to provide an ultrasonic inspection device.

[0006]

The features of the ultrasonic inspection apparatus of the present invention for achieving such an object are a memory for storing a lens echo generation position of an ultrasonic probe used for measurement, It is provided with a means for displaying the A scope image in which the data portion corresponding to the occurrence position of the lens echo is excluded from the measurement data acquired based on the occurrence position data of the lens echo, and the excluded position. As still another invention, a waveform data memory that sequentially stores measured waveform data sampled at a predetermined cycle, and a lens echo generation position of an ultrasonic probe used for measurement are stored as time information from a transmitted wave. Gate echo data memory, first rewriting means for rewriting the time position data corresponding to the lens echo in the waveform data memory to a predetermined value based on the lens echo generation position stored in this memory, and gate position data. As a gate data generation means for generating data corresponding to the time series of the measurement data of the waveform data memory, and rewriting the data at the time position corresponding to the lens echo from the gate data based on the position where the lens echo occurs to the state without the gate. Second rewriting means, and the data rewritten by the first and second rewriting means. It is for displaying the A scope images and the gate based on.

[0007]

As described above, by displaying the measurement data on the display by the data obtained by excluding the measurement data at the position corresponding to the lens echo from the measurement data collected in the waveform data memory, the observed waveform becomes only the sample echo. . Moreover, when the position of the lens echo and the position of the sample echo overlap during the position adjustment of the probe with respect to the sample, there is an identification display indicating the position of the lens echo. Therefore, even if the measurer is not an expert, the focusing can be performed according to the sample echo without misunderstanding of the echo without being confused by the lens echo. Further, since the position of the lens echo is displayed when the gate position is set, it is possible to avoid the position and easily set the proper gate. Further, in the other invention, since the selection state of the gate is displayed in correspondence with the position of the lens echo, it is possible to easily set the proper gate.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic image inspection apparatus of an embodiment to which the ultrasonic inspection apparatus of the present invention is applied.
2 is a flowchart of the focusing and gate position setting processing, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the echo display state, and FIG.
Is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the echo waveform and the gate width,
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a lens echo generation state. When the relationship between the lens echo and the sample echo is analyzed, it is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a) and (b), the lens echo observed on the display for a certain measurement probe 16 is a direct reflection echo a inside the probe and a lens echo b obtained by reflection on a side surface or the like. ~ F, multiple reflection echo a'of echo a, etc., and these echoes are further repeated by multiple reflections. Therefore, the generation position of the lens echo is determined according to the shape or structure of the measurement probe 16, and the generation time position thereof is fixed with reference to the transmitted wave T. Therefore, the position and width of the lens echo from the position of the transmitted wave T are measured in advance according to each measurement probe, or the generation position of the lens echo is calculated by designing, and the data of the time information is measured. The lens echo position table 7a of FIG. 5C stored in correspondence with the identification code corresponding to 16
Are stored in the memory 7 of FIG.

In FIG. 1, 10 is an ultrasonic image inspection apparatus, and 1 is a flaw detector section thereof. The flaw detector unit 1 includes a pulsar 1a, a receiver, a receiver 1b including a gate circuit, etc., and receives a control signal from a microprocessor (MPU) 5 via a bus 11.
It is controlled according to this control signal.

The pulsar 1a generates a transmission wave T by pulse driving from the transmission terminal 12 to the probe 16, and the reception unit 1b.
Receives the echo reception signal from the probe 16 at the reception terminal 13, amplifies it at the receiver, and detects it. Further, of the detected signals, the signal in the set gate range is extracted here and sent to the A / D conversion circuit 2. Here, the probe 16 has, for example, a center frequency of 2
It is a focus type probe of about 00 KHz, is supported by the XYZ scanning mechanism 15, and the subject 18 is, for example,
It is an IC that is one of electronic components and is immersed in a water tank 17.

The A / D conversion circuit 2 detects an envelope detection signal (RF signal) of an echo reception signal for a defect wave, a bottom wave, etc. obtained from the flaw detector section 1 in response to a control signal from the MPU 5. Video signal, but RF signal may be left unchanged depending on the sampling frequency), for example, 1
About 500 points are sampled at a high frequency of about 00 MHz, whereby the analog detection output is converted into a digital value and sequentially sent to the waveform data memory 3.

The waveform data memory 3 includes an A / D conversion circuit 2
The data sampled by is stored while sequentially updating (incrementing) its address. Then, when the number of data sampled by the A / D conversion circuit 2 is stored up to a predetermined final address, in other words, when the sampling data of 500 points is stored,
A sampling end signal is sent to MPU5. As a result, measurement data is collected in the waveform data memory 3.

Upon receiving the sampling end signal from the waveform data memory 3, the MPU 5 stops the sampling process of the A / D conversion circuit 2 and refers to the measurement data collected in the waveform data memory 3 via the bus 11, The maximum peak value is obtained, and the maximum peak value is expanded and displayed on display data, or the data in which the lens echo data is erased is read in as described later.

Reference numeral 4 denotes an operation panel having a gain dial, a cursor dial, a display position designating knob, a sheet key, etc., which is connected to the bus 11. MPU5
Receives from this circuit via the bus 11 various key input signals such as a set value set by a dial and a gap measurement function key. When the gain setting value (adjustment value) for the receiver of the receiving unit 1b is input by the gain dial, the MPU 5 controls the gain (amplification factor) of the receiver (its high frequency amplifier) of the receiving unit 1b and is input by the gain dial. Set the gain of the receiver so that it corresponds to the gain setting value.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a RAM, which is connected to the bus 11 and is designated by digital display data of the echo reception signal which is A / D converted, various application processing programs loaded from the outside, and an input key. Various information such as a flag indicating the flaw detection mode and various data are stored. The RAM 6 is provided with a parameter storage area 62 in which sampling condition parameters, measurement probe identification codes, etc. are stored, and a waveform data storage area 63.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a ROM, in which the MPU 5 executes an arithmetic processing program 71 for A, B and C scope images, a lens echo data erasing program 72, a gate position setting program 73, a lens echo position / measurement data. The display program 74 and various basic programs are stored. In addition, these programs are RAM6
May be externally loaded into the storage area of
M7 may be provided as a RAM area. The display (CRT) 8 displays a so-called A-scope image, which is an echo from a transmission wave to a defect wave displayed on an oscilloscope or the like when setting measurement conditions, and various measurement values, in addition to a measurement image and the like. It is connected to the bus 11 via a video memory interface. The scan controller 14 is connected to the MPU 5 via the bus 11,
The XYZ scanning mechanism 15 is driven according to the control from the PU 5, and the probe 16 is set at the measurement position.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the identification code of the probe to be used is input in advance from the operation panel 4 and the function key for setting the measurement condition is input, various measurement conditions are set. As one of them, when the items of focus adjustment and gate position setting are entered, measurement for setting these is performed by the ultrasonic inspection apparatus 10 with a preset gate position and a wide gate width for collecting an A-scope image. . The input identification code of the probe used is stored in the parameter storage area 62 of the RAM 6. When the focus adjustment / gate position setting interrupt process is started, the measured waveform is sampled in the waveform memory 3 via the A / D conversion circuit 2 in step (1), and the original waveform is digitized and stored.
Thereby, the ultrasonic signal as shown in FIG. 5 is digitized as the original waveform.

In step (2), the A, B, and C scope image arithmetic processing program 71 performs the A scope image sampling process, and the digitized original waveform is read from the waveform data memory 3 to store the waveform data. It is stored in the area 63. At this time, the start address of the waveform data storage area 63 stores the start data of the transmission wave T,
Each measurement data after the transmission wave T is sequentially stored in each address corresponding to the digitized sample interval. As a result, if the digitizing frequency is 100 MHz, the sampling interval will be 10 ns.
The data after 0 address is 20 × 10n after the transmission wave T.
It represents the data after s = 200 ns (0.2 μs).

In step (3), the lens echo data erasing program 72 is executed, the identification code is read from the parameter etc. storage area 62, and the lens echo position table 7a is searched. Here, the data of the lens echo position that matches the code is called, and the waveform data of the address corresponding to the position of the lens echo in the waveform data storage area 63 is cleared. In this case, when the address corresponding to either or both of the time position information and the time width stored in the table cannot be calculated,
The data at the address positions before and after including the nearest address are erased.

Since 100 MHz is taken as an example here, this will be described with reference to the example of FIG. 6, because in FIG. 6, the first lens echo has a width of 0.2 μs at t1 = 1.9 μs. , The data at addresses 190 to 20 in the waveform data storage area 63 are rewritten to “0” and cleared. Similarly, the second and third lens echoes are erased, and finally, in step (4), the data from which all the lens echoes have been removed is stored as waveform data in the waveform data storage area 63. next,
In step (5), the lens echo position / measurement data display program 74 is executed, display data is generated from the waveform data from which the lens echo in the waveform data storage area 63 has been removed, transferred to the image memory unit 61, and displayed on the display 8. Is displayed in. At this time, as shown in FIG.
Specific display data is separately set corresponding to the erased time position, and the mark M, which is the position of the lens echo, is simultaneously displayed by this display data.

In the next step (6), it is judged whether or not the probe position adjustment for focusing is performed. Here, if it is the adjustment, the YES condition is satisfied and step (6
Moving to a), the position of the probe is newly set,
Once the position is determined, go back to step (1),
The processing from step (1) to step (5) is performed again. As a result, the distance between the subject 18 and the probe 16 is changed to obtain an optimum waveform. That is, the above process is executed every time the program height is adjusted. At this time, when the sample echo moves to the lens echo position, the echo disappears in the display of the display 8 by the processing of the lens echo data erasing program 72.
In this embodiment, there is a mark M so that the lens echo position can be identified. In the case of color display, the position on the time axis corresponding to the mark M may be displayed in a color different from the display color of the waveform, and its range, that is, the range of Δt1 may be shown. In this case, the mark M is unnecessary.

Therefore, focusing is performed while avoiding the position of the lens echo. When the distance between the probe 16 and the subject 16 is determined, the NO condition is set in step (6), and the process proceeds to step (7). In step (7), the gate position setting is started. Corresponding to the gate position designation data input from the operation panel, as the gate position information for the flaw detection unit 1, corresponding to the waveform data stored in the waveform data storage area 63, the transmission wave T is also used as a reference for 1 The gate position data in which only the address corresponding to the gate period is "1" and the others are "0" is generated in correspondence with the digitizing interval, and this is stored in the parameter etc. storage area 62.

If the gate position is set at a position of 2.8 μs after the transmission wave T with a width of 1.0 μs from here, this gate data is “1” for 280 to 100 addresses, and others. The address of is 0. In step (8), the lens echo position table 7 is again displayed.
a is searched, the data of the lens echo position that matches the code is called, and the gate data “1” of the address corresponding to the lens echo position is set to “0” for the gate data as in step (3). clear. That is, for the gate data, the waveform data storage area 6
100 from the 280 address of the waveform data stored in 3
What was "1" for the address, the second lens echo t3 = 3.0 .mu.s, .DELTA.t3 = 0.1 .mu.s, and the third lens echo t3 = 3.7 .mu.s, .DELTA.t3 = 0.2.
Since μs is cleared, as a result, 60 addresses from 280 to 20 and 310 to 370 are left as “1”.

This is displayed on the display 8 together with the gate data waveform in step (9). As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, there are two consecutive positions of data "1". Therefore, the above two places are displayed as the gate positions. Here, in the step (10), it is determined whether the gate data is at two locations or not by "1" among the gate data.
It is performed by detecting the data state of. If the result of this determination is that there are two gate positions, a caution message is output in step (10a) so that there is one, and the process returns to step (7).

The measurer (inspector) changes the gate setting for the flaw detection unit 1 so that the gate position on the display 8 is 1
From step (7) to step (10a)
The process up to is repeated. If there is only one gate position, for example, if the gate start point is changed to 3.0 μs after the transmitted wave, the gate data stored in the parameter storage area 62 will be "1" only from the 310th address to the 60th address. Move to (11).

In step (11), based on the gate position data stored in the storage area 62 such as parameters, gated information for the flaw detection unit 1 is generated and sent to the ultrasonic flaw detection unit 1, and after the transmission wave from the gate, 3.1μs to 0.6μs
Change to the width of.

As described above, in the embodiment, the A scope image is displayed on the display 8 for displaying the measurement image, but it is converted into analog data and the flaw detector (corresponding to the flaw detection section 1) is converted into the conventional data. The display data may be transmitted and displayed on an oscilloscope (not shown) connected to the. Further, in the embodiment, the measurement data of the portion where the lens echo occurs is erased, but this data may be left as it is and masked at the time of display so as to be excluded from the display data. Further, such processing may be directly performed on the measurement data of the waveform data memory. Further, although the data corresponding to the lens echo of the waveform data memory is rewritten to "0", this may be a constant value, for example, a constant value such as "1" or "1111". Even with such a value, since the waveform is different from the echo waveform, it is possible to classify. Especially, since the lens echo mark is inserted, there is almost no misunderstanding.

[0028]

As described above, in the present invention, the operator or the inspector sees only the positions of the sample echo and the lens echo or the gate position display on the display during the work. There is no need to mistake the lens echo and the sample echo, or to set a gate on the lens echo to get an incorrect image different from the sample image, and gate setting is extremely easy. You can As a result, it is possible to observe only the sample echo without specialized knowledge. Further, since only the sample echo is observed, the measurement condition setting work is easy and the work efficiency can be improved. Furthermore, the reliability of data is improved without setting the lens echo in the gate. Further, it is not necessary to distinguish the lens echo from the sample echo, and the operator's fatigue can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic image inspection apparatus of an embodiment to which the ultrasonic inspection apparatus of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the focusing and gate position setting processing.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an echo waveform display state in the processing of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the echo waveform and the gate width.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a generation state of a lens echo, and FIG. 5A is an explanatory diagram of a reflection state in a probe,
(B) is an explanatory view of the measurement waveform, and (c) is an explanatory view of a lens echo position table.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of lens echoes and the like displayed on an oscilloscope in conventional focusing and the like.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Ultrasonic flaw detector section, 1a ... Pulser, 1b ... Receiving section, 2
... A / D conversion circuit, 3 ... waveform data memory, 4 ... operation panel, 5 ... microprocessor (MPU), 6 ... RA
M, 7 ... ROM, 7a ... Lens echo position table, 8
... display, 16 ... probe, 18 ... subject, 10
... ultrasonic measurement device, 61 ... image memory section, 62 ... parameter storage area, 63 ... waveform data storage area, 71 ...
A, B and C scope image calculation processing programs, 72 ...
Lens echo data erasing program, 73 ... Gate position setting program, 74 ... Lens echo position / measurement data display program.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Ken Takeuchi, 650 Jinrachi-cho, Tsuchiura-shi, Ibaraki Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. Tsuchiura factory

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A memory that stores a lens echo generation position of an ultrasonic probe used for measurement, and corresponds to the generation position of the lens echo from the collected measurement data based on the generation position data of the lens echo. The ultrasonic inspection apparatus comprising: an A-scope image in which the data portion to be removed is displayed and a unit that displays the removed position. 2. A waveform data memory for sequentially storing measured waveform data sampled at a predetermined cycle, and a lens for storing a lens echo generation position of an ultrasonic probe used for measurement as time information from a transmitted wave. An echo data memory, a first rewriting means for rewriting the data of the time position corresponding to the lens echo in the waveform data memory to a predetermined value based on the lens echo generation position stored in the memory, and a gate position Gate data generating means for generating, as data, data corresponding to a time series of the measurement data of the waveform data memory, and gate data corresponding to the lens echo from the gate data based on the lens echo generation position. And a second rewriting means for rewriting to a state in which there is no Ultrasonic inspection device for displaying the A scope images and the gate based on the rewritten data.