WO2014154371A1

WO2014154371A1 - Method and apparatus for simplified data evaluation during ultrasonic testing of an object

Info

Publication number: WO2014154371A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/050754
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hubert Mooshofer; Johannes Vrana; Uwe Büchner; Werner Heinrich; Karsten Kolk; Hans-Peter Lohmann; Karsten SCHÖRNER
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2013-03-26
Filing date: 2014-01-16
Publication date: 2014-10-02
Also published as: DE102013205330A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for automated ultrasonic testing of an object under test, which involve a number n of A images, particularly Hf images, being combined into a single quasi A image at a grid point for a measurement for the purpose of data reduction. In this way, it is possible for the number of C images that are to be evaluated, for example, to be kept the same. The invention is particularly suitable for test designs using test head arrays, which provide a large number of different physical switch-on conditions per measurement point or grid point.

Description

Patent application

Method and device for simplified data evaluation during an ultrasonic inspection of an object

The present invention relates to a method according to the preamble of the main claim and a corresponding pre ^¬ direction. In a conventional automated ultrasonic test, the component or the test head is moved by a me ^¬ chanisierte device so that the surface of the component to be tested is scanned in two dimensions. The surface is divided into a grid, whereby an RF (high frequency) signal is recorded per grid point. This RF signal can be represented as an amplitude-time / sound path progression. That is, an amplitude can be displayed over time or over a sound path. This is then used in conventional methods directly for reconstruction calculations or rectified in classical data processing. After rectification, a blend technique is conventionally used to mask out uninteresting time or sound path ranges and / or amplitudes. In addition, the data for each grid point can be compressed to an amplitude value at a particular Schallwegposition means of this diaphragm technology, so that in this way a representation of the data in a C-image is mög ^¬ Lich. In this way a very quick check of the test result is possible.

In current automated test concepts are frequently used Prüfköpf arrays with different physical ^{Einschall ¬} directions / Einschallbedingungen or phased array probes with different electronically controlled Einschallrichtungen / Einschallbedingungen. Conventionally, conventional data processing is carried out per test head. This has the effect that, for n incidence gen / Einschallbedingungen at least n C-pictures must be evaluated.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for ultrasonic testing of a test object such that is effectively reduced especially when using test head arrays or phased array probes, a auszuwer ^¬ tends amount of data at a consistent quality of a test result.

The object is achieved by a method according to the main claim and a device according to the independent claim.

According to a first aspect, a method for, in particular automated, ultrasound testing of a test object is proposed, wherein ultrasound of a number n different insonification directions and / or by means of a Prüfköpfeinrichtung for measuring at grid intersections of a surface of the Prüfob ^¬ jektes dividing two-dimensional grid per Raster ^¬ cut point and / / or sound conditions in the direction of a test zone and is received from this ^¬ as by means of a display device in each n A images can be displayed, characterized in that a computer ^¬ device per grid intersection, the n A-images to a single quasi-A to be evaluated Picture summarized.

According to a second aspect, an apparatus for, in particular automated, ultrasonic testing of a test object is proposed, wherein by means of a Prüfköpfeinrichtung for measuring at grid intersection points of a surface of the

Ultrasound of a number of n different ^¬ Einer directions and / or Einschallbedingungen sent toward test zone and received from this is also presented by a display device in each n A-images, characterized in that a computer per a computing device dividing two-dimensional grid Grid intersection summarizes the n A images into a single quasi-A image to be evaluated. In particular, an ultrasound examination in particular comprises all graphic representations of a detected amplitude as a function of time or location. It ranges from the simple RF image display by means of a simple oscillograph over the A-picture to a D-picture. Such ultrasound images differ depending on the presentation in their content. In this case (less the RF image) because of its relatively easy to interpret representation of a particular importance ^¬ processing comes to the A- image. For physical reasons, ultrasound testing is usually carried out as a single-point test, the signals of which are processed as an A-scan, which can be, for example, a non-rectified RF image. A-pictures can not be rectified or rectified. Only later were developmentally the line scan (B-picture) and the surface scan (C / D-picture) technically usable. The scan is a scanning, because the A-images are each line-or area-like composite as an image and scaled (for example, by color or grayscale). In a measurement, the RF signals are recorded as a function of location and time, and evaluated with respect to the signal propagation time and / or amplitude Bezie ^¬ hung as attenuation. Further advantageous embodiments are claimed in conjunction with the subclaims.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the computer device can hide certain transit time, sound path and / or amplitude ranges from the individual n RF images or n A images and values or value ranges of the non-hidden transit time, sound path and / or amplitude ranges for the Summarize Quasi-A-picture. According to a further advantageous embodiment, the

Computer device hide certain transit time, sound path and / or amplitude ranges from the individual n RF images or n A images and maximum amplitudes from the not blended runtime or sound path ranges of the respective RF pictures or A-pictures to form the quasi-A-picture.

For example, an amplitude can be selected from each A-picture, wherein the total number of amplitudes obtained can be combined to form the quasi-A-picture.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the computer device can hide certain maturities, sound path and / or amplitude ranges of the individual n RF images and values or value ranges of the non-masked run ^¬ time, sound path and / or amplitude ranges to a quasi-RF Summarize image. For example, each RF picture can be assigned ei ^¬ ne maximum amplitude, the total number thereof can be combined to form the quasi-RF picture.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the computer device can not hide runtime and sound path ranges corresponding to the test zone from the individual n RF images or n A images. In principle, each runtime can be assigned an associated sound path value. The test zone may in particular be a test volume within the test object. According to a further advantageous embodiment, the computer device can additionally perform an amplitude correction of the individual n RF images or n A images as a function of transit time, sound path, depth and / or other geometric parameters.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the computer device can further process the quasi-A-picture like a conventional A-picture. According to a further advantageous embodiment, the

Computer device from the quasi-A images of the grid intersections of a grid line together to set a B-image to be evaluated ^¬ and scale. Alternatively or cumulatively, the Computing device composed of the quasi-A images of the grid intersection points of a grid surface and evaluate a C-picture or D-image to be evaluated. Scaling can be carried out, for example, by means of colors or gray levels.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, an evaluation device can evaluate time segments of HF, A, B, C and / or D images in which echoes of the ultrasound are present.

Such echoes can be surface echoes Ankoppelechos, rear ^¬ wall echoes and / or other form of echoes.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the measuring and the evaluation can be carried out simultaneously. Evaluation in parallel with the test makes it easier to monitor a test procedure and makes it possible, for example, to check the coupling of a test head to the test object. According to a further advantageous embodiment, the ultrasonic testing can be carried out by means of a tandem or pitch / catch arrangement. In this way a clam uliche to ^¬ presentation of results can be provided. The horizontal axis of an image corresponds to a spatial coordinate that speaks for example, the depth along a depth axis ^¬ ent. Particularly advantageous conventional Prüfköpf arrays or phased array probes can be used.

The invention will be described in more detail by means of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the figures. Show it:

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a conventional method; Figure 2 is a representation for definitions;

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of an inventive

Method; 4 shows a further embodiment of a method according to Invention ^¬. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a conventional one

Process. When using Prüfköpfeinrichtungen that can provide different physical Einschallrich ^¬ lines and / or Einschallbedingungen at a grid point, an RF image is generated for each insonification or Ein¬ sound condition. The left coordinate ^¬ system of Figure 1 shows a conventional course of an example measured on an oscilloscope amplitude A over a running time t, which can always be assigned a path length 1. The graph shows a conventional RF image. By means of a rectification of the amplitude values A, one obtains the graph on the right-hand side of FIG. 1, which represents the A-picture resulting from the HF image. The presently axis pa ^¬ rallele distance above the time axis represents a diaphragm BL. This diaphragm Bl for example, sets a period be- see a point of time tl and time t2 found to be intra ^¬ semi taken into account the amplitude values A.

Likewise, the diaphragm Bl defines an amplitude range in which amplitude values A are taken into account for further processing. The lower left image in Figure 1 shows a so-called conventional C-picture. X and Y denote a Ras ^¬ terfläche a two-dimensional grid, the grid intersection points ^¬ defined. A lattice-shaped grid defines the grid intersection points at which ultrasound is to be measured. An A-image is formed on a respective grid intersection, wherein in a surface scan of the ^¬ sammensetzen to the individual A-scans of the respective grid points of intersection is generated, the C-scan and illustrated herein. A representation can be carried out, for example, by means of a display device.

FIG. 2 shows a representation of definitions. Shown is a cuboid section of a test object with the spatial axes x, y and z. At a grid point, a conventional Licher amplitude-time course measured and presented as A-picture Darge ^¬ . If a scan is taken along a line with halftone dots, a so-called B-picture is obtained. When such a scan performed on a surface with grid intersections loading relationship as halftone dots, a C-image is ^¬ adjustable. An illustrated in Figure 2 error F in the test volume of the test object can it be ^¬ known in the C-image easily. Further evaluations along the z-axis can be carried out by means of a B-scan. In this example, the z-axis carries depth information.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention. In contrast to FIG. 1, a number n of RF images is acquired for each raster point or raster ^intersection point at which a measurement is taken. This is shown in the upper line of FIG. For example, a probe device used may provide various physical sonic conditions. For example, the ultrasound can be sent from different directions to the test object. Depending on the test concept n different Einschallbedingungen can be selected with which n measurements can be made at a particular grid point. According to the present invention, such RF images are generated per grid intersection point of a measurement grid corresponding to n. By means of a rectification of the amplitude values A, the n RF images can be converted into corresponding n A images. This is shown in the second line of FIG. 3.

In the case of the individual RF or A images (n per grid point), uninteresting time ranges or corresponding sound path ranges and / or amplitudes or amplitude ranges are masked out by means of a diaphragm technique Bl. Then either the areas of interest or the amplitude value are sorted in a quasi-A-image in succession. This quasi-A-image can then also be used as a herkömmli ^¬ ches or classic A-Scan to calculate B / C images. In this way, per grid point despite the n ^{insonification} directions or conditions, only to evaluate a C-picture from the examiner. This procedure is shown in the bottom line of Figure 3. Alternatively, the data obtained by blanking can be used for direct reconstruction of quasi-RF images. In addition, an amplitude and / or time-of-flight correction of the individual RF or A-pictures and an amplitude correction per data set of a measurement can be undertaken, for example in order to uniformly evaluate displays in the quasi-picture. The evaluation technique according to the invention is particularly advantageous for test concepts in which only a small

Interested time / sound path range, since in this case, the individual A-pictures have little information content and lost by the processing in the quasi-A image ^¬ relational ^¬ only little relevant information. This applies in particular to a tandem or

Pitch / Catch Check. In such a test transmitter and receiver probes are located at different positions and sound a test zone or receive echoes from another direction from the same test zone. In the evaluation, only the time period corresponding to the test zone is relevant. The evaluation technique according to the invention can additionally be advantageously used for measuring monitoring. For this purpose, time segments are evaluated in which surface or Ankoppelelechos, backwall echoes and / or other form echoes are. According to the present invention, the number of C-images to be evaluated can be effectively reduced. This simplifies in particular a Auswer ^¬ processing means of an examinee. Furthermore, all relevant test results can still be displayed at a glance. Correspondingly effectively reduced is the time required for the

Review of the test results. According to the present OF INVENTION ^¬ dung evaluations can also be performed after the measurement, both during the measurement as well. An evaluation during the measurement facilitates monitoring of the ultrasound test, for example a monitoring of the coupling of the test head device to the test object. Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the method according OF INVENTION ^¬ dung. In a first step S1, in particular by means of a filtering technique or aperture technique, which is provided particularly advantageously by means of a computer device, a reduction of a data volume of a respective image, whereby only areas of interest of the A-images are used at a measuring grid point for quasi-A imaging , With a second step S2, a generated quasi-A image can be further processed with conventional methods and devices.

Claims

claims

1. A method for, in particular automated, ultrasonic testing of a Prüfobj ectes, wherein by means of a Prüfkopfein- direction for scanning at grid intersections of a surface of the test object dividing two-dimensional grid per grid intersection each ultrasound sent a number n different insonification directions and / or Einschallbedingungen towards a test zone and is received from this and by means of a display device in each n A images, in particular n RF images, can be displayed, characterized in that

one computer device per grid intersection, the n A-Bil ^¬ summarized to a single to be evaluated quasi-A image.

2. The method according to claim 1,

characterized in that

computer means certain transit time, sound path and / or amplitude ranges of the individual images or RF n n A- images fades and values or value ranges of the non-masked runtime, sound path and / or Amplitu ^¬ denbereiche to the quasi-A- image summarized.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,

characterized in that

the computer device hides certain transit time, sound path and / or amplitude ranges from the individual n RF images or n A images and maximum amplitudes from the non-hidden transit time or sound path ranges of the respective RF images or A images to the quasi-A - Image summarized.

4. The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3,

characterized in that

the computer device hides certain transit time, sound path and / or amplitude ranges from the individual n RF images and values or value ranges of the non-masked The delay, sound path and / or amplitude ranges are combined to form a quasi-HF image.

5. The method according to claim 2, 3 or 4,

characterized in that

the computing means does not mask corresponding runtime and Schallwegbereiche from the individual RF n Bil ^¬ countries or n A- images of a test zone.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

characterized in that

the computer device additionally carries out an amplitude correction of the individual n RF images or n A images as a function of transit time, sound path, depth and / or other geometric parameters.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, characterized in that

the computer device processes the quasi-A picture like an A-picture.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 7, characterized in that

the computer means of the quasi-A- images of the raster points of intersection of a grid line to be evaluated, a B picture or from the quasi-A- images of the grid intersection points of a grid area to be evaluated, a C- or D-image image together ^¬ mensetzt and scaled.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterized in that

evaluates an evaluation time segments of RF, A-, B-, C- and / or D images in which echoes of the ultrasonic sound ^¬ are present.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 9, characterized in that

the measuring and the evaluation are carried out simultaneously.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 10, characterized in that

the ultrasonic testing is carried out by means of a tandem or pitch / catch arrangement.

12. An apparatus for, in particular automated, ultrasonic testing of a Prüfobj ects, wherein means of a test ^¬ head device for measuring at grid intersections of a surface of the test object dividing two-dimensional

Rasters per scanning intersection each ultrasound of a number n ^¬ different sound directions and / or Einschallbedingungen sent towards a test zone and is received from this and by means of a display device in each n A images, in particular n Hf images, can be represented, characterized that

13. Device according to claim 12,

characterized in that

14. Device according to claim 12 or 13,

characterized in that

15. Device according to claim 12, 13 or 14, characterized in that

the computer device hides certain transit time, sound path and / or amplitude ranges from the individual n RF images and combines values or ranges of values of the non-masked transit time, sound path and / or amplitude ranges into a quasi-HF image.

16. Device according to claim 13, 14 or 15,

characterized in that

the computer device does not correspond to a test zone

Runtime and Schallwegbereiche from the individual n RF Bil ^¬ countries or n A images hides.

17. Device according to one of claims 12 to 16,

characterized in that

18. Device according to one of the preceding claims 12 to

17, characterized in that

the computer device processes the quasi-A picture like an A-picture.

19. Device according to one of the preceding claims 12 to

18, characterized in that

the computer means of the quasi-A- images of the grid intersection points of a grid line to be evaluated, a B picture or from the quasi-A- images of the grid intersection points of a grid area to be evaluated, a C- or D-image image together ^¬ mensetzt and scaled.

20. Device according to one of the preceding claims 12 to 19, characterized in that

evaluates an evaluation time segments of RF, A, B, C and / or D images in which echoes of the ultrasonic sound ^¬ are present.

21. Device according to one of the preceding claims 12 to

20, characterized in that

the measuring and the evaluation are carried out simultaneously.

22. Device according to one of the preceding claims 12 to

21, characterized in that

the ultrasonic testing is carried out by means of a tandem or pitch / catch arrangement with arrays or phased arrays.