Probe Standoff Optimization Method for Phased Array Ultrasonic TFM Imaging of Curved Parts
The reliability of the ultrasonic phased array total focusing method (TFM) imaging of parts with curved geometries depends on many factors, one being the probe standoff. Strong artifacts and resolution loss are introduced by some surface profile and standoff combinations, making it impossible to ide...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/19/6665 |
| _version_ | 1827680491717787648 |
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| author | Jorge Franklin Mansur Rodrigues Filho Pierre Bélanger |
| author_facet | Jorge Franklin Mansur Rodrigues Filho Pierre Bélanger |
| author_sort | Jorge Franklin Mansur Rodrigues Filho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The reliability of the ultrasonic phased array total focusing method (TFM) imaging of parts with curved geometries depends on many factors, one being the probe standoff. Strong artifacts and resolution loss are introduced by some surface profile and standoff combinations, making it impossible to identify defects. This paper, therefore, introduces a probe standoff optimization method (PSOM) to mitigate such effects. Based on a point spread function analysis, the PSOM algorithm finds the standoff with the lowest main lobe width and side lobe level values. Validation experiments were conducted and the TFM imaging performance compared with the PSOM predictions. The experiments consisted of the inspection of concave and convex parts with amplitudes of 0, 5 and 15 λ<sub>Al</sub>, at 12 standoffs varying from 20 to 130 mm. Three internal side-drilled holes at different depths were used as targets. To investigate how the optimal probe standoff improves the TFM, two metrics were used: the signal-to-artifact ratio (SAR) and the array performance indicator (API). The PSF characteristics predicted by the PSOM agreed with the quality of TFM images. A considerable TFM improvement was demonstrated at the optimal standoff calculated by the PSOM. The API of a convex specimen’s TFM was minimized, and the SAR gained up to 13 dB, while the image of a concave specimen gained up to 33 dB in SAR. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:51:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c46961d57659433fa4bce095a78ac0a4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:51:30Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-c46961d57659433fa4bce095a78ac0a42023-11-22T16:49:30ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202021-10-012119666510.3390/s21196665Probe Standoff Optimization Method for Phased Array Ultrasonic TFM Imaging of Curved PartsJorge Franklin Mansur Rodrigues Filho0Pierre Bélanger1Department of Mechanical Engineering, École de Technologie Supérieure, Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, CanadaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, École de Technologie Supérieure, Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, CanadaThe reliability of the ultrasonic phased array total focusing method (TFM) imaging of parts with curved geometries depends on many factors, one being the probe standoff. Strong artifacts and resolution loss are introduced by some surface profile and standoff combinations, making it impossible to identify defects. This paper, therefore, introduces a probe standoff optimization method (PSOM) to mitigate such effects. Based on a point spread function analysis, the PSOM algorithm finds the standoff with the lowest main lobe width and side lobe level values. Validation experiments were conducted and the TFM imaging performance compared with the PSOM predictions. The experiments consisted of the inspection of concave and convex parts with amplitudes of 0, 5 and 15 λ<sub>Al</sub>, at 12 standoffs varying from 20 to 130 mm. Three internal side-drilled holes at different depths were used as targets. To investigate how the optimal probe standoff improves the TFM, two metrics were used: the signal-to-artifact ratio (SAR) and the array performance indicator (API). The PSF characteristics predicted by the PSOM agreed with the quality of TFM images. A considerable TFM improvement was demonstrated at the optimal standoff calculated by the PSOM. The API of a convex specimen’s TFM was minimized, and the SAR gained up to 13 dB, while the image of a concave specimen gained up to 33 dB in SAR.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/19/6665TFMPSFphased arrayultrasoundstandoffcurved surfaces |
| spellingShingle | Jorge Franklin Mansur Rodrigues Filho Pierre Bélanger Probe Standoff Optimization Method for Phased Array Ultrasonic TFM Imaging of Curved Parts Sensors TFM PSF phased array ultrasound standoff curved surfaces |
| title | Probe Standoff Optimization Method for Phased Array Ultrasonic TFM Imaging of Curved Parts |
| title_full | Probe Standoff Optimization Method for Phased Array Ultrasonic TFM Imaging of Curved Parts |
| title_fullStr | Probe Standoff Optimization Method for Phased Array Ultrasonic TFM Imaging of Curved Parts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Probe Standoff Optimization Method for Phased Array Ultrasonic TFM Imaging of Curved Parts |
| title_short | Probe Standoff Optimization Method for Phased Array Ultrasonic TFM Imaging of Curved Parts |
| title_sort | probe standoff optimization method for phased array ultrasonic tfm imaging of curved parts |
| topic | TFM PSF phased array ultrasound standoff curved surfaces |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/19/6665 |
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