Civa 2023 brings: a new Aut-Pipeline module, a new environment Data ScienceNew features of Civa UT include: a significant evolution of the SHM module, new phase coherence algorithms in TFM UT reconstruction, new data formats readable in Civa UT and Civa ET, phase thermograms in Civa TT, CAO2D parts now available in ET inspection simulation, new possibilities and improved performances of the GWT module, new Iqis and better management of scattering calculation in Civa RT, a "SuperBatch" manager to optimize the time and robustness of the calculations on multi-core machines.
Aut-Pipeline Inspection of circular welds
This new simulation tool dedicated to circular weld inspection applications has been designed for the petrochemical industry to support performance demonstration in pipeline project validations but also to optimize inspection techniques and their reliability.
Assessing the impact of critical variables on inspection reliability is the key point of performance demonstrations. With Civa Aut-Pipeline, by limiting the number of iterations and tests thanks to the information and knowledge provided by the simulation, costs are reduced. Built from the Civa UT module, Civa Aut-Pipeline offers 2 types of tools:
1) A set of 4 dedicated modules that allow to quickly define the project parameters (weld configuration, probe selection, channel definition) and that guide in the different key steps of the performance demonstration: calibration, sensitivity analysis, sizing accuracy and Pod curve;
2) Civa UT "generic" tools dedicated to circular welds: field calculation, sensitivity coverage, and inspection simulation.
Initially, this module is available for homogeneous welds. Cra-Cladded welds will be available in a minor update Civa 2023 SPx
TFM - techniques with coherence factor now available
Participating in the development of state-of-the-art techniques, Civa UT includes new reconstruction algorithms for TFM applications based on coherence factors, such as Phase Coherence Imaging (PCI), Sign Coherence Factors (SCF) or Phase Coherence Factors (PCF), in addition to the classical algorithm based on amplitude summation. This brings new possibilities to improve defect detection and sizing, which can be tested on acquisition or simulation data in Civa UT.
Other new features in Civa UT
For the "Fe Grid" defect model, it is now possible to define a circumferential defect in a pipe. A significant reduction of the calculation time is also to be noted with this model transient finite elements in Civa UT.
More flexibility is offered on multi-element tandem sensors with the possibility to have a different number of elements for Tx and Rx strips. Further developments will follow in SPx updates for asymmetric PA sensors.
The access to the sensor library is faster and the management of external focal laws has also been improved. Also note that in a future Civa 2023 SPx version, new parametric welding profiles will be available in Civa UT.
Data science: Civa commits to artificial intelligence for the CND
A real use of "AI" in NDT suffers from the difficulty of gathering enough relevant data to train the algorithms. Simulation can help to overcome this problem by efficiently and massively generating relevant datasets, and Civa should obviously play a major role in this direction.
Civa 2023 comes with a first version of a new "Data Science" module. It provides the tools to manipulate and merge simulated and/or experimental databases, and to develop and test diagnostic models for classification and fault detection by machine learning. This tool is connected to Civa Script, so the user can try different custom extraction criteria via Python scripts. Civa DS includes several normalization algorithms, projection and classifiers with different visualization supports such as 2D maps, parallel diagrams or confusion matrices to set and choose the training parameters. Once the automatic diagnostic model is trained, it is possible to test it on a new experimental data set imported in Civa DS and check its efficiency. Civa DS is available in addition to the Civa Script module.
Civa SHM "V2
Civa SHM is a fairly recent module within the Civa platform. Still based on the guided wave technique, this new version includes an important list of evolutions on this SHM module which constitutes a real "Version 2" for it. It is now possible to simulate tubes made of several materials or plies, including composites. The attenuation can be taken into account, which is an important element to allow more quantitative simulations, especially in composite materials. New part geometries can be taken into account: cuffs, bends, and double curvature applied to a flat part. New types of defects are also available: inclusions and vertical cracks.
New processing tools will help the user to post-process the raw data: the "Rapid" imaging algorithm, an integrated "baseline" subtraction tool, and a simpler export of the local stress/displacement values calculated in the model.
It is also worth noting an overall improvement in performance with a faster solver and fewer constraints for the location of sensors during the generation of the finite element mesh.
New Iqis in Civa RT
The new ASTM wire Iqis are available in this version. Another very important improvement is the possibility to restart a Monte-Carlo calculation from a previous one if it is necessary to continue it for a better convergence and accuracy of the scattered radiation calculation: it is no longer necessary to start from scratch for this large calculation.
It is also possible to assemble CAD and parametric files to create a specific geometry in Civa, as well as a new detectability criterion (based on the signal-to-noise ratio) in addition to the existing ones: pink, fuchsia, and ellipse.
Continuous improvement in performance and capabilities
The calculation of dispersion curves in tubes can now concern anisotropic materials such as composites (this was already possible in plates). This mode calculation tool as well as the field calculation can now also handle heterogeneous CAO2D cross-section parts. A new Fem solver is now available for 3D cases (parts with CAO2D cross-section or tubes with complex defects): more efficient and more robust than the previous solver, it should allow to handle calculations that could not be done before.
In these 3D cases, it is now possible to display field visualizations directly in the 3D view. To be complete, the possibility to calculate Pod curves in GWT, to change the amplitudes of the emitted signals when several sensor arrays are defined, and also, a more easily accessible calibration functionality.
The available phase thermograms
Civa thermography now offers the supply of results in the form of phase thermograms (i.e., phase of the FFT of the raw temporal signals), more
adapted and used by the practitioners of this method in particular in "Lock-In" thermography. Users can now also exploit a "differential output" signal corresponding to the subtraction of the signals of the thermogram with and without defect, thus giving access to local contrast information. An adaptive color palette is automatically linked to the min and max temperatures at the observed time, and a better organization of the menus of some input parameters is possible.
2D CAD parts available in 3D inspection simulation
In the previous version, 2D CAD parts and more complex parametric parts (weld, blade root, etc.) were made available for the Civa ET field calculation module. This is now available in the 3D Inspection Simulation module. Based on a Finite Integration Technique (FIT), this significantly widens the range of possible applications for Civa ET: taking into account part edges or mass effects, heterogeneous components (such as a bimetallic weld), parts with complex or corroded bottoms, tilted defects, etc. In this version, the defect will be "infinitely long" and the probe face of the sensor "must remain flat. Future developments will continue to expand the possible application cases.
A more realistic modeling of the +Point probe is also available, with a larger winding thickness at the intersection of the two coils. In the SG tube module, it is now possible to simulate multiple frequencies within the same model allowing the user to post-process the frequency combination. Another major new feature of this CF module is the ability to read back experimental data into Civa ET. CSV files can be loaded, providing a simple generic format to export from any type of acquisition system.
Civa UT Analyse is now compatible with UT data (A-Scan, C-Scan, S-Scan, E-Scan and TFM) which further extends the multi-format interoperability of
Civa Analysis. Civa UT Analyse is of course compatible with Acquire, Gekko, Olympus files including X3, TPAC Prelude and TFM data, and txt format exported from Zetec systems.
Civa "Super batch
A new batch manager has been developed to take advantage of powerful multicore machine architectures. This batch manager allows to split the calculations more efficiently on the different physical cores available on a machine. Different levels of subdivision and parallelization of the calculation can be done (individual cases extracted from a parametric study but also individual shot, sequence or probe position within a "simple simulation"). This manager is also more robust with "Restart" and "Time Out" functionalities and it keeps the simulation groups that may have already been computed before a potential problem on the machine, of memory, or even a reboot of the PC. This is a first step towards HPC solutions that will come in the future