Kit media
Civa 2023 brings: a new Aut-Pipeline module, a new Data Science environment, a significant evolution of the SHM module, new phase consistency algorithms in TFM UT reconstruction, new readable data formats in Civa UT and Civa ET, phase thermograms in Civa TT, 2D CAD parts now available in simulation inspection AND, new possibilities and improved performance of the GWT module, new Iqis and better management of broadcast computing in Civa RT, a "SuperBatch" manager to optimize the time and robustness of calculations on multicore machines.
Aut-Pipeline Circumference Weld Inspection
This new simulation tool dedicated to circular weld control applications has been designed for petrochemical players to support the demonstration of performance in pipeline project validations but also to optimize inspection techniques and their reliability.
Evaluating the impact of essential variables on the reliability of inspections 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 to quickly define the parameters of the project (weld configuration, probe selection, channel definition) and which guides through the different key steps of the performance demonstration: calibration, sensitivity analysis, sizing accuracy and Pod curve;
2) Civa UT's "generic" tools dedicated to circular welds: field calculation, sensitivity coverage, and simulation inspection.
Initially, this module is available for homogeneous welds. Cra-Cladded coated welds will be available in a Civa 2023 SPx minor update
TFM – techniques with consistency factor now available
Participating in the development of state-of-the-art techniques, Civa UT includes new reconstruction algorithms for TFM applications based on consistency factors, such as PCI phase coherence imaging, sign or phase consistency factors (SCF, PCF), in addition to the classical algorithm based on amplitude summation. This brings new possibilities to improve fault detection and sizing, which can be tested on acquisition or simulation data in Civa UT.
Other news in Civa UT
For the default model "Fe Grid", it is now possible to define a circumferential defect in a tubing. A significant reduction in computational times is also to be noted with this transient finite element model in Civa UT.
More flexibility is offered on multi-element tandem sensors with the possibility of having a different number of elements for Tx and Rx strips. Further developments will follow in SPx updates for asymmetric AP probes.
Access to the sensor library is faster and the management of external focal law imports has also been improved. Note also that in a future version Civa 2023 SPx, new parametric welding profiles will be available in Civa UT.
Data science: Civa engages in artificial intelligence for NDT
A real use of "AI" in NDT suffers from the difficulty of gathering enough relevant data to train algorithms. Simulation can address this problem by efficiently and massively generating relevant datasets, and Civa clearly needs to play a major role in this.
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 aid models in classification and detection of defects 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, projection and classifier algorithms with different visualization supports such as 2D maps, parallel diagrams or confusion matrices to adjust and choose training parameters. Once the automatic diagnostic model has been trained, it is possible to try it on a new experimental dataset previously imported into Civa DS and thus check its effectiveness. Civa DS is available as an addition to the Civa Script module.
Civa SHM "V2"
Civa SHM is a fairly new 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 folds, including composites. 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, elbows, and double curvature applied to a flat part. New types of defects are also available: inclusions and vertical cracking.
New processing tools will help the user to post-process the raw data: the "Rapid" imaging algorithm, an integrated tool for subtracting the "baseline", and a simpler export of the local values of the constraints/displacements calculated in the model.
There is also an overall performance improvement with a faster solver and fewer constraints for sensor location when generating the finite element mesh.
New Iqis in Civa RT
The new Iqis with ASTM wires are available in this version. Another very important improvement is the possibility of restarting a Monte Carlo calculation from a previous one if it is necessary to continue this one for a better convergence and precision of the scattered radiation calculation: it is no longer necessary to start from scratch for this voluminous calculation.
It is also possible to assemble CAD and parametric files to achieve 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 performance and capacity improvement
Calculations 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 field calculation can now also process heterogeneous 2D CAD section parts. A new Fem solver is now available for 3D cases (parts with 2D CAD section or tubing with complex defects): more efficient and more robust than the previous solver, it should be able to process calculations that may not have been successful before.
In these 3D cases, it is now possible to display field visualizations directly in the 3D view. To be complete, the ability to calculate Pod curves in GWT, to change the amplitudes of the signals emitted when several sensor strips are defined, and also, a calibration functionality easier to access.
Phase thermograms available
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 practitioners of this method especially in thermography "Lock-In". Users can now also use a differential output signal corresponding to the subtraction of thermogram signals with and without defects, 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 certain input parameters is possible.
2D CAD parts available in 3D inspection simulation
In the previous version, 2D CAD parts and more complex parametric parts (welding, blade foot, etc.) had been made available for the Civa ET field calculation module. It is now available in the 3D Inspection Simulation module. Based on a finite integration technique (FIT), this significantly expands the range of possible applications for Civa ET: taking into account part edges or ground 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 sensor sounding face "must remain flat. Future developments will continue to further expand the possible application cases.
A more realistic modeling of the +Point type probe is also available, with a greater thickness of the windings at the crossing of the two coils. In the SG tube module, it is now possible to simulate several frequencies within the same model allowing the user to do a post-processing of frequency combination. Another major novelty of this CF module is the ability to reread experimental data in Civa ET. CSV files can be uploaded, being a generic format that is easy 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 expands the multi-format interoperability of
Civa analyzes. Civa UT Analyse remains 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 the architectures of powerful multi-core machines. This batch manager makes it possible to cut calculations more efficiently on the different physical cores available on a machine. Different levels of subdivision and parallelization of the calculation can be made (individual cases extracted from a parametric study but also shooting, sequence or position of individual probe within a "simple simulation"). This manager is also more robust with "Relaunch" and "Time Out" features and it keeps the simulation groups that could have already been calculated before a potential problem on the machine, memory, or even a PC restart. This is a first step towards HPC supercomputing solutions that will come in the future
