Forging is a process used in the manufacture of metal components requiring high mechanical strength. In this process, the metal is generally heated and formed using compressive forces. The forging process can result in the formation of volume discontinuities, such as inclusions and porosities. These discontinuities can be located anywhere in the part and need to be identified with certainty and then characterized in order to meet high quality requirements.
The industrial world often uses ultrasound as a non-destructive testing method, but ultrasound is quite attenuated by forged parts. It is therefore necessary to work with appropriate equipment.
Control systems are generally calibrated using background echo. An AVG curve is generated, based on the expected equivalent reflector size (ERS). This AVG curve can be converted into a TCG curve to simplify indication identification.
Control is performed using a multi-element probe generating longitudinal waves at various angles. Subsurface inspection is carried out using a separate transmit-receive probe to reduce the dead zone.
Equipped with the latest multi-element ultrasonic technology, the FOCUS PX unrivalled signal-to-noise ratio (12 dB improvement over Focus LT). Four additional dedicated UT channels offer even greater flexibility for inspection configurations involving large forgings.
The Olympus 2L64 multi-element probe is designed for inspection of large forged parts. It offers a very good signal-to-noise ratio (+4dB compared with other probes) and multi-angle coverage.
FocusPC software features advanced functions designed to optimize inspection applications for very large diameter forgings, and fully exploit the FOCUS PX's high-end specifications. Data files are continuously generated throughout the inspection process, enabling uninterrupted inspection. AVG-based TCG curves can be imported to facilitate defect identification.
Thanks to its electronic features and Focus PC software, the focus PX is a powerful solution for inspecting large forgings. The wide choice of Olympus multi-element and conventional ultrasonic probes makes it easy for users to find flexible solutions for their applications.
Learn more: www.olympus-ims.com