PA UT/TOFD Technology

and Products
Gary Gries
Account Manager
zNDT Solutions

Zetec Mission
Zetec is a leading supplier of
mission critical NDT solutions
for various industries

Our
technology,
testing
methods, integrated systems,
and services keep the industry
safe, productive, and cost
efficient.

ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

Corporate History
Zetec Founded in 1968
Acquired in 2003
by Roper Industries
Acquired Steam Generator and Power Generation EC/UT assets
of RD Tech in 2004

100 Best Managed Companies

Forbes, Jan 2007
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ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

Zetec Markets
Power Generation Industry

Nuclear Steam Generators

Pressure Vessel Components
Turbines/Generators
Main Coolant Piping

Heavy Industry
Nuclear Navies
Oil & Gas
Transportation
Aerospace
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ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

zNDT - Value Proposition: Expertise

Center of Excellence based in Qubec Office (Canada)
Market focus: Encoded inspection solutions ( permanent
inspection records, offline analysis)
Technology focus: Phased Array UT & TOFD
Products:
Portable PA UT units : ZIRCON, TOPAZ
DYNARAY PA UT product line, Z-ScanUT
UltraVision, industry leading software suites
Integrated and Customized Solutions
Qualified Techniques
Customer Support and Field expertise

ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

PA UT and TOFD
Technologies

ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

PA UT Technology - Principle
Definition :
Capability to electronically control the UT beam shape
Objectives:
Reduce the number of probes (scanner simplifications)
Increase the resolution and coverage (smaller beam,
more beam angles)
Increase the scanning speed (less probes less scans)

ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

Phased Array Technology

Phased Array Acoustic Beam

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Phased Array Technology

Beam forming / Emitter

Delay

Time

Wedge
Material

Element

Applied delays = Focal law

Wavefront

Applied delays (focal law) will serve as :

Wedge to create an angle beam;
Crystal curvature for focusing;
Or both.

ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

Phased Array Technology

Beam forming / Emitter, Pulse Echo mode

Single A-Scan equi. to CV probe

Summing of Signals

Time

Delay

Delay

Wedge
Material
Element

Applied delays = Focal law

ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

Phased Array Technology

Linear Scanning
Aperture Position

Selection of aperture position : Optimize beam position

Electronic scanning or
Linear scanning

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Phased Array Technology

Depth Scanning

Beam Focusing

OR

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Phased Array Technology

Angular Scanning (or Sectorial Scanning)

Beam Steering

OR

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TOFD Inspection Technology

TOFD is well suited for
detection, characterizing and
sizing of embedded flaws
TOFD is well suited for
inspection of narrow-gap
welds (lack of interrun fusion)
TOFD can replace straight
beam examination for
delaminations

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Combined PA UT and TOFD

In Lieu of RT for
Carbon Steel Weld Inspection

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Introduction
Manufacturing inspection of
vessel welds requires a volumetric
NDE technique
The use of Radiographic Testing
(RT) comes with inherent
radiation safety issues and
productivity issues (welding shop
to be evacuated)

Replacing RT by a combination of PA UT and TOFD can drastically

reduce the inspection time, and provides permanent records
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Overview
Inspection Technique Design
Challenges
Zetec Integrated Solutions
Conclusions

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Inspection Technique Design

Multiple TOFD pairs are required for full volumetric coverage
of welds with wall thickness over 50 mm
Recommended TOFD configurations are given in both
ASME V, Art. 4, non-mandatory App. O and XP CEN/TS 14751
TOFD with conventional UT probes allows for optimisation of
each probe pair (frequency, aperture, PCS, )

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Inspection Technique Design

Pulse-echo PA UT using Sectorial Scans is allowed by ASME Code
Section VIII, provided the performance is "satisfactorily
demonstrated"
PA UT can be set-up to cover the whole examination volume

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Inspection Technique Design

Alternatively, PA UT can be used only for its excellent capability
in detecting and characterizing surface breaking defects

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Inspection Technique Design

Performing a combination of two-sided PA UT and multiple
TOFD techniques in a single one-line sequence can drastically
reduce the inspection time

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Challenges - Hardware
Hardware needs to be capable of adequately and
simultaneously performing multi-channel TOFD and PA UT :
Sufficient channels available
Appropriate excitation pulse for TOFD

Fast scanning and continuous recording is required to fully

benefit from the potential of the inspection technique :
High PRF
High data throughput
Capability to record large data files (sectorial scan data)

Compact, robust equipment is an asset for "on-site"

deployment
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Challenges - Software
Setting up a configuration with 2 sectorial scans and multiple
TOFD requires tools to generate a comprehensive scan plan
Easy and efficient visualization of PA UT and TOFD data
Software should guide the analyst in finding and evaluating
relevant indications :
On-board Merge to expedite analysis of large volume of PA UT data
Tools for rapid amplitude drop-sizing or tip diffraction sizing
Indication Table for examination report generation

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Zetec Integrated Solutions

Carefully selected PA UT and TOFD probes for various
thickness ranges, taking into account :
Code compliance
Economical considerations

Single software platform for planning, execution and

analysis of weld inspections
State-of-the-art hardware and software
Scanning mechanisms
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PA UT and TOFD Probes & Wedges

Wall Thickness 2" (50.8 mm)

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Standard PA Probes

Complete line of standard 1D PA probes

For use with TOPAZ, ZIRCON and DYNARAY
Probe detection Interaction with UV3
19 different models in 6 different casings
Adapters for Hypertronics & Omni

Type A S, M, L, XL

Type L M, L

ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

26

PA UT and TOFD Probes & Wedges

Configuration for 0.5" (12.7 mm) Weld
Requires 2 x 16 PA channels and 1 TOFD channel

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PA UT and TOFD Probes & Wedges

Configuration for 2" (50.8 mm) Weld
Requires 2 x 16 PA channels and 1 TOFD channel

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PA UT and TOFD Probes & Wedges

Alternative Configuration for 2" (50.8 mm) Weld
Requires 2 x 64 PA channels and 1 TOFD channel

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PA UT and TOFD Probes & Wedges

Wall Thickness between 2" and 6" (50.8 and 152.4 mm)

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PA UT and TOFD Probes & Wedges

Configuration for 5" (127.0 mm) Weld
Requires 2 x 32 PA channels and 3 TOFD channels

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PA UT and TOFD Probes & Wedges

Wall Thickness between 7" and 12" (177 and 305 mm)

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PA UT and TOFD Probes & Wedges

Configuration for 12" (305 mm) Weld
Requires 4 x 32 PA channels and 4 TOFD channels

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Hardware Solutions
Ideal solution for welds up to 4"
(100 mm) thick
Supports up to 2 PA UT probes
and 2 TOFD pairs at 200 V
Robust, battery-operated
Portability and flexibility "on-site"

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 Fully-integrated PA UT system
Battery operated
10.4 Multi-touch screen
Rugged with no air intake
Lightweight, 5.9 kg
UltraVision Touch embedded
32/128PR with 2 UT channels
Available since March 2013 !

ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

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Flexibility : Stand-alone or Connected

Remote Data Analysis
on separate PC
PC Control with
UltraVision Touch
Control & Analysis
with UltraVision 3

ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

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Portable RDAU-type system

Phased Array UT: 32/128PR
UT : 2 P/R channels at 200 V
Lightweight
Airtight, Battery operated
UltraVision3 controlled
Available since March 2011

ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

37

Hardware Solutions
Ideal solution for welds over 4"
(100 mm) thick
Supports all PA UT & TOFD
configurations
For maximum performance in
shop conditions

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Product Line
High-Performance Phased Array UT
Up to 256 beam forming channels
Modular concept, allowing for reduced
configurations and upgrading :

Non-multiplexed :

Lite (64/64PR), 128/128PR, 256/256PR

Multiplexed:

64/256PR

Sold to customers worldwide : USA, Canada,

Europe and Asia

ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

39

Software Solution
UltraVision Touch
UltraVision 3
Include all tools for efficient recording, analysis
and reporting of PA UT and TOFD data
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Data Visualization & Analysis

ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

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 PC-based software, runs under Windows XP ,Vista or 7 (32 or 64 bits)

Evolution of TomoView, with many improvements and new features

Drives ALL Zetec UT & PA hardware

Reads *.DAT and *.RDT examination data, back to 1992

Sold to more than 150 customers worldwide
Formally qualified with numerous UT & Phased Array procedures
Documented equivalency with previous versions

ZETEC, Inc. Proprietary / Company Sensitive

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MultiMag Scanner
Encoded, manually driven
Compatible with Zetec
PA UT systems
For one-line sequences
Supports up to 2 PA UT
probes and 2 TOFD pairs
Quick release handles for
fast & easy setup
Magnetic wheels
Operates from 3.5 to flat
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Case Study : 12 CS Pipe Weld

Realistic CS pipe specimen with
welding defects (FlawTech) :
12 NPS CS pipe weld
T = 17.48 mm
Crown as-welded

Setup and examination with

TOPAZ, using PA UT and TOFD
Data analysis using UV Touch

FlawTech Specimen - Defects

Inspection Techniques
PA UT from both sides of the weld : AM - 5 MHz (16 elements)
TOFD : 10 MHz ( 3 mm), 70LW

Flaw 1 Lack of Fusion

Excellent specular reflection after skip

Flaw 2 Incomplete Penetration

Excellent detection of both edges of the

incomplete penetration

Flaw 3 Toe Crack

Excellent TOFD detection

Broken lateral wave and crack-bottom tip diffraction

Flaw 4 Cluster Porosity

Excellent detection using 12dB of software gain

Reporting

Report provided by specimen

manufacturer

Report generated by TOPAZ

Conclusion
Replacing RT by a combination of PA UT and TOFD eliminates
radiation safety issues, and can drastically reduce the inspection
time, while providing excellent examination capability and
permanent records
"UT in Lieu of RT" is now accepted by various codes
PA UT and TOFD probe configurations for various thickness ranges
have been selected
Zetecs advanced hardware and software support combined PA
UT and TOFD for rapid, efficient and code-compliant weld
inspections
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Thank You!