TPi April 2008

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April 2008 Tube Products International 51
EquipmentPipel ine Inspect ion
Highly portable ultrasonic instruments
AGR Field Operations, UK, uses its experience of the NDT, electronics and
software industries to produce compact, reliable, advanced multi-functional
ultrasonic systems and advanced user-friendly software.
The TD range of leading-edge
ultrasonic instruments includes
the TD Focus-Scan®, the miniature
TD Pocket-Scan® system, and the
company’s latest product release,
the TD Handy-Scan®.
The TD Handy-Scan was developed
in response to the demand for
relatively inexpensive, highly portable
ultrasonic instruments that combine
phased array, ToFD and pulse
echo into one convenient package
that satisfies the growing use of
multifunctional UT systems for routine detection and analysis.
Field technicians are often expected to perform inspections using several UT
modes, and it is common for inspections to include, for example, phased array,
ToFD and even conventional manual pulse echo to complement each other.
Switching between UT modes is achieved simply by selecting the appropriate
mode in the software, and may be applied individually or simultaneously, if
required.
The improved Windows XP based software is common to all AGR Field
Operations instruments, with the result that existing users will be quite familiar
with the Handy-Scan environment, and new users will find its operation easy
to master.
The user-friendly software coupled with convenient replaceable battery and
ultra-compact, lightweight construction brings a new dimension of portable
functionality to field technicians without relinquishing any data quality.
The TD Handy-Scan can be used to perform a wide range of code compliant
inspections as well as bespoke procedures for special applications.
AGR Field Operations – UK
•
The TD Handy-Scan from AGR Field S S
Operations
The Dryscan 410D is the latest special
applications digital flaw detector
released by Sonatest Ltd.
In using the proven method of the
shadowtechnique,throughtransmission,
the Dryscan 410D is designed to be the
perfect option for the non-destructive
testing of high technology materials
such as composites, hybrids and
honeycomb structures found throughout
the aerospace, aviation and marine
industries, among others.
For such advanced materials, often
combined with complex geometries,
the Dryscan 410D concept is simple
to apply and is highly reliable for fault
detection, requiring only a minimum of
operator training.
Using the unique transducers means
that no coupling medium is required
to contact the transducers to the test
material, no material surface preparation
is required and many of the geometric
considerations that are applied to
conventional ultrasonic detection
methods can be ignored.
The Dryscan 410D has a unique, tunable
filter that can be adjusted for the best
signal response for the material under
test, which allows significantly increased
sensitivity, whilst maintaining low noise,
enabling the testing of very attenuative
materials.
Suited to materials that have
geometrically complicated patterns,
other applications for the Dryscan
410D include friction materials,
plastic and rubber composites, GRP/
CFRP in many forms, EB welding,
root pass welds, ceramics, tyres
(automotive and aircraft), wood
laminate and honeycomb sections
in aluminium, stainless steel and
paper.
Sonatest Ltd, celebrating its 50th
anniversary in 2008, is part of the
Sonatest NDE Group, an independent
manufacturer of ultrasonic flaw
detectors, x-ray equipment, scanning
systems, thickness gauges, transducers
and NDT accessories.
Sonatest Ltd – UK
Sonatest’s Dryscan 410D digital flaw detector S S
Dryscan 500 probe ▼ ▼
Digital flaw detector with tunable filter