• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.15 no.11
• /
• pp.6432-6439
• /
• 2014

The NAUT (Non-contact Air coupled Ultrasonic Testing) technique is one of the ultrasonic testing methods that enables non-contact ultrasonic testing by compensating for the energy loss caused by the difference in acoustic impedance of air with an ultrasonic pulser receiver, PRE-AMP and high-sensitivity transducer. As the NAUT is performed in a state of steady ultrasonic transmission and reception, testing can be performed on materials of high or low temperatures or specimens with a rough surface or narrow part, which could not have been tested using the conventional contact-type testing technique. For this study, the internal defects of spot weld, which are often applied to auto parts, and CFRP parts, were tested to determine if it is practical to make the NAUT technique commercial. As the spot welded part had a high ultrasonic transmissivity, the result was shown as red. On the other hand, the part with an internal defect had a layer of air and low transmissivity, which was shown as blue. In addition, depending on the PRF (Pulse Repetition Frequency), an important factor that determines the measurement speed, the color sharpness showed differences. With the images obtained from CFRP specimens or an imaging device, it was possible to identify the shape, size and position of the internal defect within a short period of time. In this paper, it was confirmed in the above-described experiment that both internal defect detection and image processing of the defect could be possible using the NAUT technique. Moreover, it was possible to apply NAUT to the detection of internal defects in the spot welded parts or in CFRP parts, and commercialize its practical application to various fields.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.14 no.7
• /
• pp.3191-3196
• /
• 2013

Ultrasonic transducer is the sensor which is measuring distance. Piezo ceramic of ultrasonic sensor and adhesive technique of matching layer are the most core techniques. With the study of relation on matching layer which takes off the ultrasonic wave into the air, this paper aims to find the second useful frequency as the results which can be changed are extracted in case piezo ceramic and matching layer are bonded. And the experiment is done with piezo ceramic as real piezoelectric element and matching layer of chemical wood. OD of piezo ceramic has designed by ${\Phi}50{\times}3T$ and OD of matching layer is designed by ${\Phi}62{\times}12t$ with ${\lambda}=1/4$. Acoustic impedance is generated at the most optimum resonant frequency of 53 Khz. As experimental result, more available frequency can be generated by using the adhesive close to solid than the flexible one.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.294-300
• /
• 2013

In this paper, we present performance analysis results of parametric array communication system in terms of theoretical BER and channel capacity of MIMO in underwater AWGN channel by using simplified SNR of difference frequency. The SNR of the difference frequency is calculated by using transmission loss, noise level, and source level of difference frequency in which nonlinear effect is considered. By assuming primary frequencies as 210 kHz and 190 kHz, difference frequency as 20 kHz, transducer diameter as 0.1 m, and noise level as 50 dB and the requested BER as $10^{-4}$, we obtain parametric array communication range gains over the communication system using primary frequency of 59.11 km in fresh water and 5 km in sea water, respectively. Also we obtain range gains of 38.84 km and 46.38 km in fresh water, and 3.88 km and 4.38 km in sea water when we use SISO and $2{\times}2$ MIMO parametric array communications for the channel capacity of 10 bps/Hz.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.287-293
• /
• 2005

Ultrasonic guided waves are gaining increasing attention for the inspection of platelike and rodlike structures. At the same time, inspection methods that do not require contact with the test piece are being developed for advanced applications. This paper capitalizes on recent advances in the areas of guided wave ultrasonics and noncontact ultrasonics to demonstrate a superior method for the nondestructive detection of defects thinning simulating hidden corrosion in thin aluminum plates. The proposed approach uses EMAT(electro-magnetic acoustic transducer) for the noncontact generation and detection of guided waves. Interesting features in the dispersive behavior of selected guided modes are used for the detection of plate thinning. It is shown that mode cutoff measurements provide a qualitative detection of defects thinning. Measurement of the mode group velocity can be also used to quantify depth thinning.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.41-46
• /
• 2012

As the development of MEMS/NEMS structure and application technology the demand for an assessment of the mechanical properties have increased. The mechanical properties are mainly evaluated by using tensile test or ultrasonic wave measurement. However, the new technology have been developed such as nano-indentation, guided wave method because they have a limitation in case of a thin plate and thin film. In the study, the guided wave velocities are measured by electromagnetic-acoustic transducer(EMAT), the material properties of thin metallic foils are obtained using optimization process of the theoretical and experimental group velocity of guided wave. The Young's modulus obtained by the optimization process(201.6 GPa), nano-indentation(207.0 GPa) and literature value(203.7 GPa) of a $50{\mu}m$ thick nickel thin plate shows good agreement within 3%.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.15-21
• /
• 2017

In the active SONAR system, various studies have been carried out to enhance the resolution of a received signal. In order to obtain higher resolution for detecting a bottoming cylindrical object, the design of a planar array for SONAR is investigated in this paper. It is necessary to employ planar structures for SONAR array to obtain narrower beam pattern which gives high resolution. In this study, the transmit frequency of each acoustic transducer, which consists of an array is 13 kHz. For efficient detection of a target of an asymmetric size, the concept of areal angle is applied, which considers resolution according to both azimuth and elevation angles in array design. In the design, the areal angle is first investigated to satisfy the resolution requirements, and then based on the value of areal angles, the azimuth angle and the elevation angle are calculated respectively to design an array.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.25-31
• /
• 1994

A system for EMAT, which generates ultrasound by electro-magnectic forces and performs nondestructive testing in noncontact, was established. By linking it with a 3 axis scanning system and a data acquisition and processing system the automation of EMAT testing was attempted. A EMAT sensor was fabricated and the directivity pattern of it was measured. To be suitable automation, it has a transmitter and a receiver in one case and the main beam direction of it can be controlled by the frequency of driving signal. A program which controls the EMAT system, the 3 axis scanner and the data acquisition and processing system was developed. It also processes acquired data and displays the processing results. IBM-PC/AT compatible PC was used as main controller and the stratage of the program is emulation of real devices on the PC monitor. To provide the performance of the established EMAT system, two aluminium blocks containing artificial flaws and a welded aluminium block were tested. The result of the tests were satisfactory.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.227-239
• /
• 2020

Despite proven effectiveness and accuracy in laboratories, the existing damage assessment based on guided ultrasonic waves (GUWs) or acoustic emission (AE) confronts challenges when extended to real-world structural health monitoring (SHM) for railway tracks. Central to the concerns are the extremely complex signal appearance due to highly dispersive and multimodal wave features, restriction on transducer installations, and severe contaminations of ambient noise. It remains a critical yet unsolved problem along with recent attempts to implement SHM in bourgeoning high-speed railway (HSR). By leveraging authors' continued endeavours, an SHM framework, based on actively generated diffuse ultrasonic waves (DUWs) and a benchmark-free condition contrast algorithm, has been developed and deployed via an all-in-one SHM system. Miniaturized lead zirconate titanate (PZT) wafers are utilized to generate and acquire DUWs in long-range railway tracks. Fatigue cracks in the tracks show unique contact behaviours under different conditions of external loads and further disturb DUW propagation. By contrast DUW propagation traits, fatigue cracks in railway tracks can be characterised quantitatively and the holistic health status of the tracks can be evaluated in a real-time manner. Compared with GUW- or AE-based methods, the DUW-driven inspection philosophy exhibits immunity to ambient noise and measurement uncertainty, less dependence on baseline signals, use of significantly reduced number of transducers, and high robustness in atrocious engineering conditions. Conformance tests are performed on HSR tracks, in which the evolution of fatigue damage is monitored continuously and quantitatively, demonstrating effectiveness, adaptability, reliability and robustness of DUW-driven SHM towards HSR applications.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.83-92
• /
• 2005

An electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) is a unique probe that does not require a couplant or gel and also can usually generate or detect an ultrasonic wave into specimens across a small gap. It, therefore can be applied in a noncontact mode with a high degree of reproducibility. Especially stiffness of composites depends on layup sequence of CFRP(carbon fiber reinforced plastics) laminates. It is very important to evaluate the layup errors in prepreg laminates. A nondestructive technique can therefore serve as a useful measurement for detecting layup errors. This shear wave for detecting the presence of the errors is very sensitive. A decomposition model has been used in the interpretation and prediction of test results. Test results have been com pared with model data. It is found that the high probability shows between tests and the model utilized in characterizing cured layups of the laminates. Also a C-scan method was used for detecting layup of the laminates because of extracting fiber orientation information from the ultrasonic reflection caused by structural imperfections in the laminates. Therefore, it was found that interface C-scan images show the fiber orientation information by using two-dimensional fast Fourier transform (2-D FFT).

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.39-46
• /
• 1997

In this paper, the PA(PhotoAcoustic) signals excited in metals by Xef, KrF excimer laser pulse were detected by a PZT transducer, and its transforming machanism and directivity patterns were analysed. The laser energy density in irradiation spot divides the PA trasnsorming machanism to be classified into thermoelastic and plasma regime, and the transforming machanisms in two regimes are different from each other. Based on theoretical model, it is predicted that shear wave is greater than longitudinal in the thermoelastic regime and longitudinal is greater than shear wave by reaction force in plasma regime. These predictions were verified through experiments by using of the XeF excimer pulsed laser of 480nm center-wavelength and the KrF excimer pulsed laser of 248nm. Also, for its directivity pattern, an arrival angle of the maximum longitudinal energy was around $60^{\circ}$ and maximum shear energy was around $30^{\circ}$ in the thermoelastic regime, and an arrival angle of maximum longitudinal energy was shown on nomal to the surface and maximum shear energy was represented in about $30^{\circ}$ in plasma regime.