• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.223-230
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• 2018

This study examines a non-contact laser scanning-based ultrasound system, called an angular scan pulse-echo ultrasonic propagation imager (A-PE-UPI), that uses coincided laser beams for ultrasonic sensing and generation. A laser Doppler vibrometer is used for sensing, while a diode pumped solid state (DPSS) Q-switched laser is used for generation of thermoelastic waves. A high-speed raster scanning of up to 10-kHz is achieved using a galvano-motorized mirror scanner that allows for coincided sensing and for the generation beam to perform two-dimensional scanning without causing any harm to the surface under inspection. This process allows for the visualization of longitudinal wave propagation through-the-thickness. A pulse-echo ultrasonic wave propagation imaging algorithm (PE-UWPI) is used for on-the-fly damage visualization of the structure. The presented system is very effective for high-speed, localized, non-contact, and non-destructive inspection of aerospace structures. The system is tested on an aluminum honeycomb sandwich with disbonds and a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) honeycomb sandwich with a layer overlap. Inspection is performed at a 10-kHz scanning speed that takes 16 seconds to scan a $100{\times}100mm^2$ area with a scan interval of 0.25 mm. Finally, a comparison is presented between angular-scanning and a linear-scanning-based pulse-echo UPI system. The results show that the proposed system can successfully visualize defects in the inspected specimens.

• Composites Research
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• 제29권5호
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• pp.288-292
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• 2016

본 연구에서는 전영역 초음파전파영상화 시스템이라 불리는 새로운 초음파전파영상화 장치를 소개한다. 본 시스템은 비파괴적으로 구조를 2 축 선형 이동 스테이지 기반으로 검사한다. 일치된 초음파 센싱과 가진 레이저 빔이 구조를 스캔하며 동시에 펄스-에코 모드 레이저 초음파를 수집한다. 이 과정은 스캔영역만큼 큰 두께 방향의 전영역 초음파를 생성하는 것을 가능하도록 한다. 본 시스템을 사용하여 실제로 운용 중인 알루미늄 허니콤 구조 기반의 CN-235의 도색된 샌드위치 조종면를 검사 및 평가하고 구조 검사 결과로써 전영역 초음파전파 영상을 소개하였으며 기존 초음파 탐상 기법의 결과와 비교하여 성능 및 민감도를 검증하였다.

• 비파괴검사학회지
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• 제25권6호
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• pp.459-466
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• 2005

The scanning laser source (SLS) technique has been proposed recently as an effective way to investigate small surface-breaking defects, By monitoring the amplitude and frequency changes of the ultrasound generated as the SLS scans over a defect, the SLS technique has provided enhanced signal-to-noise performance compared to the traditional pitch-catch or pulse-echo ultrasonic methods, An extension of the SLS approach to map defects in microdevices is proposed by bringing both the generator and the receiver to the near-field scattering region of the defects, To facilitate near-field ultrasound measurement, silicon microcantilever probes are fabricated using microfabrication technique and their acoustical characteristics are investigated, Then, both the laser-generated ultrasonic source and the microcantilever probe are used to monitor near-field scattering by a surface-breaking defect.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제26권5호
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• pp.657-666
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• 2020

A rotational pulse-echo ultrasonic propagation imager that can inspect cylindrical specimens for material nondestructive evaluations is proposed herein. In this system, a laser-generated ultrasonic bulk wave is used for inspection, which enables a clear visualization of subsurface defects with a precise reproduction of the damage shape and size. The ultrasonic waves are generated by a Q-switched laser that impinges on the outer surface of the specimen walls. The generated waves travel through the walls and their echo is detected by a Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV) at the same point. To obtain the optimal Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of the measured signal, the LDV requires the sensed surface to be at a right angle to the laser beam and at a predefined constant standoff distance from the laser head. For flat specimens, these constraints can be easily satisfied by performing a raster scan using a dual-axis linear stage. However, this arrangement cannot be used for cylindrical specimens owing to their curved nature. To inspect the cylindrical specimens, a circular scan technology is newly proposed for pulse-echo laser ultrasound. A rotational stage is coupled with a single-axis linear stage to inspect the desired area of the specimen. This system arrangement ensures that the standoff distance and beam incidence angle are maintained while the cylindrical specimen is being inspected. This enables the inspection of a curved specimen while maintaining the optimal SNR. The measurement result is displayed in parallel with the on-going inspection. The inspection data used in scanning are mapped from rotational coordinates to linear coordinates for visualization and post-processing of results. A graphical user interface software is implemented in C++ using a QT framework and controls all the individual blocks of the system and implements the necessary image processing, scan calculations, data acquisition, signal processing and result visualization.