Ultrasonic Techniques for Inspecting Multi-Layer Composite Components

Abstract

This paper discusses an ultrasonic inspection system designed to inspect thick, multi-layer composites. The system combines a flexible ultrasonic array and the synthetic pulse technique. The array can rapidly inspect large areas and produce C-scan images of inspection results. The synthetic pulse technology can achieve both improved penetration and range resolution in highly attenuative test pieces. The method synthesizes a broad-band ultrasonic pulse by transmitting a series of tone bursts at discrete frequencies and then computing the inverse Fourier transform of the received data. The