William M Patmos

US Patent:

H1847, Aug 4, 1992

Filed:

Aug 10, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/565524

Inventors:

Paul J. Bylenok - Clifton Park NY
William M. Patmos - Schenectady NY
Thomas A. Wagner - Bronswick NY
Francis H. Martin - Melrose NY

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy - Washington DC

International Classification:

G01N 2900

US Classification:

73602

Abstract:

An ultrasonic thickness measuring and imaging system uses an ultrasonic fsed beam probe for measuring thickness of an object, such as a wall of a tube, a computer for controlling movement of the probe in a scanning pattern within the tube and processing an analog signal produced by the probe which is proportional to the tube wall thickness in the scanning pattern, and a line scan recorder for producing a record of the tube wall thicknesses measured by the probe in the scanning pattern. The probe is moved in the scanning pattern to sequentially scan circumferentially the interior tube wall at spaced apart adjacent axial locations. The computer processes the analog signal by converting it to a digital signal and then quantifies the digital signal into a multiplicity of thickness points with each falling in one of a plurality of thickness ranges corresponding to one of a plurality of shades of grey. From the multiplicity of quantified thickness points, a line scan recorder connected to the computer generates a pictorial map of tube wall thicknesses with each quantified thickness point thus being obtained from a minute area, e. g. 0. 010 inch by 0.