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EP-4740038-A1 - WATER RETAINER FOR BAR INSPECTION SYSTEM (BIS)

EP4740038A1EP 4740038 A1EP4740038 A1EP 4740038A1EP-4740038-A1

Abstract

In a non-destructive inspection system, an iris structure can be used to provide access to an interior of a couplant chamber, in a manner that can reduce or minimize loss of couplant from the chamber. The iris structure can be mechanically actuated by the object under test, such as displacing one or more arms that are linked to respective blades in the iris structure that define a variable opening. At least one acoustic inspection probe assembly can be used to generate acoustic transmissions or receive acoustic echo signals, where the at least one acoustic inspection probe assembly is acoustically coupled to the object under test through a couplant liquid housed by the couplant chamber.

Inventors

  • Gagnon-Lachance, Christian
  • TRACHY-CLOUTIER, Justin
  • LEMELIN, Xavier

Assignees

  • Evident Canada, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240704

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A non-destructive inspection system, comprising: a couplant chamber to house a couplant liquid; a first gate to an interior of the couplant chamber, the first gate comprising an iris structure defining a variable opening to pass an object under test; and at least one acoustic inspection probe assembly configured to generate acoustic transmissions or receive acoustic echo signals, the at least one acoustic inspection probe assembly acoustically coupled to the object under test through the couplant liquid.
  2. 2. The non-destructive inspection system of claim 1, wherein the iris structure is configured to adjust a size of the variable opening in response to actuation of at least one control arm by the object under test, to adapt to a profile of the object under test.
  3. 3. The non-destructive inspection system of claim 2, wherein the iris structure is configured to increase a size of the variable opening in response to actuation of three control arms by the object under test.
  4. 4. The non-destructive inspection system of claim 3, wherein the three control arms configured to center the object under test.
  5. 5. The non-destructive inspection system of any of claims 1 through 4, wherein the iris structure is biased to close the variable opening in an absence of an object under test passing through the variable opening to suppress loss of the couplant liquid from the couplant chamber.
  6. 6. The non-destructive inspection system of any one of claims 1 through 5, wherein the iris structure comprises respective movable blades, the movable blades defining the variable opening.
  7. 7. The non-destructive inspection system of claim 6, wherein the movable blades comprise a polymer material.
  8. 8. The non-destructive inspection system of any of claims 6 or 7, wherein the movable blades are configured to pivot to vary a size of the variable opening.
  9. 9. The non-destructive inspection system of claim 8, wherein a first end of a movable blade amongst the movable blades is anchored to a first ring and a second end of the movable blade is anchored to a second ring; and wherein the first ring is configured to rotate relative to the second ring.
  10. 10. The non-destructive inspection system of claim 9, wherein the first ring and the second ring each rotate in directions opposite each other.
  11. 11. The non-destructive inspection system of any of claims 9 or 10, wherein the first end or the second end of the movable blade can translate relative to the first ring or the second ring using a slot structure.
  12. 12. The non-destructive inspection system of claim 11, wherein the movable blade comprises the slot structure.
  13. 13. The non-destructive inspection system of any of claims 1 through 12, comprising a centering assembly configured to align the object under test with a centerline passing through the variable opening and an acoustic inspection region within the couplant chamber nearby the acoustic inspection probe assembly.
  14. 14. The non-destructive inspection system of any of claims 1 through 13, comprising a conveyer configured to move the object under test axially.
  15. 15. The non-destructive inspection system of any of claims 1 through 14, comprising a second gate comprising another iris structure at an end of the couplant chamber opposite the first gate, the first and second gates configured to suppress loss of the couplant liquid, as the object under test is introduced, is moved through, and exits the first and second gates.
  16. 16. The non-destructive inspection system of any of claims 1 through 15, wherein the at least one acoustic inspection probe assembly is configured to float within a specified range of motion to track a location of the object under test.
  17. 17. The non-destructive inspection system of any of claims 1 through 16, wherein the object under test comprises a metallic bar.
  18. 18. A method for performing non-destructive inspection, the method comprising: establishing a couplant liquid in a couplant chamber; introducing at least a portion of an object under test through a first gate to an interior of the couplant chamber, the first gate comprising an iris structure defining a variable opening to pass the object under test; and using at least one acoustic inspection probe assembly, generating acoustic transmissions or receiving acoustic echo signals including acoustically coupling the acoustic transmissions or acoustic echo signals between the at least one acoustic inspection probe assembly and the object under test through the couplant liquid; wherein the iris structure is actuated to adjust a variable opening to adapt to a profile of the object under test.
  19. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the iris structure is actuated to adjust a size of the variable opening in response to actuation of at least one control arm by the object under test.
  20. 20. The method of any of claims 18 or 19, wherein opening or closing the iris structure comprises pivoting respective movable blades comprising the iris structure, the movable blades defining the variable opening.

Description

WATER RETAINER FOR BAR INSPECTION SYSTEM (BIS) CLAIM OF PRIORITY [0001] This patent application claims the benefit of priority of Gagnon-Lachance et al., U.S. Provisional Patent Application Number 63/512,235, titled “WATER RETAINER FOR NON-CONTACT BAR INSPECTION SYSTEM (BIS),” filed on July 6, 2023 (Attorney Docket No. 6409.269PRV), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE [0002] This document pertains generally, but not by way of limitation, to nondestructive testing, and more particularly, to apparatus and techniques for providing inspection of elongate objects such as bars using a couplant reservoir having a variable input or exit opening (or both) established using an iris structure. BACKGROUND [0003] Non-destructive testing (NDT) can refer to use of one or more different techniques to inspect regions on or within an object, such as to ascertain whether flaws or defects exist, or to otherwise characterize the object being inspected. Examples of non-destructive test approaches can include use of an eddy-current testing approach where electromagnetic energy is applied to the object and resulting induced currents on or within the object are detected, with the values of a detected current (or a related impedance) providing an indication of the structure of the object under test, such as to indicate a presence of a crack, void, porosity, or other inhomogeneity. [0004] Another approach for NDT can include use of an acoustic inspection technique, such as where one or more electroacoustic transducers are used to insonify a region on or within the object under test, and acoustic energy that is scattered or reflected can be detected and processed. Such scattered or reflected energy can be referred to as an acoustic echo signal. Generally, such an acoustic inspection scheme involves use of acoustic frequencies in an ultrasonic range of frequencies, such as including pulses having energy in a specified range that can include value from, for example, a few hundred kilohertz, to tens of megahertz, as an illustrative example. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE [0005] Acoustic testing, such as ultrasound-based inspection, can include focusing or beam-forming techniques to aid in construction of data plots or images representing a region of interest within the test specimen. Use of an array of ultrasound transducer elements can include use of a phased-array beamforming approach and can be referred to as Phased Array Ultrasound Testing (PAUT). For example, a delay-and- sum beamforming technique can be used such as including coherently summing timedomain representations of received acoustic signals from respective transducer elements or apertures. A Total Focusing Method (TFM) beamforming technique can be used where one or more elements in an array (or apertures defined by such elements) are used to transmit an acoustic pulse and other elements are used to receive scattered or reflected acoustic energy, and a matrix is constructed of time-series (e.g., A-Scan) representations corresponding to a sequence of transmit-receive cycles in which the transmissions are occurring from different elements (or corresponding apertures) in the array. Such a TFM approach where A-scan data is obtained for each element in an array (or each defined aperture) can be referred to as a “full matrix capture” (FMC) technique. [0006] In one application, PAUT or other acoustic inspection techniques can be used to provide non-destructive testing of elongate structures such as bars (e.g., metallic bars such as steel bars). In a Bar Inspection System (BIS), a reservoir (such as referred to as a couplant chamber) can house an acoustic coupling medium or “couplant,” generally water, and active surfaces of an acoustic probe array are immersed in the couplant along with a portion of the object under test. The object under test is generally translated relative to the probe array, such as inserted into or through one or more gates to an immersed region where the probe array can be acoustically coupled with the object under test. As shown and described herein, a gate forming a portion of a non-destructive inspection system can include an iris structure. The present inventors have recognized, among other things, that the iris structure can be used to provide access to an interior of a couplant reservoir, in a manner that can reduce or minimize loss of couplant from the reservoir as compared with other approaches. The iris structure can be mechanically actuated by (or otherwise controlled in response to) the object under test, such as displacing one or more arms that are linked to respective blades in the iris structure. For example, an actuator ring can rotate in response to linear displacement by the object under test, to displace (e.g., slide or rotate) respective blades in the iris structure. Such displacement of the blades can control a diameter of variable opening (e.g., a variable aperture) through which the