Application
Development and implementation of a process to evaluate the applicability, accuracy, and sensitivity of different NDE methodologies in detecting and sizing defects in seam welds.
AOS products
OEM-PA 128/128, FMC data acquisition software, TFM processing software
Many research activities are being conducted to increase the reliability of NDE results. Due to the variety selection of these systems and techniques, pipeline inspection companies need to adapt or develop their own inspection systems and procedures. This means the inspection results can be different depending on the applied system and procedure.
An inspection campaign was performed to compare traditional Phased Array and FMC/TFM results.
Two acquisition modes were used in this work : pulse-echo (PE) and pitch-catch (PC). PE consists in using the same probe for transmit and receive. In PC, one probe is transmitting and the other is receiving.
Some of the benefits of FMC/TFM technology discovered from this campaign were:
- Provides better perspective
- Improved vertical and horizontal resolution
- Easier to understand images
- Ability to differentiate what is real defect vs geometry echoes
Different Modes
Longitudinal or shear waves, half leg or one leg, from the same FMC data acquisition
Better ability to characterize, size and locate defects.
