ULTRASONIC TESTING (UT)

UT is a Non-Destructive Testing method of characterizing the thickness or internal structure of a test piece through the use of high frequency sound waves ranging from 0.1-15 MHz, and occasionally up to 50 MHz. In most common UT applications, these sound waves are transmitted into materials to detect internal flaws or to characterizematerials. High frequency sound waves are very directional, and they will travel through a medium (like a piece of steel or plastic) until they encounter a boundary with another medium (like air), at which point they reflect back to their source. By analyzing these reflections, it is possible to measure the thickness of a test piece, or find evidence of cracks or other hidden internal flaws.

In ultrasonic testing, an ultrasound transducer connected to a diagnostic machine is passed over the object being inspected. The transducer is typically separated from the test object by a couplant (such as oil) or by water, as in immersion testing.