INTRODUCTION

Quality-controlled production, pre-service and in-service inspections of piping and vessel welds, turbine shafts, and other steel products such as railroad wheels or railroad tracks for internal discontinuities, cracks and corrosion requires ultrasonic inspection systems with powerful hardware- and complex software components. The scientists and engineers of the Fraunhofer-IZFP have developed a new family of ultrasonic testing systems based on micro-electronic components that permit custom configuration for a wide range of client-specific applications - from simple PC-aided manual ultrasonic inspections through automated inspections using compact and portable systems with up to four channels to sophisticated multi-channel systems for the ultrasonic inspection of heavy components. The inspection software contains modules for setup, examination, analysis and reporting. Various databanks provide substantial information on inspection parameters such as inspection procedure requirements, component geometry and history, material characteristic, heat treatment, operating temperature and pressure, etc. The integration of the SAFT (synthetic aperture focusing technique) analysis module provides three-dimensional views of the inspected zones in various cross-sections, helping the qualified technician to accurately determine type, location and size of detected discontinuities.