RESUME

L'utilisation de la technique 'TOFD' a ete rendue plus facile par la production de logiciels complets. En plus, un travail considerable a ete effectue pour produire des norms operationnelles pour la technique. Ce papier decrit le logiciel disponible pour l'analyse, la mise en modele et le controle, et indique comment celui-ci est conforme aux normes.

1. INTRODUCTION

Use of the ultrasonic time of flight diffraction technique (TOFD) has eased by the production of the comprehensive data analysis software available on fully digitised ultrasonic systems such as Microplus and Zipscan. In parallel a British Standard has been produced to guide the application of TOFD and work is well underway towards the production of a first draft of a European standard.

Making TOFD inspection easier encourages bigger inspection tasks which generate larger quantities of data. This data must be analysed, preferably on site. Can this data analysis process be streamlined to encourage its use on site? In addition the inspection must be set up so as to maximise its effect. This can be done in advance of the inspection but it is not uncommon that site conditions require a revision to the procedure - can simulation aid this process? Finally there is the question of the aptness of the technique - how will it perform? - are alternatives better?

This paper describes some of the developments that have been carried out to ease decision making processes, to aid conformity with TOFD standards, to improve the speed of data analysis and to allow flaw growth monitoring.

Table of contents |Full Text|

1. INTRODUCTION
2. TOFD STANDARDS
3. CONFORMITY WITH TOFD STANDARDS
4. ESTIMATION OF EFFECTIVITY OF PERFORMANCE
5. SPEED OF ANALYSIS ON SITE
6. CONCLUSIONS