A single transducer ultrasonic imaging method that eliminates the effect of thickness variation
in the image, and its application to plate and hollow tubular ceramic materials, are described. The
method thus isolates ultrasonic variations due to material microstructure. Its use can result in
significant cost savings, because the ultrasonic image, and consequently assessment of material
and manufacturing quality, can be interpreted correctly without the need for precision thickness
machining during nondestructive evaluation stages of material development. The thickness-independent
ultrasonic imaging method is shown to provide more accurate and quantitative
materials characterization as compared to that for conventional ultrasonic c-scan and apparent
velocity images. The method has been commercialized via a cooperative agreement between
NASA Lewis Research Center and Sonix, Inc.