Patent ID: 9672187
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: G01M,G01N,G06F

Claim:
1. A method for guided wave non-destructive testing comprising: providing a waveguide structure to be non-destructively tested, the waveguide structure including a bend section such that the waveguide structure's axis or plane of symmetry changes direction, a first section on a first side of the bend section and a second section on a second side of the bend section that is opposite the first side; providing at least one ultrasonic guided wave transducer coupled to the first section of the waveguide structure; predicting, using a computer employing an algorithm which includes a mathematical representation of the waveguide structure and the computer employing at least one set of initial wave conditions, at least one wave propagation path from the at least one ultrasonic guided wave transducer; identifying, using the at least one predicted wave propagation path, at least one set of insonifying initial wave conditions, each at least one set of identified insonifying initial wave conditions being a set of initial wave conditions that corresponds to a predicted wave propagation path from the at least one ultrasonic guided wave transducer to a region of interest in the second section; selecting one or more sets of identified insonifying initial wave conditions from the at least one set of identified insonifying initial wave conditions; calculating, by the computer using the algorithm, guided wave excitation parameters for insonification of the region of interest within the second section of the waveguide structure with at least one ultrasonic signal from the at least one ultrasonic guided wave transducer on the first section of the waveguide structure, the calculated guided wave excitation parameters being based on the one or more selected sets of identified insonifying initial wave conditions; transmitting the at least one ultrasonic signal according to the calculated guided wave excitation parameters from the at least one ultrasonic guided wave transducer through the first section and the bend section to the second section of the waveguide structure; and insonifying the region of interest with at least one ultrasonic signal according to the calculated guided wave excitation parameters transmitted by the at least one ultrasonic guided wave transducer.