Patent ID: 6347550
Filing Date: 2002-02-19
Classification: B61K,G01M,G01N

Abstract:
A process for ultrasonic testing of a test specimen comprised of different parts or different materials, said test specimen having a running surface which moves along a travel surface of a support with a moving line of contact between the running surface of the specimen and the travel surface of the support;wherein at least two ultrasonic probe elements are arranged within the support to emit ultrasonic waves into the specimen at a predefined angle to the normal of the support and to receive ultrasonic waves reflected from striking flaws within the specimen; wherein out of a number (m) of probe elements which are arranged as a linear array within a groove in the support, a predefined number (M) of a subgroup of probe elements is activated or deactivated, respectively, the number (m) being at least equal to the quotient of the circumference of the running surface and the width of the individual probe elements arranged side by side as measured in longitudinal direction of the support; wherein for ultrasonic testing of the specimen, the probe elements of the respectively activated subgroup are controlled with a runtime delay such that the ultrasonic waves are introduced with horizontal polarization into a volume area of the specimen and are reflected by any flaws; wherein a detection unit is used to determine the entrance of the specimen into the probe array and to calculate the speed of the specimen; and wherein the respective subgroups of probes which are located proximate the contact line of the running surface on the traveling surface are synchronously activated and deactivated as a function of the speed of the specimen.