Patent ID: 6904806
Filing Date: 2005-06-14
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A system for determining the depth of a case hardened portion of a test part, said system comprising: an electronic indenter tool, said indenter tool including a body portion and a tip mounted thereto, said tip being positioned in contact with an outer surface of the hardened portion, said indenter tool further including a detector mounted within the body portion; a device for generating sound waves in the part, said sound waves being reflected off of a transition between the hardened portion and an unhardened portion of the part, said reflective waves propagating into the tip and being detected by the detector, said detector generating an electrical signal indicative of the intensity of the reflected sound waves received by the detector; and a controller, said controller being responsive to the electrical signal from the detector, said controller determining the depth of the hardened portion based on the time of flight the sound waves propagate in the test part.