Abstract:
Ultrasonic scan data is displayed within a display ( 10 ) and is arranged in a plurality of two and three-dimensional colored displays ( 20, 30, 40, 50 ). A C-scan display ( 40 ) is a composite plot of a region of interest using color to designate echo amplitude. The composite plot ( 40 ) is time-gated to limit the range of depths of data presented and thereby limit the plot to a tin section such as a surface. Surface breaking discontinuities ( 100 ) are visible as highly colored echoes within this C-scan display ( 40 ). Within C-scan display ( 40 ), once a discontinuity such as a reflector is detected, additional gates ( 150 - 165 ) may be set which permit other specialized displays such as D-scan ( 50 ) and B-scan ( 20 ) windows to portray the discontinuities. The D-scan plots index direction ( 54 ) against time ( 52 ), and readily displays circumferential reflectors ( 130 - 145 ) therein, while also enabling rapid estimation of the depth ( 142 ) of these reflectors. A B-scan plot ( 20 ) which enables fine profiling of reflectors may be a single pane taken at a single axial location determined by an index cursor ( 168 ), or may alternatively be a composite plot. Various modifications to the basic system are disclosed that further enhance the utility of the display ( 10 ).

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of presently pending U.S. application Ser. No. ______, filed on ______, the contents which are incorporated herein by reference in entirety. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention pertains generally to the field of non-destructive testing of materials, and in one more particular manifestation to a method of examining conduits to more rapidly and precisely detect and measure flaws.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    There are many industrial and commercial applications where a material is most desirably tested, prior to being placed in service or subsequent thereto. In such instances, non-destructive testing methods are required which enable rapid and reliable testing and evaluation. Ultrasonic examination is one such method which has been applied successfully, particularly with metal materials, though not as well as still desired.  
           [0006]    One particular industrial application where ultrasonic testing has proven to be of great value is the testing of heat exchanger tubes such as are used in electric power plants. Plant efficiency and consequent profits can be reduced by removing heat exchanger tubes from service. However, placing or leaving a defective tube in operation in a nuclear power plant could result in radioactive contamination. Using ultrasonic examination, the tubes may be tested even when they are of great length and generally independent of whether they are straight, bent or coiled. Testing may be done prior to placing tubes into service, to identify processing-related discontinuities that have arisen during manufacturing, or after tubes are in service to detect service-related discontinuities. One example of a service related discontinuity is an Outside Diameter Stress Corrosion Crack (ODSCC) which may extend from the outer diameter of a tube towards the inside diameter.  
           [0007]    While discontinuities may require replacement of tubes, not all discontinuities are actually detrimental to continued operation. Consequently, analysis will most preferably be conducted to determine whether a reflector exceeds a critical dimensional limit, or is instead deemed acceptable. Detecting service-related discontinuities in advance of a failure is highly desired, which enables timely replacement or taking the tubes out of service. These tubes are frequently not readily removed from service, and so are most preferably tested prior to installation, and then at intervals between periods of use on location. With such timely detection and sizing of reflectors, the tubes will only be installed when satisfactory, and later replaced or taken out of service only when necessary.  
           [0008]    Components used in ultrasonic examination and applicable to various degree to the present invention are known in the industry. These components may, for exemplary purposes, consist of ultrasonic signal generator and receiver instrumentation, a search unit containing at least one ultrasonic transducer, cabling, data recording equipment and data analysis software. The signal generator creates high-frequency electric pulses that are transmitted through the cabling to the search unit. The search unit will preferably contain at least one piezoelectric crystal or equivalent transducer that converts high-frequency electric pulses into ultrasonic mechanical vibrations. A liquid which has a relatively high efficiency of transmission, will typically serve to couple the transducer to the material to be tested  
           [0009]    Typically, ultrasonic energy generated by the transducer is transmitted by compression wave to the material, and will strike the material at a particular angle of incidence. Generally, a normal angle of incidence will result in reflection from the material back to the transducer, and further reflection from the transducer leading to a bouncing back and forth. However, when the angle of incidence is different from normal (perpendicular) to the surface, part of the energy is refracted in the tube wall, and the incident compression wave is converted into a shear wave within the material. The angle of refraction is governed by Snell&#39;s law and depends on the wave velocity of the liquid and the material under test.  
           [0010]    In the case of a cylindrical tube or other material with parallel surfaces of the wall, the refracted shear wave will continue to propagate in the material, in the absence of defects and surface irregularities, by successively bouncing between outer and inner surfaces. The propagation of ultrasonic energy in material without parallel wall sides or which is not cylindrical can also be predicted and is contemplated herein, but is not specifically addressed herein to avoid further complicating an understanding of the operation of the present invention. In all cases, the refracted shear wave will continue to propagate in the material until dissipated by various mechanisms such as scatter, attenuation, refraction and diffraction.  
           [0011]    When a shear wave encounters a defect or material discontinuity, the refracted shear wave interacts with the defect differently. The defect acts as an internal reflector, and so disrupts the internal propagation and dissipation There are normally two detectable interactions between refracted shear wave and reflectors that are particularly important to the present invention. One is the corner reflection or echo, and the other is the tip echo.  
           [0012]    When the ultrasonic wave hits the root of the crack, the corner formed by the tube wall and the crack root will reflect a portion of the energy. This echo, referred to generally as the corner echo, travels back to the transducer for conversion into a corner signal. Typically, this corner signal is relatively strong and readily detected. There will be a measurable amount of time between generation of the wave and receipt of the echo at the transducer. The amount of time delay is directly related to the distance of travel of the wave in the material, and so the location of the reflector may be readily calculated.  
           [0013]    When the ultrasonic wave hits the tip of a crack, the wave front will bend around the tip of the crack. This phenomenon is known as diffraction. The diffracted wave will produce a radial propagating wave with its center at the crack tip, producing a tip echo that is detected by the transducer and converted into a tip signal. The tip signal is generally a weaker signal than the corner signal, and can be much more difficult to distinguish from background noise. Nevertheless, and like the corner signal, there will be a time delay between generation of wave and receipt of echo which can be used to calculate the location of the tip.  
           [0014]    After the ultrasonic waves are reflected back to the transducer, or to another receiver, the receiver converts the wave into an electrical signal. This signal is typically presented or displayed as an A-scan, which plots time on one axis (typically the X-axis) and signal amplitude on the other axis. Where the X-axis represents time, the horizontal distance between any two signals represent the material distance between the two conditions causing the signals. Using one prior art technique, an inspector moves a search unit along a material under test, while simultaneously interpreting the A-scan signals on a portable ultrasonic instrument. The corner and tip signals are identified, and the separation in arrival time between these two signals, represented by an X-axis displacement between the two signals, is used to calculate the depth of the reflector. This type of inspection requires tremendous training and expertise to accurately interpret the A-scan displays, and a great deal of dexterity and patience to throughly evaluate a reflector. Consequently, the prior techniques have not produced an intuitive and rapid sizing technique.  
           [0015]    As an improvement thereto, computer aided examinations have been devised by the present inventors to include the acquisition and storage of signal time delay, amplitude and transducer position through a large number of transducer positions. The data is then analyzed either in real time or later, using data analysis software. This computer aided examination allows the data to be analyzed in different ways and by different persons. However, the examination has heretofore consumed more time and has been more difficult than desired.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0016]    In a first manifestation, the invention is a method for inspecting a reflector in a material using a non-destructive ultrasound inspection technique which simultaneously decreases the time required for inspection and also improves the quality of inspection. According to the method, an ultrasonic transducer is moved relative to the material through a range of positions within two axes of motion. The ultrasonic transducer is fired at precise locations within the range, and an ultrasonic echo from the material is received back. The ultrasonic echo is converted to an electrical signal having an amplitude representing a strength of the echo. The time difference between firing and receiving an echo is measured. A two-dimensional map of the material is displayed in a planar C-scan view by displaying a time-gated plot of one of two axes against the other, and using a coding scheme to identify relative amplitudes within the plot. A reflector region of interest is determined within the C-scan, and has a first axial starting location on a first axis, a first axial ending location on the first axis, a second axial starting location on a second axis, and a second axial ending location on the second axis. Received echo signal data within the gated reflector region of interest is plotted using the second axis position plotted against time difference, using the coding scheme to identify relative signal amplitudes within the plot to produce a D-scan.  
           [0017]    In a second manifestation, the invention is a method for analyzing recorded ultrasound data. The various steps include: representing recorded ultrasound data using one axis position as one of an abscissa or an ordinate on a Cartesian graph; depicting a magnitude of time as the other of the abscissa or ordinate on a Cartesian graph; plotting recorded ultrasound data using axis position representation and time difference depiction; and color coding a relative amplitude of data within the plot.  
           [0018]    In a third manifestation, the invention is a method for inspecting heat exchanger tubing at discrete times prior to installation and in-situ. According to this manifestation, an ultrasonic transducer passes helically through the tubing, generating ultrasonic pulses at a plurality of circumferential and axial locations. Ultrasonic echoes from the tubing are converted to an echo electrical signal having an amplitude representing a strength of the echoes. The echo electrical signal is transmitted to a signal processor for subsequent processing, calculation and display. A time difference is measured between generating and receiving echoes. The measured time difference is translated into an equivalent material depth within the heat exchanger tubing by using the signal processor, a known ultrasonic wave angle-of-incidence, and aknown ultrasonic wave velocity within the tubing. A two-dimensional map of the tubing in a planar C-scan view is displayed by plotting an ultrasonic wave transit distance gated plot of circumferential angle against axial displacement. A visual characteristic of the two dimensional map correlates to relative amplitude, to operatively enable a viewer to identify echo amplitudes within the map. The extent of a reflector within the tubing is determined, including starting and ending angles on a circumference of the tubing, and axial starting and ending locations of the reflector along a longitudinal axis of the tubing. The echo electrical signal is graphed using circumferential angle plotted against ultrasonic wave transit distance to thereby produce a D-scan. A visual characteristic of the D-scan conforms to a relative amplitude of echo electrical signal, to operatively enable a viewer to identify echo electrical signal amplitudes within the D-scan. Within the D-scan, the inspector selects a starting location of the reflector which represents a singular axial position. This singular axial position is used to map the echo electrical signal circumferential angle plotted against ultrasonic wave transit distance. This map is for all events where the received echo is received from this singular axial position, to produce a B-scan. Visual features are matched with echo electrical signal amplitudes within the B-scan to operatively enable a viewer to identify echo electrical signal amplitudes therein.  
         OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
         [0019]    Exemplary embodiments of the present invention solve inadequacies of the prior art by providing a non-destructive ultrasonic examination analysis method to characterize ultrasonic reflectors such as cracks, defects, flaws, intended features including welds, grooves, machined features, material junctions and other ultrasonic reflectors that may be present in a material. The method is based on generation and analysis of specific and highly beneficial images created from ultrasonic scans.  
           [0020]    A first object of the invention is to reduce the time required to non-destructively test a material. A second object of the invention is to enable an inspector to accurately characterize reflectors by orientation, length, depth and profile, all with less adverse effects from background noise than heretofore available. A further object of the invention is to enable data to be collected and then analyzed at a later time period or by a plurality of inspectors. Yet another object of the present invention is to allow the inspector to gate data to particular ranges of interest, thereby limiting the amount of extraneous information being displayed in any given window. A still further object of the invention is to enable much more data to be displayed in a single window than was heretofore possible through a composite display and with visual amplitude representation. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    The foregoing and other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention can be understood and appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 illustrates a most preferred display organization schematically, arranged in accord with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 illustrates a display organized in accord with the most preferred organization of FIG. 1, displaying data from a sample part having a crack which acts as a reflector.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 illustrates the display of FIG. 2 with the horizontal index gate cursor moved toward a deeper portion of the crack tips.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 illustrates the display of FIG. 3 with the horizontal index gate cursor moved toward a deeper portion of the crack tips, and showing the corner signal. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0026]    Manifested in the preferred embodiment, which is given to illustrate the invention rather than to limit its scope, the present invention provides a simplified and more rapid method for locating and sizing reflectors in a material. The preferred display  10  is organized as illustrated schematically in FIG.  1 , where various measured scan data are arranged in a highly beneficial manner. For the purpose of the present description, which uses a circumferential crack for illustrative purposes, scan direction is parallel to the crack, or circumferential. Index direction is perpendicular or normal thereto, or parallel to the tube axis. Those skilled in the art will recognize, however, that the data may be acquired in different ways and named differently, such that scan direction and index direction may change in orientation or naming, without altering the present inventive method.  
         [0027]    Four scans are illustrated within display  10 , including B-scan  20 , A-scan  30 , C-scan  40 , and D-scan  50 . The B, C and D-scans are generated by data analysis software used for this application from A-scan amplitude data that is gathered at distinct physical locations of the ultrasonic transducer. B-scan  20  plots scan direction on X-axis  22 , which, for a tube having an exemplary circumferential reflector, is the angle of rotation about the tube circumference. Time is plotted on Y-axis  24 , and index direction, which corresponds to axial position along the tube, on Z-axis  26 . Most preferably, A-scan  30  plots time on X-axis  32  and signal amplitude on Y-axis  34 . C-scan  40  plots scan direction on X-axis  42 , index direction on Y-axis  44 , and time on Z-axis  46 . D-scan  50  plots time on X-axis  52 , index direction on Y-axis  54 , and scan direction on Z-axis  56 . Other supplemental scans may be displayed as well, and the placement and orientation of scans will be determined by those skilled in the art at the time of design or utilization of the present invention. For the purposes of the present exemplary embodiment, only these four scans will be discussed. In addition, the data analysis software will most preferably be programmed to process measured transit time into an equivalent material depth, which for display purposes is presented herein as time, by providing constants to the software in advance including the ultrasonic wave angle and wave velocity within the material, and then calculating the material depth from these and the measured transit time using known equations.  
         [0028]    While display  10  in the most preferred embodiment will comprise a video display such as a computer monitor screen or the like, and will therefore be a two-dimensional display not technically capable of displaying the Z-axis, the present invention most preferably provides the user the option to use composite images that present multiple Z-axis single pane images together as a single composite image. While a single pane image provides the advantage of high resolution, only a limited amount of data is available for viewing, and so there will typically be a need for both single pane and composite viewing options. The content of a composite image is controlled by selectively gating the range of Z-dimension data displayed within that view, the benefit which will become apparent herein below.  
         [0029]    B, C and D-scan plots  20 ,  40 , and  50  will also most preferably use some form of color coding, grey scale representation or the like within the plots to illustrate signal amplitude. The color pallet used to represent amplitude will most preferably and advantageously be selectable to emphasize particular portions of data, as will be described herein below. The exact colors or grey scales used are not critical to the invention, though it is most preferable to use colors which represent positive amplitudes that are visually distinct from colors representing negative amplitudes for reasons also better explained herein below. As an example, but certainly not limiting the possibilities, positive signals can vary from green to blue to white as the amplitude signal increases, while negative signals can be represented from yellow to orange to red as the amplitude increases in the negative direction.  
         [0030]    The data which is used to generate display  10  is gathered through an ultrasonic scan of the material, which in the exemplary embodiment is a tube. A helical scan is produced by rotating the search unit while pulling the search unit along the tube axis. Data is collected at precise angular and axial positions that are determined by axial and circumferential encoders or position sensors. At each precise position, an ultrasonic transducer is triggered. A resulting return signal is then processed, in order to generate C-scan display  40 . The processing necessary in order to obtain the C-scan  40  illustrated in FIG. 2 includes gating the time dimension (Z-axis of C-scan  40 ) to include a time range that narrowly encompasses the time required for reflection from the surface of interest. In other words, if a tube is being examined for Outside Diameter Stress Corrosion Cracks (ODSCC), which extend from the outer diameter of a tube towards the inside diameter, then the time band of interest will include the average amount of time required for echoes from outside diameter surface irregularities and imperfections to be returned to the transducer. A small time window will normally be provided, meaning times slightly less and slightly greater than that average amount of time for signals returning from that surface will also be included in C-scan  40 . C-scan  40  consequently provides a two-dimensional map proportional to the outer tube wall scanned area, in the exemplary embodiment having the angular position on the horizontal axis and the tube axis on the vertical axis. Ultrasound corner echoes from a circumferential crack will appear in alignment along the horizontal axis, while an axial crack will align along the vertical axis. In the case of a circumferential crack, as illustrated in the exemplary embodiment, the scan direction is then the angular rotation of the transducer and index direction is parallel to the tube cylindrical axis.  
         [0031]    As illustrated in FIG. 2, C-scan  40  will display corner echoes through amplitude contrast lines  100 ,  105 . When a signal returned from an ultrasonic transducer has the greatest amplitude, this indicates that the ultrasonic transducer is closest to the reflector which is causing the ultrasonic reflection. Internal losses, including scatter, attenuation, refraction, reflection and diffraction, tend to reduce the amplitude of the reflected wave as distance from transducer to reflector increases. Consequently, the use of color or grey-scale representation of amplitude may help an inspector to visually distinguish in the C-scan the position of a reflector, as illustrated for exemplary purposes only by amplitude contrast lines  100 ,  105 , from lower amplitude lines  110 ,  115 .  
         [0032]    Once the location of a reflector is identified in C-scan display  40 , the data for display within B-scan  20  and D-scan  50  is in the most preferred embodiment further gated. Gating refers throughout this disclosure to one of various methods to select or limit the data displayed within a scan to data obtained from a limited range of values that are of interest. In the present exemplary figure, the C-scan data is limited to the outer surface of interest through time gating as already described herein above, while the D-scan data is limited to the index direction region where the reflector exists, and also to the time values that encompass the full width of the material wall. In the preferred embodiment, the index and scan gates are adjusted in the B, C, and D-scan display  40 , and the gate values may be displayed together with a cursor, for example, on display  10  by lines within the scan windows, such as lines  150 - 165  of C-scan  40 , and line  168  of D-scan  50 . Lines  170 - 175  of B-scan  20  are measurement cursors. The selection of whether to display these lines  150 - 168  that represent gating limits and on-screen cursor is a design choice, but is preferred herein for ease of use. Most preferably, the index direction gate is set in the D-scan and the scan gate in the B-scan. The scan gate is set to encompass the reflector&#39;s corner signal where it intersects with the material outside wall signal. In B-scan  20  the scan direction gates are most preferably set to encompass the reflector length, plus preferably a few degrees on each end. The index gate in the D-scan is moved to intersect the reflector.  
         [0033]    D-scan  50  of FIG. 2 displays the same reflector as C-scan  40  of FIG. 2, but this D-scan plots index direction against time. This exemplary illustrated D-scan is formed as a composite mode view, meaning that scan direction forms the Z-axis, and a plurality of single D-scans from different scan positions are compiled together as a single view. D-scan  50  allows an inspector, in a single display, the ability to make an incredibly rapid rough approximation of the depth of a reflector. As shown in FIG. 2, region  120  will typically have color or grey scale amplitude lines that evidence one wall of the material being tested. This region may present amplitude excursions that are visible as long as D-scan  50  represents relative amplitudes by color, grey-scale or the like. Similarly, opposing wall  125  may also be visible, with amplitude excursions. Adjacent to wall region  125  is a corner signal or echo  145 , which, like wall region  125 , will generally have amplitude excursions. Extending from corner signal  145  are three crack tips  130 ,  135 ,  140 . These crack tips  130 - 140  generally produce weaker tip signals, which can be difficult to separate from noise in the A-scan  30  display. However, when plotted as illustrated in D-scan  50  using a gated display, the tips are easily discerned. While it is possible to rapidly estimate the depth of crack tips  130 - 140  directly from D-scan  50 , the precision available and lack of crack profile information is usually inadequate for an inspector to make a truly informed evaluation of a reflector. Consequently, it is preferable to use index cursor  168  to select a single index (z-axis) pane for display as B-scan  20 .  
         [0034]    In the single pane mode for B-scan  20  illustrated in FIG. 2, the use of amplitude representation using color or grey scale allows an inspector to readily visually discern lines which represent various physical features, similar to the D-scan display. In the case of B-scan  20 , lines  180 ,  181 ,  182  represent echoes received from the wall designated by region  120  in D-scan  50 . Wall signals and corner signals show up as visually discernable lines  190 ,  191 , which are also typically accompanied by a large number of tip signals  192 ,  193 . In most cases the corner echo will be measured as a maximum negative amplitude, while the tip signal will produce a maximum positive amplitude signal. Consequently, the use of visually distinct colors or grey scales for positive and negative amplitudes will allow this polarity difference to be more readily discerned.  
         [0035]    The crack profile depth line  195  is established by the analyst and is based on the image generated by the tips. The extent of the tips can be identified in B-scan  20  based on color, grey scale or other visual indicator or coding, since where color is sued the color pallet most preferably represents different values for positive and negative portions of the signal. Noteworthy here is the fact that in the A-scan mode, a single small change in amplitude representing a tip signal is very difficult to correctly distinguish from noise. However, with a large number of data points plotted through the scan direction in the present B-scan  20 , the correct identification of both noise and scan tips is greatly simplified, thereby vastly accelerating the inspection process and improving the overall quality of the results. The point of maximum reflector depth  196  for this single pane B-scan  120  is easily identified.  
         [0036]    As aforementioned, any of the B, C, and D-scans will, in the preferred embodiment, be selected for either single pane mode or composite mode including a plurality of Z-axis plots overlaid upon each other. In the overlay mode, a general approximation of composite information, such as the maximum tip depth  142  from D-scan  50  of FIG. 2, may be easily had. Similarly, composites of B-scan  20  may be generated for a range of index values from the C or D-scan plots. This range may be useful to very rapidly estimate the largest tip values. The composites may be formed from half or full-wave rectified signals, thereby preventing cancellation of large amplitude signals by out-of-phase large amplitude signals. In general, a resulting composite scan will not be as accurate as a single pane view, but it will be much faster to review and evaluate.  
         [0037]    In order to benefit from the precision of a single pane view in B-scan  20 , index cursor  168  will need to be moved through the range of index positions encompassing crack tips  130 ,  135 , and  140 . Using display  10  of FIG. 2, this would require index cursor  168  to be moved vertically, preferably incrementally. Each index position will reveal a new reflector profile and associated maximum reflector depth. The greatest reflector depth for each scan position will be the largest of the associated single pane maximum reflector depths for each position. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the movement of the index cursor  168  to different locations, with the resulting changes to B-scans and the different single pane maximum reflector values  197 ,  198 .  
         [0038]    Once the deepest portion of the reflector has been identified, the base of the reflector corner is identified. This is done by placing the index cursor at the base of the reflector and moving through the corner signal. From this, the reflector corner location is identified.  
         [0039]    To further enhance the performance of the preferred embodiment, a tip signal can be matched with a corner signal by using a 3-D cursor to measure the relative angle between corner and tip signals and confirm if the observed signals come from the same reflector ligament.  
         [0040]    A method to further distinguish the corner and tip extent includes altering the color pallet. Typical corner images, which are normally negative mode signals, can be enhanced by changing the color pallet to display all positive signals as one color, while not changing the negative signal pallet. The resultant reduction in visual clutter simplifies the visual identification of the negative corner image. Similarly and as a separate step when the full pallet is restored, the tip signal can be enhanced by changing the color pallet to display all negative signals as one color, while leaving the positive color pallet unchanged.  
         [0041]    Further enhancements are achieved by reducing the amplitude ranges displayed. For instance, if the threshold for most noise signals are at amplitudes of below one percent and the signal of interest is greater than one percent, the color pallet can be adjusted to only display from one to one hundred percent in the positive mode. This results in a clearer display of the low level positive signals. Further enhancement can be achieved by reducing the upper end of the display. It is important to note that this enhancement is generally most useful when the ranges are selected to maintain, and not eliminate, signals of interest.  
         [0042]    As various data about a reflector is gathered, the data may be further saved or processed to be of value. For example, depth and circumferential positions of both tip and corner signals may be extracted to a spreadsheet or the like, where maximum depth, cracked area, percent cracked area and length may be calculated. In addition, a plot of the positions may be generated.  
       EXAMPLE  
       [0043]    An Inconel tube having a ⅞″ diameter, an 0.050″ wall thickness, and a circumferential ODSCC of known size was scanned, using the circumferential direction as scan reference, and the length of the tube as the index reference. Ultrasonic RF data was collected from the tube using a 15 MHz forty-five degree focused search unit. The time gate used for production of the C-scan was adjusted to encompass the outside surface of the tube, and the results are illustrated in C-scan  40  of FIG. 2. Next, the index gates were adjusted in C-scan  40  to encompass the ODSCC, to produce a D-scan composite image  50  that presented the corner and associated tip signals for the entire ODSCC. An estimate was made, at that time, from the image displayed by D-scan  50 , of the maximum overall depth of the ODSCC. The ODSCC was then profiled in B-scan  20  by moving index gate  168  into and through the entire ODSCC signal presented in D-scan  50 . The maximum initial positive mode location of the tip signal and the maximum initial negative mode for the corner signal were identified over the length of the ODSCC. Depth and circumferential positions of both tip and corner signals were extracted to a spreadsheet, where maximum depth, cracked area, percent cracked area, and length were calculated. The sample used for this example was then destructively tested metallurgically to measure the crack size. Table 1 provides a comparison of the present invention and metallurgical results.  
                                             TABLE 1                                   Present Invention   Metallurgical                                        ODSCC Area   0.0171 in 2     0.0166 in 2             ODSCC Length   80 Degrees   84 Degrees           Maximum Depth   91% through wall   96% through wall                      
 
         [0044]    While the foregoing details what is felt to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, no material limitations to the scope of the claimed invention are intended. Further, features and design alternatives that would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be incorporated herein. The scope of the invention is set forth and particularly described in the claims hereinbelow.