Patent ID: 7908923

Claim:
A method of non-destructively testing a work piece, comprising: placing the work piece within an active field of a positioning system; detecting a geometry of the work piece by a step selected from the group consisting of: determining a position of specific transponders fixed to the work piece, by the positioning system, and scanning at least parts of the contour of the work piece with a transponder of the positioning system; establishing a frame of reference of the work piece based on the geometry of the work piece in coordinates of the positioning system; acquiring testing data for the work piece with a non-destructive testing probe, wherein the probe has a transponder of the positioning system, while the position of the testing probe is recorded by the positioning system; transforming the position of the testing probe into an intrinsic position defined with respect to the frame of reference of the work piece; and assigning the intrinsic position of the testing probe to the testing data recorded at the respective position, wherein an ultrasonic testing probe is used, wherein the ultrasonic testing probe has an ultrasonic sensor wheel with a tread penetrable for ultrasonic waves, and wherein ultrasonic pulses are emitted through the tread into the work piece, wherein a reflected fraction is received.