Patent ID: 7010982

Claim:
A method of nondestructively inspecting a machine component for defects using a phased array ultrasonic beam, the method comprising the steps of: identifying an area of interest in the component where at least one defect is expected to be located, providing a transducer probe for emitting the phased array ultrasonic beam, determining a range of angles relative to an angle of incidence at which the transducer probe emits the ultrasonic beam into the component for steering the phased array ultrasonic beam to the area of interest, and thereby keeping the area of interest in view relative to a scan of the transducer probe and thus ultrasonic beam across a sector of a surface of the component where the ultrasonic beam is caused to enter the component, and conducting the sector scan by scanning the transducer probe across the sector surface while the probe is in contact with the sector surface, whereby phased array ultrasonic beam signals emitted from the transducer probe are caused to enter the component at an angle of incidence that changes as the sector surface contacted by the transducer probe changes orientation and then re-acquired and processed to provide a composite view of the area of interest so that a defect indication can be viewed, an entire area of interest being monitored without interruption of the scan.