Patent ID: 7966860

Claim:
A method for configuring an array of transducers in an ultrasonic test apparatus for detecting flaws in coarse-grained welds with anisotropic behavior for ultrasound propagation, said welds connecting the edges of metal bodies, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one drawing or design of the bodies including the edges of the bodies before being welded, each of said edges comprising at least one facet and generally a plurality of facets with surfaces which are generally angled relative to each other; (b) identifying different facets of the geometry of the edges of the bodies; (c) making at least one drawing or design of a reference plate including a reflector for at least one of the facets and preferably for each of the facets to be inspected; (d) selecting the angles of the transducers such that their beams will reflect perpendicular onto the facets of the edges of the bodies; (e) selecting the positions of the transducers according to the geometry of the edges of the bodies; (f) providing a reference plate including the reflectors as determined in step (c); (g) mounting the transducers to a scanning mechanism in accordance with the selections made in step (d) and (e); (h) connecting the transducers to at least one control unit for transmitting ultrasound and receiving echo signals by means of the transducers and subsequently calibrating by means of the at least one control unit and the reference plate the positions of the transducers relative to the scanning mechanism and calibrating gain and gate settings of the at least one control unit by means of the reference plate wherein step (h) is carried out after step (g) while the transducers are mounted to the scanning mechanism.