Patent ID: 7500396

Claim:
An inspection system for inspecting a generator rotor comprising: a phased-array ultrasound transducer comprising an active face including a plurality of transducer elements formed in an array, said elements configured to be excited in a predetermined sequence to generate a transmission beam of ultrasound energy at a plurality of angles with respect to the active face and configured to be swept through an inspection area, said elements configured to receive ultrasound echoes through the active face; and a wedge-shaped shoe comprising a coupling face configured to couple to said transducer and a transmission face configured to couple to the rotor, said shoe configured to refract the ultrasound transmission beam at a predetermined angle at said transmission face such that the beam enters the component at an angle substantially normal to a load surface of the rotor; wherein said coupling face and said transmission face define a plurality of angles including a first angle selected based on a range of angles oriented such that the ultrasound transmission beam is steered along the load surface of the rotor in a substantially axial direction.