Patent ID: 7650790

Claim:
A method of ultrasonically inspecting a component comprising transmitting an ultrasonic signal from a first ultrasonic transducer into a component having rotational symmetry, detecting the reflected, or transmitted, ultrasonic signal by a second ultrasonic transducer, producing relative rotation between the rotationally symmetrical component and the first and second transducers, producing relative radial motion between the rotationally symmetrical component and the first and second transducers to scan the whole of a surface of the rotationally symmetrical component, storing and analysing all the detected ultrasonic signal, analysing the detected ultrasonic signal by monitoring for ultrasonic signals having an amplitude above a predetermined amplitude and not having rotational symmetry, detecting a defect in the component by detecting a cluster of pixels above the predetermined amplitude, providing an indication that any detected ultrasonic signals above the predetermined amplitude and not having rotational symmetry is a potential defect in the component and providing a permanent record of the ultrasonic inspection in terms of response level, defect position and defect depth.