TOFD and Pulse Echo Inspection Technique

for Weld Inspection

pramod.myakal@olympusindustrial.eu

info@rd-tech.com • www.rd-tech.com
 General

 TOFD

 TOFD & Pulse Echo combined Technique

 TOFD and Phased Array combined
technique

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 TOFD

 Description of the TOFD technique

(Theory)
 Advantages
 Limitations
 Codes

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 Diffraction

 Modification or deflection of sound beam

 Sound striking defect causes oscillation

 Ends of defect become point sources

 Not related to orientation of defect

 Much weaker signal than reflected signals

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 Diffraction (2)

 Sharp defects provide best emitters

 Tips signals are located accurately

 Time of flight of tip signals used for sizing

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 The Diffraction Phenomenon

Huygens’ principle:

The incoming wave vibrates

on the defect.

Each point of the defect

generates new
elementary spherical
waves.

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 The Diffraction Phenomenon

Incident
wave Diffracted
waves

All directions
Reflected FLAW
wave Low energy

Independent of
Diffracted incidence angle
waves
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 Basic Setup

2 probes (transmitter, receiver)

Wide beam, longitudinal waves
Symmetrical to the weld center
Diffraction signal detection (high receiver
sensitivity)

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 TOFD Signals

Signals received
•Lateral wave, subsurface
•Back-wall echo
•Mode converted (shear wave) echo
•Diffracted and reflected signals from defects

Define top and bottom of part

Note phase change

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 TOFD Signals

Transmitter Receiver
Lateral wave

Upper tip

Lower tip

Back-wall reflection
 Data Visualization TOFD

 Large amount of data

 Phase information

 Need means to visually detect small

amplitude signals
 Performed by gray scale imaging of RF
signal

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 Data Visualization

White
+
Amplitude

A-scan

Time
- Black

Time
One A-scan picture is replaced by
one gray-coded line

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Data Visualization (TOFD)
A-scan

Indication

Lateral Back-wall
wave
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 Typical TOFD Image
Lateral Wave

Back-wall Echo

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Signals For Different Flaws Using TOFD
Technique

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 Near Surface Crack

1 2

The crack blocks the Lateral Wave

And the lower tip appears on the A-scan
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 Incomplete Root Penetration

1
2

1 2 3 4

Note the two signals from the top & bottom

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 Lack of Root Penetration

1
1

2
3

2
3

Note the inverted phase between LW and defect

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 Lack of Fusion, Side Wall

1
1
2 2
3

4
3

Note the two signals from the top & bottom

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 Porosity

1
2 1

2
3

Porosity may image in many forms

whether individual or cluster
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 Transverse Crack

1
1
2 2
1
3
2

3 4
3

In the LW, we can see the wide beam effect on the crack.

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 Concave Root

1
1
2

2
3
3

Distortion of back-wall echo

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 Lack of Fusion, Interpass

1
2

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 TOFD – Advantages

Diffracted rather than reflected signals

Longitudinal waves
B-scan type imaging (side view)
Accurate sizing capability (height)
Fast scanning
Interpretation of defects
Less sensitive to defect orientation

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 TOFD – Advantages (2)

Coupling status
Repeatable signal
Less operator intensive
Results in “real” units, i.e., mm, inch
Sensitive to grain noise

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 TOFD – Limitations

Blind area – near surface, backwall

Weak signals
Couplant loss
Flaw classification limitation
Interpretation of defects
Sensitive to grain noise
Coarse grained materials

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 Codes and Standard

 British
Standard BS7706
 European EN583

 ASTM E-2373-04

 ASME TOFD Code

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 TOFD Guides Developed

 BS 7706 (1993) Guide to calibration and

setting-up of the ultrasonic time-of-flight
diffraction (TOFD) technique for detection,
location, and sizing of flaws. British
Standards Institute 1993.
 pr EN 583-6 (1995) Nondestructive testing-
ultrasonic examination - Part 6: Time-of-
flight diffraction technique as a method for
defect detection and sizing.

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 TOFD Codes

 ASTM E-2373-04: First actual TOFD code

in print. Similar to other guidelines.
 ASME TOFD Code: Now available. Will
require PE UT for root and cap.
 ASME TOFD Interpretation Manual,
Nonmandatory Appendix N. Describes
types of signals expected and correlates
with defects.

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 ASME Adaptations for TOFD

 ASME VIII Code Case 2235 (2000 Edition)

 Ultrasonic examination to be in accordance
with ASME Section V, Article 4
 “Alternatively, for techniques that do not
use amplitude recording levels, …”.
 This has opened the door for TOFD to be
used on Section VIII pressure vessels

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TOFD & Pulse Echo Combined Technique

 Technique description
 Data Visualization
 Results
 Advantages

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 Technique Description

TOFD
PE 45 SW

PE 60 SW
The MS5800 system allows for
simultaneous acquisition and analysis of
TOFD and P/E

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 Data Visualization for TOFD and PE Combined
Probe movement

45-SW(left) 60 SW (left) TOFD 60-SW(right) 45-SW(right)

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 Inspection results

Here, TOFD cannot find the indication, but PE can

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Advantages of TOFD/P-E Combined Technique
 TOFD is very sensitive to all kinds of
defects
 But it has some significant limitations

 PE is providing the solution to these

limitations
 TOFD/PE combined cover 100% of the
weld during inspection
 Best solution is TOFD and PA; available
now for FOCUS LT, and for OmniScan in
2007.

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TOFD & Phased Array Combined Technique

 Technique Description
 Data Visualization

 Advantages

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 Technique Description
Phased Array (combined scan)

This configuration allow the inspection

of the weld without removing the Cap
 Inspection results

TOFD

Phased Array
Top
Side
End views

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 Technique Description (2)
Zone Discrimination technique

“Tailored” weld inspections

 Typical Mech UT Imaging

•Standard
output has
dual gate
strip chart
for each
channel,
plus
TOFD,
mapping
channels,
couplant
and
position Operator can detect above threshold defects, and size
to number of zones in real-time.
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 Technique advantages

 The inspection is done in a single pass  Fast

scanning
 TOFD  High precision sizing technique

 Real time A,B, and C-Scan imaging

 Quick defect evaluation by clear imaging

 PA Lateral position of defect

 PA Focus Depth adjustable

 Complete aproach because of combination of

2 techniques: TOFD and Phased Array

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