Real Time Signal Processing in an Ultrasonic Imaging System

Reliable and repeatable flaw detection and accurate flaw characterization are critical to reliable evaluation of component serviceability. Digital filtering and signal processing techniques can be used in real time to reliably and repeatedly detect flaws even at low signal-to-noise ratios. The same techniques provide near optimum flaw resolution and dimensional precision using standard unfocused transducers. This paper describes these techniques and demonstrates their effectiveness with sample data. The data was processed and collected by an ultra-high-speed general purpose programmable signal processor which is used to detect, locate, and generate images of the component with flaw locations.