Panther™ 2: The High-Speed Inline Ultrasonic Inspection Solution

Performing inline inspections with standard phased array ultrasonic testing systems proves inefficient due to the necessity of waiting for the ultrasound to complete its traversal and return to the probe before initiating the subsequent electronic sequence.

When conducting inline ultrasonic testing of various components like plates, tubes, bars, and composites, manufacturers must adhere to industry standards that demand comprehensive volume inspections while ensuring the necessary sensitivity, repeatability, and productivity to meet customer expectations. To fulfill these requirements, integrators commonly employ phased array ultrasonic testing, or PAUT, systems that offer electronic steering and scanning capabilities. These systems electronically steer and scan an ultrasonic beam across the aperture of the phased array probe, enabling high-speed inspections. However, despite these advancements, the systems are still constrained by a physical limitation: the need to wait for the ultrasound to traverse the entire component and return to the probe before initiating the next electronic sequence. This limitation poses a particular challenge when inspecting thick components.

An advanced ultrasonic testing system offers high-speed inspections, reduces electronic sequences, achieves unparalleled scanning speeds, and maintains sensitivity and repeatability through innovative scanning modes.

The Panther™ 2 phased array ultrasonic testing instrument by Eddyfi Technologies revolutionizes scanning speed, offering a tenfold improvement over conventional inspection systems. To achieve this, the PAUT instrument reduces the number of electronic sequences required for inspections. Equipped with advanced inspection modes, the Panther 2 enhances scanning speed beyond standard linear scans used by other PAUT systems. It introduces two innovative modes: mixed modes, which simultaneously fire up to eight electronic sequences instead of a single one, and a super-fast mode that fires all array elements simultaneously while performing an electronic reception scan.

The solution presents an unrivaled scanning speed for inline applications while ensuring exceptional sensitivity and repeatability. The following scanning speed examples achieved using a single unit with mixed and flash modes highlight their notable advantages over a simple linear scan.