Inspecting the Hull: NDT Equipment for Civilian and Military Hull Maintenance

Due to the complex nature of nondestructive testing (NDT) hull maintenance tests, analysts need a special set of NDT procedures and methods. Hull damage can stem from a variety of factors, such as heavy stress, precarious weather conditions, or even poor maintenance. To streamline maintenance, technicians should use ultrasonic testing equipment that can read aberrations on a volumetric level.

Ultrasonic testing (UT) equipment can adapt to the unconventional contours of hull welding and provide enhanced alignment mechanisms. Additionally, UT provides specialized techniques—such as phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT)—which come with flexible probing options and augmented scanning features. Let’s take a closer look at the best UT instruments for NDT hull inspections.

What is the Best UT Technique to Use for NDT Hull Inspections?

The best method for hull welding is UT scanning. There are several reasons for this, including:

• Many UT scanners can cover large areas efficiently and confidently. 
• A volumetric campaign provides a wide view of underlying damage. 
• Scanning provides an objective data point in which users can assess indications that could lead to widespread hull degradation. 
• Many UT scanners can adapt to the flat or the curved nature of hulls

So, the next question becomes, how do you select the right UT equipment?. 

What UT Equipment is Best for NDT Hull Inspections? 

UT equipment comes in many forms, but scanning technology is among the best techniques for hull examinations. For instance, a paintbrush scanner can provide full coverage of the testing radius. A paintbrush scanner can ensure a thorough hull testing regimen in the following ways:

• Minimal training time needed. 
• Two encoded wheels that can follow the scanning position in real-time.
• The ability to pinpoint the slightest hint of material loss.
• Magnetic wheels which can stick to metallic hulls without fail.
• Some of the most accurate data for hulls suffering from erosion, corrosion, or pitting.

Since the scanner can conform to different shapes and sizes, it can outperform other NDT equipment lacking adaptable functionality. For instance, a paintbrush scanner surpasses standard X-Y probing because it provides a wider mapping schematic than a simple X-Y mapping plan. An X-Y map with two axes may not conform to curvaceous surfaces, resulting in skewed data and maladjustments that can hamper the inspection process. An inspector may choose a wheel probe scanner instead, but a scanner of this magnitude cannot read the second axis, which can cause inaccurate data. 

Through its encoded wheels, however, a paintbrush scanner provides enough leeway to scan flat and curved patterns without the worry of poor adjustments or limited mapping schemes. On the other hand, a scanner of this caliber isn’t possible without impeccable instrumentation that combines resolute screening and adept magnification measures. 

What Should I Look for in UT Instrumentation?

While scanners can read curved hulls with ease, the instrumentation behind the scanners determines higher detection probabilities and faster data processing. And the software can make a difference in the data-gathering process and help to reduce the need for manual setup and other time consuming efforts. Overall, a PAUT instrument with embedded software can enhance hull inspection efforts by:

• Including a total focusing method (TFM) which can read up to one million data points per frame.
• Providing online and offline data analysis.
• Augmenting the phased array techniques. 
• Providing time-of-flight diffraction.

The software can help guide the probe in the correct position and calculate the necessary parameters, securing a resolute inspection setup. Moreover, it provides basic calibration attributes that allow analysts to begin the inspection process more promptly, dispelling the need for extensive training or intensive preparation stages.

PAUT affords users multiple beaming angles and wave beam customizations that can detect additional abnormalities in a single scanning session. PAUT differs from standard UT due to its ability to provide more than one angle from a single probe, amounting to fewer probe changes and faster inspection. More importantly, users can probe for defects in greater depth, further penetrating thick areas of hull welding and using linear scanning that enables precise coverage during testing.

How Can I Achieve Thorough Inspection of NDT Hull Damage?

Analysts can secure an expeditious NDT campaign with UT scanners, which detect small and large inconsistencies with buffered prominence. With the aid of advanced software, analysts can further magnify and study all forms of aberrations with greater clarity, giving maintenance departments more time to correct the damage. The scanner can also track the position of the scan with stellar precision, ensuring that all areas of the test radius are adequately covered. 

Overall, technicians will get an NDT hull inspection result with complete data and a greater understanding of the hull’s integrity. With that said, a scanner is more effective when it’s made by trustworthy NDT providers who invest in innovative technologies. High-quality scanners should have an impeccable probability of detection that can find dangerous flaws, saving maintenance departments on repair costs and preserving the safety of passengers and crew members. 

Zetec is a major provider of UT equipment that is designed to detect many types of hull damage in the form of pitting, cracking, corrosion, and abrasions. Contact us today to get some of the best UT equipment on the market and a tailored inspection plan.