Material testing with ultrasound

The quality of the basic materials used always affects the end result, whether it is construction, cooking or even furniture making. In the case of steel and non-ferrous metals, this is perhaps an even more important factor than elsewhere, moreover, the peculiarity of metallurgical products is that it is not always possible to produce a product that is completely compact and free of material discontinuity. If we do not want this to endanger the stability of a building or a vehicle, the selected basic materials must be carefully examined before they are used. There are destructive and non-destructive methods for testing materials - ultrasonic material testing belongs to the latter category. 

How does ultrasonic material testing work? 

Ultrasonic material testing is based on the principle that high-frequency, directional sound waves propagate evenly through metals with barely any attenuation, but if they reach a fault location or contamination, a part of them is reflected. The information obtained from the location of the reflection can be used to infer the exact location of the discontinuity and its extent, and with their help, cracks can be identified and the quality of the given material can be analyzed. Ultrasonic material testing is performed with a special device that produces short sound pulses that are imperceptible to the human ear, and they penetrate the material being tested. The device is also capable of detecting reflected ultrasound. 

Advantages of ultrasonic material testing 

Ultrasonic material testing is extremely reliable, since it can determine the exact location and size of defects or discontinuities with much greater accuracy than other non-destructive methods. Since the ultrasound barely weakens during propagation, defects hidden deep in thick workpieces can be detected with this method, which is also very sensitive, so even the smallest impurities can be identified with its help. From an occupational health and safety point of view, its great advantage is that it does not pose any danger to the people in the vicinity, nor does it affect other equipment. The results obtained through the ultrasound examination do not require further analysis, they are immediately available, so the necessary decisions can be made on the spot of the examination. 

Among the services of thyssenkrupp Materials Eastern Europe, non-destructive ultrasonic material testing is available, so that we can always provide our customers with the best quality products.