title: Applications of flexible ultrasonic transducer array for defect detection at 150 °C.
abstract: In this study, the feasibility of using a one dimensional 16-element flexible ultrasonic transducer (FUT) array for nondestructive testing at 150 °C is demonstrated.  The FUT arrays were made by a sol-gel sprayed piezoelectric film technology; a PZT composite film was sprayed on a titanium foil of 75 µm thickness. Since the FUT array is flexible, it was attached to a steel pipe with an outer diameter of 89 mm and a wall thickness of 6.5 mm at 150 °C. Using the ultrasonic pulse-echo mode, pipe thickness measurements could be performed. Moreover, using the ultrasonic pulse-echo and  pitch-catch modes of each element of FUT array, the defect detection was performed on an Al alloy block of 30 mm thickness with a side-drilled hole (SDH) of f3 mm at 150 °C.  In addition, a post-processing algorithm based on the total focusing method was used to process the full matrix of these A-scan signals of each single transmitter and  multi-receivers, and then the phase-array image was obtained to indicate this defect- SDH. Both results show the capability of FUT array being operated at 150 °C for the corrosion and defect detections.
authors: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University, 3480 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2K6, Canada.
authors: Jeanne-Louise
authors: JL
authors: Shih
authors: Kuo-Ting
authors: KT
authors: Wu
authors: Cheng-Kuei
authors: CK
authors: Jen
authors: Chun-Hsiung
authors: CH
authors: Chiu
authors: Jing-Chi
authors: JC
authors: Tzeng
authors: Jiunn-Woei
authors: JW
authors: Liaw