An ultrasonic modeling package, UTSim, has been developed at CNDE. The software can quickly simulate, visualize, and refine ultrasonic inspections. 3-D solid models from CAD packages are read in and used as the basis of the simulation. Physics captured in the software include an ultrasonic beam model combined with several ultrasonic flaw response models. UTSim has been licensed and commercialized by NDE Technologies. Recent work includes the addition of limited anisotropic modeling and reflections from large complex shaped flaws.
UTSIM can make use of many models of an ultrasonic beam ranging from Snell’s Law based ray racing to advanced beam models including the thompson-gray, Gauss-remeete, and multi gausian.
Ultrasound ray tracing can be used for many applciations including:
- Plan inspections, refine positions.
- Wedge selection/design
- Phased array delay laws
- Detailed time of flight information
- Set time gates
- Help interpret A-scans
- Identify shadowing
More recently newer large and small flaw models have been added.
Flaw Response Model Overview
Scan Coverage modeling. No DAC applied (left), Flat Surgface DAC applied (right)