The Boeing Company
MIXED-DOMAIN ANALYSIS OF ULTRASONIC INSPECTION DATA

Abstract:

A mixed-domain analysis method for evaluation of ultrasonic inspection data is disclosed. A return signal of an ultrasonic waveform applied to an article under inspection is received. The return signal is digitally processed to generate a mixed-domain spectrogram of the return signal. The mixed-domain spectrogram plots ranges of a frequency of the return signal, a time of flight of the return signal, and a power spectral density of the return signal. A data gate having ranges of frequency and time of flight that define an area of interest in the mixed-domain spectrogram is set. At least one of a material characteristic and an anomaly characteristic of the article under inspection is identified based on evaluating one or more time-frequency characteristics of the article under inspection in the area of interest.