- Email: [email protected]
GUI interface for instrumentation recorder
-New equipment abstracts of scientific papers from journals, conferences, reports, patents, books and other sources. Its coverage started in 1967, and contains some papers back to 1937. It currently contains over 52 000 records, and is updated with 3000 records per year. It will continue to be accessible via AEA Technology's National Nondestructive Testing Centre. Selections from the N DT Database are published in each issue of this journal in the 'N DT abstracts' section.
National ND T Centre, 465 Harwell, AEA Technology, Oxon OX11 ORA, UK
The use of ultrasonic TOFD, which was pioneered by AEA Sonomatic, has been taken up by organizations including the MoD, TWl (the Welding Institute), National Power, Nuclear Electric, BNFL, BP Oil, Chevron, Unocal, Shell and Kemira Fertilizer in the UK, power utilities in the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, Alcoa of Australia, Vicon-Groner of Norway and ABB-TRC of Sweden.
AEA Sonomatic, 20 Rivington Court, Hardwick Grange, Woolston, Warrington WA 1 4RT, UK
TOFD technique covered by British Standard
GUI interface for instrumentation recorder
The ultrasonic time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD) technique for detection, sizing and location of flaws is now the subject of a British Standard, BS 7706 (1993).
A graphical user interface (GUI) is available on Racal's advanced portable instrumentation recorder, Storeplex. The GUI allows all functions to be controlled through a computer and viewed on-screen, enabling the rapid transfer of signal data directly from tape to a computer file.
Among the benefits of TOFD are high inspection speed and the ability to generate easily interpreted graphical images of the inspected area. The technique is reproducible, can be applied at high operating temperatures and can be used for component fingerprinting. Proven data- processing techniques such as synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT) can be used to optimize reporting accuracy for structural integrity assessment. The technique enables colour graphic D-scan images of the item being inspected to be generated in real time. This image is similar to that produced by radiography, and is easily interpreted, allowing decisions on condition to be made without delay.
The addition of the GUI makes many tasks easier, particularly
for engineers who are running automated instrumentation systems or who employ computer-based data analysis techniques. The interface was developed upon the LabVIEW graphical program from National Instruments. All parameters such as tape deck controls and signal channel set up are viewed and controlled via the computer's monitor, providing an intuitive and efficient operating interface. LabVlEW also provides easy access to signal analysis applications and allows the user to customize applications for specific mission requirements. Several GUI options are available as virtual instruments for operations in the LabVIEW environment to provide control (via an IEEE interface) and data transfer (via a SCSI-2 interface). Versions of these virtual instruments can run on PC-AT, Macintosh and SunSparc hosts. A further option provides the control GUI as an executable application for operation on PCs in the Windows environment.
Racal Recorders Limited, Hardley Industrial Estate, Hythe, Southampton, SO4 6ZH, UK
The graphical user interface on the Storeplex portable instrumentation recorder enables rapid transfer of signal data
NDT&E International 1994 Volume 27, Number 2
117
National ND T Centre, 465 Harwell, AEA Technology, Oxon OX11 ORA, UK
The use of ultrasonic TOFD, which was pioneered by AEA Sonomatic, has been taken up by organizations including the MoD, TWl (the Welding Institute), National Power, Nuclear Electric, BNFL, BP Oil, Chevron, Unocal, Shell and Kemira Fertilizer in the UK, power utilities in the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, Alcoa of Australia, Vicon-Groner of Norway and ABB-TRC of Sweden.
AEA Sonomatic, 20 Rivington Court, Hardwick Grange, Woolston, Warrington WA 1 4RT, UK
TOFD technique covered by British Standard
GUI interface for instrumentation recorder
The ultrasonic time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD) technique for detection, sizing and location of flaws is now the subject of a British Standard, BS 7706 (1993).
A graphical user interface (GUI) is available on Racal's advanced portable instrumentation recorder, Storeplex. The GUI allows all functions to be controlled through a computer and viewed on-screen, enabling the rapid transfer of signal data directly from tape to a computer file.
Among the benefits of TOFD are high inspection speed and the ability to generate easily interpreted graphical images of the inspected area. The technique is reproducible, can be applied at high operating temperatures and can be used for component fingerprinting. Proven data- processing techniques such as synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT) can be used to optimize reporting accuracy for structural integrity assessment. The technique enables colour graphic D-scan images of the item being inspected to be generated in real time. This image is similar to that produced by radiography, and is easily interpreted, allowing decisions on condition to be made without delay.
The addition of the GUI makes many tasks easier, particularly
for engineers who are running automated instrumentation systems or who employ computer-based data analysis techniques. The interface was developed upon the LabVIEW graphical program from National Instruments. All parameters such as tape deck controls and signal channel set up are viewed and controlled via the computer's monitor, providing an intuitive and efficient operating interface. LabVlEW also provides easy access to signal analysis applications and allows the user to customize applications for specific mission requirements. Several GUI options are available as virtual instruments for operations in the LabVIEW environment to provide control (via an IEEE interface) and data transfer (via a SCSI-2 interface). Versions of these virtual instruments can run on PC-AT, Macintosh and SunSparc hosts. A further option provides the control GUI as an executable application for operation on PCs in the Windows environment.
Racal Recorders Limited, Hardley Industrial Estate, Hythe, Southampton, SO4 6ZH, UK
The graphical user interface on the Storeplex portable instrumentation recorder enables rapid transfer of signal data
NDT&E International 1994 Volume 27, Number 2
117