Scorpion B-Scan Manual Rev 6.0 PDF

SCORPION B-SCAN
Dry Coupled Remote Access Ultrasonic Crawler

Scorpion B-Scan
Operating Manual
Silverwing UK Ltd Units 30 - 31 Cwmdu Industrial Estate, Carmarthen Road, Swansea, SA5 8JF Wales, UK
t: +44 (0) 1792 585533 f: +44 (0) 1792 586044 e: support@silverwingndt.com w: www.silverwingndt.com
SCORPION B-SCAN
Dry Coupled Remote Access Ultrasonic Crawler
Operating Manual
Scorpion B-Scan Operating Manual V 6.0
Table of Content
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3
2. General Description ...................................................................................................................... 4
2.1. Scorpion B-Scan Crawler .................................................................................................... 4
2.2. Sitemaster30 battery box ..................................................................................................... 5
2.3. Control Module .................................................................................................................... 5
2.4. Steering Control Pad ........................................................................................................... 6
2.5. Portable Ultrasonic Module (UT400) ................................................................................... 6
2.6. Netbook PC.......................................................................................................................... 6
2.7. Battery Extender .................................................................................................................. 6
2.8. B-Scan Software .................................................................................................................. 6
3. System Connections..................................................................................................................... 7
3.1. Short RG174U leads ............................................................................................................ 7
3.2. Connecting the Umbilical Cables to the Scorpion Crawler .................................................. 7
3.3. Control Module .................................................................................................................... 7
3.4. Connecting the Sitemaster 30 to the Control Module .......................................................... 8
3.5. Connecting the Umbilical cables to the Ultrasonic Module ................................................. 8
3.6. Connecting the Ultrasonic Module to the Netbook .............................................................. 9
4. System power ON ...................................................................................................................... 10
4.1. Setup of the Sitemaster 30 ................................................................................................ 10
4.2. Setup of Netbook ............................................................................................................... 10
4.3. Setup of Ultrasonic Module................................................................................................ 11
4.4. Set up of the Battery Extender........................................................................................... 11
5. Handling the Scorpion crawler ................................................................................................... 13
5.1. Placing the Scorpion crawler into the test surface ............................................................ 13
5.2. Removing the Scorpion crawler from the test surface ....................................................... 13
6. Driving the Scorpion Crawler ...................................................................................................... 14
7. Scorpion Crawler Adjustment ..................................................................................................... 15
7.1. Wheel Probe Normalisation ............................................................................................... 15
7.2. Wheel Probe Height ........................................................................................................... 16
8. Scorpion B-Scan Software ......................................................................................................... 18
8.1. Load the Scorpion B-Scan Software ................................................................................. 18
8.2. Menu Panel ........................................................................................................................ 18
8.3. Activating the Ultrasonic Module ....................................................................................... 18
9. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Setup Wizard ............................................................................... 19
9.1. Velocity Setup .................................................................................................................... 19
9.2. Ultrasonic Setup ................................................................................................................ 20
9.3. Gates Setup ....................................................................................................................... 22
9.4. Encoders ............................................................................................................................ 24
9.5. Inspection Details .............................................................................................................. 25
10. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Manual Ultrasonic Setup .............................................................. 26
10.1. Setting Transducer Mode .................................................................................................. 26
10.2. Setting Transducer Frequency .......................................................................................... 26
10.3. Adjusting Material Velocity................................................................................................. 27
10.4. Adjusting Ultrasonic Parameters ....................................................................................... 27
10.5. Adjusting the Measurement Gates .................................................................................... 28
10.6. Calibration checks ............................................................................................................. 28
11. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Manual Encoder Calibration ........................................................ 29
12. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Manual Inspection Setup ............................................................. 30
12.1. Entering Inspection Details ................................................................................................ 30
12.2. Units ................................................................................................................................... 30
12.3. Resolution .......................................................................................................................... 30
13. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Saving and Recalling settings ...................................................... 31
13.1. Saving Settings .................................................................................................................. 31
13.2. Recalling Saved Settings ................................................................................................... 31
14. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Acquiring and Saving B-Scans .................................................... 32
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14.1. Acquiring a B-Scan ............................................................................................................ 32

14.2. Resolution .......................................................................................................................... 33
14.3. Saving a B-Scan ................................................................................................................ 34
15. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Viewing / Analysing Saved B-Scan .............................................. 35
15.1. Recalling a saved B-Scan.................................................................................................. 35
15.2. Viewing a B-Scan Profile ................................................................................................... 36
15.3. Measurement Gate Adjustment ......................................................................................... 36
15.4. Replaying a B-Scan ........................................................................................................... 36
15.5. Colour Options ................................................................................................................... 37
15.6. Statistic .............................................................................................................................. 37
15.7. Marker Lines ...................................................................................................................... 38
15.8. Cross Hairs ........................................................................................................................ 38
15.9. B-Scan Zoom ..................................................................................................................... 39
15.10. B-Scan Measure Function ................................................................................................. 39
16. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Copying / Printing Saved B-Scans ............................................... 41
16.1. Image Copy Function ......................................................................................................... 41
16.1.1. Copy AScan ....................................................................................................................... 41
16.1.2. Copy B-Scan Profile .......................................................................................................... 41
16.1.3. Copy a B-Scan area of interest ......................................................................................... 41
16.2. Save Image Function ......................................................................................................... 42
16.2.1. Save B-Scan as a bitmap image ....................................................................................... 42
16.2.2. Save B-Scan as JPEG ....................................................................................................... 42
16.2.3. Save A-Scan as Bitmap ..................................................................................................... 43
16.2.4. Save a B-Scan area of interest as a bitmap image ........................................................... 43
16.3. Printing B-Scans ................................................................................................................ 43
17. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Exporting *.CSV B-Scan data ...................................................... 44
17.1. Delimiter Settings ............................................................................................................... 44
17.2. Exporting as a *.CSV ......................................................................................................... 45
17.3. Importing a *.CSV file into Microsoft Excel ........................................................................ 45
18. Software Installation and Updating ............................................................................................. 47
18.1. Scorpion B-Scan Netbook ................................................................................................. 47
18.2. Scorpion B-Scan FS .......................................................................................................... 47
18.3. Hiding the Task Bar on the Netbook .................................................................................. 47
18.4. Updating Scorpion B-Scan software .................................................................................. 48
18.5. Ultrasonic Module Drivers .................................................................................................. 49
18.6. Resetting the Scorpion B-Scan stored settings ................................................................. 51
19. Hardware battery and charging information ............................................................................... 52
19.1. Ultrasonic Module .............................................................................................................. 52
19.1.1. Ultrasonic Module Battery removal and charging .............................................................. 52
19.1.2. Ultrasonic Module charge cycle and LED indicator ........................................................... 54
19.2. Netbook.............................................................................................................................. 54
19.3. Battery Extender ................................................................................................................ 54
19.4. Sitemaster30 battery box ................................................................................................... 54
19.4.1. Charging Sitemaster30 battery box ................................................................................... 55
20. Scorpion B-Scan Scanner Care and Maintenance .................................................................... 56
20.1. Scanning Head component identification and location ..................................................... 56
20.2. Wheel Probe / Transducer ................................................................................................. 57
20.2.1. Wheel Probe Removal ....................................................................................................... 58
20.2.2. Wheel Probe Servicing ...................................................................................................... 58
20.2.3. Wheel Probe Replacing ..................................................................................................... 59
20.3. Cleaning Pad ..................................................................................................................... 60
20.4. Crawler Drive Wheels ........................................................................................................ 60
20.5. Encoder.............................................................................................................................. 60
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1. Introduction
The Scorpion B-Scan system is a B-Scan profile imaging system. The Scorpion B-Scan
system has been developed to perform ultrasonic thickness measurements on ferrous
material. The crawler system can be used on vertical surfaces such as oil storage tank
shells, or towers and stacks. It can also be used on circumferential surfaces including
horizontal pressure vessels and spheres as well as above and below horizontal surfaces.
The minimum outside diameter the crawler can inspect both circumferentially and axially are
1.5m. The minimum internal diameters the crawler can inspect are 1.5m axially and 3m
circumferentially. The maximum surface temperature the Scorpion B-Scan crawler can
continuously operate on is 80oC.
The Scorpion B-Scan system comprises of:

 Scorpion crawler, fitted with a 5MHz Dry Coupled Wheel Probe
 Sitemaster 30 battery box
 Control Module
 Steering Control Pad
 Portable Ultrasonic Module (UT400)
 Netbook PC
 Battery Extender
 30 meter Umbilical Cable
Upon receipt of the Scorpion B-Scan system ensure that all battery powered equipment, are
fully charged. These including:
 Sitemaster 30
 Ultrasonic Module (UT400)
 Netbook PC
 Battery Extender
Failure to comply may result in serious system failures.
Figure 1: Scorpion B-Scan system

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2. General Description
2.1. Scorpion B-Scan Crawler

The Scorpion B-Scan crawler contains four DC motor units which are used to drive the four
70 mm diameter drive wheels. These motors can be driven synchronously in forward or
reverse, or independently in pairs of left or right hand side for steering. Centred between the
wheels, in the belly of the crawler is a large magnet assembly ensuring the crawler adheres
to the scanning surface. Mounted within the rear wheels are ring magnets which assist with
traction while inverted. The combined clamping pressure of the magnets is approximately 50
lbs when used on flat plate. The crawler is fitted with an optical encoder mounted on the side
of the crawler. This supplies positional information of the Scorpion crawler to the B-Scan
software for recording along with the UT data.
Figure 2: Scorpion B-Scan Crawler
On top of the main chassis is the umbilical cable connector box. In front of this box are two
SMC bulkhead connectors, to which the two short transducer leads connect to the dual
elements of the wheel probe. At the rear of the box there is one Fischer connector to which
the umbilical cable is connected and two colour coded BNC connectors to which the
umbilical UT cables are connected. At the rear of the chassis is a cable restraint pillar that is
used to anchor the Umbilical cable restraint clip on the umbilical cable. The cable restraint
must always be used to prevent premature damage to the Umbilical cable or connectors.
The Scorpion B-Scan crawler utilises the Silverwing UK Ltd TWP12 dry-coupled wheel
probe. The wheel transducer assembly is attached to the main chassis by a parallelogram
hinge system to keep the transducer normal to the surface. The wheel transducer itself can
be normalised using the adjusting nuts on the top arm of the parallelogram. The two small
nylon wheels mounted towards the front of the transducer assist in lifting the wheel probe
clear of welds. The two larger nylon wheels mounted each side of the wheel probe
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transducer are designed to minimise compression of the wheel probe tyres over uneven
surfaces. Compression of the wheel probe tyres may result in irregular B-scan traces.
The forward magnet maintains sufficient contact pressure between the wheel probe and the
test surface. The wheel transducer is kept clean and free of dust by the cleaning pad,
housed in a container mounted above the forward magnet.
Operational Safety
Personnel must keep clear of area immediately below the Scorpion B-Scan crawler at
all times during operation.
A suitable safety line must be attached to the attachment point at the front of the
Scorpion B-Scan crawler at all times during operation.
Safety Line
Attachment Point
2.2. Sitemaster30 battery box

The Sitemaster30 12v battery box provides power to the Scorpion crawler and the Control
module. It has an integral charger and is fitted with an audible low voltage alarm to prevent
the crawler becoming trapped in inaccessible areas due to loss of power. The Sitemaster30
provides 8 hours continuous operation from a full charge.
2.3. Control Module

The lightweight control module provides an interface between the Scorpion Crawler, the
UT400, the steering control pad and the Sitemaster30. It also houses the crawler motor
control circuitry.
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2.4. Steering Control Pad

The Steering Control pad provides forward, reverse, left and right steering control for the
Scorpion crawler as well as a Stop button to halt its movement.
2.5. Portable Ultrasonic Module (UT400)

The battery powered UT400 processes the ultrasonic and encoder information from the
Scorpion Crawler. The UT400 must always be fully charged prior to use.
The UT400 will operate continuously for 11 hours from a fully charged battery. The UT400
connects to the Netbook computer (supplied) via the lockable USB cable. For safety and
freedom of movement purposes, the UT400 is supplied with a shoulder bag for site use.
2.6. Netbook PC
A Netbook is supplied, pre-installed with Microsoft Windows operating system and the
Scorpion B-Scan software for data capture and analysis. The battery powered Netbook
provides up to 6 hours continuous operation (model dependant).
2.7. Battery Extender

The battery extender provides an additional 4 ½ hours of power to the Netbook.
2.8. B-Scan Software

The Scorpion B-Scan software is optimised for use on the supplied Netbook computers. The
package comprises of the standard UT Flaw Detector controls, such as Gain, Delay, Range
and Gate adjustments, all of which are displayed on the same screen as the active A-scan
display and the B-scan image.
If desired, B-Scan profiles can be printed directly from the software or if preferred, the easy
to use image copying tools can be employed to export recorded A-Scan and B-Scan
thickness images. These images can then be directly incorporated into other Windows
software packages such as Microsoft Word or Excel.
The Scorpion B-Scan software also features several measurement tools such as vertical
measure, horizontal measure, all of which can be employed to accurately measure recorded
scans.
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3. System Connections
3.1. Short RG174U leads

The two short leads connect the wheel probe to the lid of the crawler. At each end there is a
SMC free plug. One end connects to the SMC bulkhead socket at the end of the wheel
transducer axle and the other end connects to the SMC connector in front of the connector
box. These connectors should only be “hand” tightened and on no account should any tools
be used to tighten them. Either side of the transducer can be used as a transmitter or
receiver.
3.2. Connecting the Umbilical Cables to the Scorpion Crawler

Secure the Umbilical Cable restraint clip to the restraining post at the rear of the crawler.
Connect the Umbilical Cable to the umbilical cable connection box, ensuring the red dot on
the cable connector lines up with the red dot on the bulkhead socket.
Connect the two Umbilical UT connectors to the BNC connectors on the Umbilical
connection box ensuring that the colour codes on the connectors are observed.
Failure to observe the Red / Black colour codes when connecting the umbilical cable
to the crawler will prevent any back-wall echoes being displayed.
Figure 3: Scorpion Crawler Umbilical Connectors
3.3. Control Module

Connect the Umbilical Cable to the Fischer socket on the front of the Control Module
ensuring the red dot on the cable connector lines up with the red dot on the bulkhead socket.
Connect the Sitemaster30 power cable to the socket marked 12vDC IN at the front of the
control module.
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Connect the steering control pad to the socket at the left side of the control module. Connect
the 9-Way D-type encoder cable to the socket at the right side of the control module.
Do not over tighten the securing posts of the connector
Figure 4: Scorpion Control Module
3.4. Connecting the Sitemaster 30 to the Control Module

Connect the Sitemaster30 power supply cable to the outlet on the left side of the Sitemaster
30 casing.
3.5. Connecting the Umbilical cables to the Ultrasonic Module

Connect the 25-way parallel connector at the other end of the Umbilical cable to the socket
marked I/0 on the front of the UT400.
Do not over tighten the securing posts of the connector
Figure 5: UT400 connection for encoder and UT connectors
The two BNC connectors are required for the UT signal, one for TX (Transmit) and the other
for RX (Receive). These connectors are colour coded to ensure they are connected
correctly. The red colour connector must be connected to the BNC connector marked TX, as
shown in Figure 5.
Failure to observe the Red / Black colour codes when connecting the umbilical cable
to the UT400 will prevent any back-wall echoes being displayed.
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3.6. Connecting the Ultrasonic Module to the Netbook

The provided lockable USB lead it used to connect the UT400 to the Netbook. To attach the
lockable USB cable:
1. Remove the blue dust cap by unscrewing anticlockwise.
2. Attach the locking end of the USB cable to the rear of the UT400.
3. Rotate the blue collar clockwise to lock the cable in place, as shown in Figure 4.
4. The remaining loose end of the USB cable connects to the USB 2.0 port on the
netbook PC.
Figure 6: UT400 rear USB port
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4. System power ON
Connect the system as described in section 3 before powering on the Sitemaster30, UT400
or Netbook.
4.1. Setup of the Sitemaster 30

Open the Sitemaster30 lid and set the power switch to 12v Out.
Check the battery status ensuring the needle is in the green.
Figure 7: Sitemaster30 power switch
4.2. Setup of Netbook

Power on the Netbook, shown below in figure 9, by pressing the power switch found on the
computer. Once on it automatically boot into Windows operating system. To prolong battery
life it is recommended that the Wi-Fi be disabled.
Figure 8: Netbook computer
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4.3. Setup of Ultrasonic Module

The Ultrasonic Modules MUST be fully charged before use.
1. Before powering the UT400 on:
a. Ensure the USB cable is connected to the Netbook.
b. The Netbook is powered on and the B-Scan software is loaded (refer to
section 8.1).
2. Set the power switch to the ON position. The power switch illuminates blue and the
battery indicator led will illuminate to indicate the battery voltage.
Battery Indicator LED

Green = Full Power
Amber = Intermediate Power
Red = Requires Charging
Power Switch
Illuminated Blue = Power On
Figure 9: UT400 Switches
During operation should an audible alarm sound then the UT400 must be charged. Refer to
section 19 for Hardware Charging information.
4.4. Set up of the Battery Extender

If prolonged use is expected, it is recommended that the Netbook is powered firstly via the
Battery Extender. Once the Battery Extender is flat, the Netbook will then be powered from
its own integrated battery.
Figure 10: Battery Extender

Located at the front of the Battery Extender is the output voltage connector.
The remaining power can be seen on the top of the battery extender along with the voltage
output, voltage output selector button and the power button.
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Figure 11: Front and Top of the Battery Extender

Connecting the UMPC to the Battery Extender
When connecting the UMPC to the battery extender use the power cable provided, and only
fit the Yellow tip on the power cable.
DO NOT attempt to power the Netbook using the USB port.
1. Turn on the Battery extender by pressing the power button.
2. Ensure the output voltage is set to 19V by repeatedly pushing the V button.
Figure 12: Top of the Battery Extender

3. The Yellow tip of the power cable connects to the Netbook AC power connector
Figure 13: Yellow tip of power cable

4. The cable must be connected to the DC OUT connector at the front of the battery
extender.
Figure 14: DC Out connector of the Battery Extender
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5. Once connected to the Netbook the battery extender can be switched ON. The
Battery Charge LED on the Netbook will illuminate, indicating the charge status.
5. Handling the Scorpion crawler

The Scorpion crawler weighs approximately 6kg. Extreme care must be taken when handling
the Scorpion crawler due to the magnetic pull from the wheels, crawler body and scanning
head assembly. Before handling, ensure the power to the crawler is switched OFF.
DANGER
Care MUST be taken whilst positioning the crawler on the test surface to avoid
jarring the carriage or transducer.
Never attempt to hold, touch or reposition the Scorpion crawler during use.
The crawler has an extremely powerful attractive force towards any ferromagnetic
object. Serious injury can result if limbs or tissue become trapped between such
objects and the crawler.
5.1. Placing the Scorpion crawler into the test surface

Pick up the crawler at the front and rear. Using a finger from the front hand, lift the wheel
transducer assembly to the maximum distance away from the test surface allowed by the
parallelogram hinge.
Place the rear wheels of the crawler on the test surface first then gently lower the front
wheels to the surface. Finally allow the wheel transducer to lower onto the surface.
Connect a suitable safety line to the Safety line attachment point on the lid of the crawler, as
shown in section 2.1.
5.2. Removing the Scorpion crawler from the test surface

Removing the crawler is the reverse of the above. Lift the wheel transducer assembly away
from the test surface, then the front wheels and lastly the rear wheels.
Always remember there are very strong magnets located on the underneath of the crawler
and inside the rear wheels which will attract and be attracted to any ferrous material.
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6. Driving the Scorpion Crawler

The steering keypad unit is used to control the movement of the crawler. The forward and
reverse buttons are latching whereas the steering buttons only operate while pressed. To
disengage the two latching buttons and stop the crawler, press and hold the stop button for a
minimum of 3 seconds.
No crawler movement is controlled using the B-Scan software package.
Forward Drive Stop

(Latching)
Steer Left Steer Right

(Momentary) (Momentary)
Reverse Drive
(Latching)
Figure 15: Steering keypad buttons
When selecting a scan line, check to see that there are no obvious obstructions. Check that
the driving wheel tyres, all four are driven, have not become polished. If necessary roughen
the rubber by a gentle rub with 120 grit emery cloth.
On painted vertical surfaces, check the surface condition. It is common for the paint to
bloom with age creating a powdery deposit on the surface. Rain tends to wash this deposit
to the lower courses and the thicker layers of powder can be quite slippery, especially when
wet. If the surface is slippery it may be wise to set the crawler on a diagonal course,
straightening up as the top courses are reached.
The system will be able to take a straight, vertical run on the descent.
Before climbing, ensure the safety line has been attached to the front of the crawler and
ensure the wheel probe has been lowered onto the surface and that UT signals are being
received by the software.
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7. Scorpion Crawler Adjustment

The only adjustments available on the crawler system are for normalising the wheel
transducer and adjusting the height of the wheel transducer.
7.1. Wheel Probe Normalisation

This adjustment is only required when a new wheel transducer is fitted, when any
component in the parallelogram hinge has been replaced, or if the curvature of the test
surface has changed.
To carry out normalising adjustments, the system needs to be mounted on a steel plate,
connected and powered on, as described in section 3 and 4. The software must be initialised
with the A-Scan backwall echoes displayed on screen as described in section 8 through 10.
With the system set up as above:
1. Obtain at least two back wall echoes, and adjust the system gain so that the first
back wall echo is about 60% full screen height.
2. Slacken the rear-adjusting nut four or five turns then slowly tighten the front adjusting
nut whilst observing the ultrasonic signals.
FRONT ADJUSTING NUTS

REAR ADJUSTING
NUTS
Figure 16: Scorpion Probe Normalisation adjusting nuts
3. If the first backwall echo immediately begins to FALL – STOP TIGHTENING THE
FRONT NUT. Immediately re-tighten the rear nut and then slacken the front nut four
or five turns.
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4. Then slowly tighten the rear nut and observe the ultrasonic signals, which should be
RISING.
5. When the first backwall echo reaches a maximum and starts to fall, Stop adjusting
the rear nut and lock up the front nut.
The transducer is now normalised and the wheel probe height should now be checked.
7.2. Wheel Probe Height

The wheel probe height should be adjusted so that the large diameter nylon wheels each
side of the wheel probe just make contact with the test surface. To do this:
1. Loosen the wheel probe clamp screws.
WHEEL PROBE
CLAMP SCREWS
Figure 17: Scorpion Wheel Probe Clamp Screws
2. Turn the wheel probe height adjustment screws until the correct height has been
achieved. Both height adjustment screws must be turned equal amounts to ensure
the wheel probe does not point to one side.
 If the wheel probe is set too high, there will be insufficient pressure between the
wheel probe and the test surface resulting in low amplitude back wall echoes.
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 If the wheel probe is set too low, the nylon guide wheels will not make contact
with the test surface which may cause irregular B-scan images due to changes in
wheel probe tyre compression.
WHEEL PROBE HEIGHT

ADJUSTMENT SCREWS
Figure 18: Scorpion Wheel Probe Height Adjustment Screws
3. To complete the adjustment, re-tighten the wheel probe clamp screws.
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8. Scorpion B-Scan Software
8.1. Load the Scorpion B-Scan Software

Load the Scorpion B-Scan software by clicking the Scorpion B-Scan desktop icon. Once
loaded the software appears on screen, as shown in figure 19.
Figure 19: Loaded Scorpion software
8.2. Menu Panel

Clicking the Menu button on the right hand side of the software window opens the
Menu Panel, shown in Figure 20. The options available here are also found in the
Menu bar above the A-Scan display. Close the Menu Panel by clicking on the green
tick button.
Figure 20: Menu Bar Panel
8.3. Activating the Ultrasonic Module

Each time the software is loaded, communication between the Scorpion B-Scan software
and UT400 requires initialising. To activate the communication click the large Initialise
Interface button on the software. Alternatively navigate through the menu bar by click
Control and Initialise Interface.
Before initialising the software ensure the UT400 is connected to the Netbook via the
USB cable, the software is loaded and that the UT400 is powered ON.
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9. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Setup Wizard

The Scorpion B-Scan software incorporates a setup wizard which can be used for the setup
of a new scan. Here Velocity parameters, Ultrasonic parameters, Gates parameters,
Encoder parameters and inspection details can be entered in a step by step guide. To
access the setup wizard click File and Setup Wizard. Shown below in Figure 21 is the
Setup Wizard screen. The progress through the setup is displayed on the left panel and a
help box for each step can be displayed by clicking the ? button.
The setup begins by choosing either Single Crystal or Twin Crystal mode.
When using the Scorpion B-Scan always select Twin Crystal. Click Next to continue.
Figure 21: Scorpion B-Scan Setup Wizard
9.1. Velocity Setup

If the velocity of sound for the material to be inspected is known it can be entered using the
keypad. Alternatively the material can be selected from the velocity lookup list. If the velocity
is entered manually ensure the onscreen enter key is pressed prior to clicking Next to
continue the setup.
Figure 22: Velocity Setup window
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9.2. Ultrasonic Setup

The Ultrasonic settings must be calibrated for the software to accurately report thicknesses.
This calibration is an automated process and involves using two test samples with different
known thickness.
Figure 23: Ultrasonic Setup window
To setup the Ultrasonic settings:
1. Place the Scorpion B-Scan crawler onto the thicker of the two test samples
2. Click Auto Adjust to set the gain such that the first back-wall echo peak is set to
80% full screen height. The + and – buttons can be used to manually adjust the gain
value if required.
Figure 24: Gain Auto Adjust
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3. Using the onscreen number pad, enter the thickness in mm of the test sample which
the Scorpion B-Scan crawler is placed on. Once entered press the number pad enter
key.
Figure 25: Thickness entered into number pad for the thicker test sample
4. Place the Scorpion B-Scan crawler onto the thinner of the two test samples
5. Using the onscreen number pad, enter the thickness in mm of the test sample which
the Scorpion B-Scan crawler is placed on. Once entered press the number pad enter
key.
Figure 26: Thickness entered into number pad for the thinner test sample.
6. A confirmation box is displayed asking to confirm if the calculated current setting

values are acceptable.
 Click Yes to apply the current values and to continue the setup.
 Click No if the current values are not acceptable. This will allow the Ultrasonic
setup to be repeated.
Figure 27: Calculated setting values.
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9.3. Gates Setup

The software features 2 simple measurement gates which are used to display thickness
measurements on screen. By default Gate 1 is represented by a red line on the A-scan
display and when enabled, Gate 2 is represented as a green line on the A-scan display.
To create a B-Scan profile it is necessary to setup at least one gate. If the A-Scan signal
drops below the gate level no B-Scan profile is generated.
Gate 1
This gate is active by default and the software calculates wall thickness by measuring from
the zero point on the time base up to the first echo that crosses the gate. The digital
thickness measurement is displayed in red to the right of the gate settings.
Gate Trigger
Set the gate Trigger point to either Flank or Peak.
 When set to Flank the software will measure up to the point where the gate meets
the left hand flank of the back wall echo.
 When set to Peak the software will measure up to the highest point (peak) of the
back wall echo crossing the gate.
The Start, Length and Level of the gate can be adjusted by using the arrow buttons.
By default the gate colour is red but can be changed by clicking on the colour box at the top
of the window
Figure 28: Gate 1 Setup
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Gate 2 (Echo to Echo)

To activate this gate, select the Gate 2 (E-E) tab and place a tick in the Gate 2 box.
Gate 1 should be positioned to cross the first back wall echo. Gate 2 should be positioned to
cross the second back wall echo. The software calculates thickness by measuring from the
point where the first back wall echo crosses gate 1 to the point where the second back wall
echo crosses gate 2.
Figure 29: Gate 2 (E-E) Setup
Once the gate has been set, the Delay can be adjusted until correct thickness
measurements are obtained.
Click Next to continue the though the setup wizard.
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9.4. Encoders
The encoder must be calibrated to ensure correct distance measurements are recorded. It is
possible to save encoder calibrations and recall them at a later date.
Before calibration is performed the system must be connected and powered on as described
in section 3 and 4, and the UT400 must be initialised as described in 8.3.
Figure 30: Encoder Setup

To perform an encoder calibration:
1. Place the Scorpion B-Scan crawler on a smooth, ferrous surface and mark a
reference point on the surface in relation to a fixed point on the scanner
2. Click Start.
3. Move the crawler forward a minimum of 300mm. Mark a 2nd reference point in
relation to the fixed point on the scanner
4. Click Stop
5. Measure the distance exactly between the two reference points
6. Enter this figure into the Distance Moved box
7. Click Calculate – this displays a calibration value in the Calibration Factor box. The
expected value, with the Scorpion B-Scan scanner is around 7 to 8.
8. A scanner description can be entered if required.
The calibration can be saved for later use by clicking Save then entering a suitable file name
and save location.
To recall the encoder calibration, click Open and select the relevant file.
Click Next to continue the though the setup wizard.
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9.5. Inspection Details

The inspection details must be entered into the relevant fields. All fields are mandatory. The
use of the Windows Microsoft onscreen keyboard is required to enter inspection details.
The Today button automatically enters the date, according to date set in the operating
system into the Test Date field.
The Clear Details button clears any text from all fields.
Figure 31: Inspection Details
Click Finish to complete the setup wizard.
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10. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Manual Ultrasonic Setup

As well as using the B-Scan Setup wizard to automatically set the Ultrasonic settings, refer
to section 9, the settings can also be manually entered or adjusted using the parameter
adjustment panels within the software.
10.1. Setting Transducer Mode

The Scorpion B-Scan is fitted with a twin crystal transducer. To set the transducer to Twin
mode:
 Click System
 Ensure Single Crystal is un-ticked.
Once set the mode is displayed onscreen, below the cursor position.
Figure 32: Mode display
10.2. Setting Transducer Frequency

The Scorpion B-Scan is fitted with a 5 MHz transducer. To open the Filters window:
 Click System
 Click Filters
Ensure the following setting:
 Filter Frequency is set to 3.5 – 7.0 MHz
Figure 33: Digital Filters menu
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10.3. Adjusting Material Velocity

To access the velocity panel click System and select Velocity. The software has a default
velocity of 5960 M/sec. Velocity can be changed in the same way as the other Ultrasonic
parameters or by using the built in Velocity Lookup table accessed by clicking Help and then
Velocity Lookup, or clicking the Velocity Lookup button, as shown in Figure 34.
Click the green tick button to close the Velocity adjustment panel.
Figure 34: Velocity Lookup button
10.4. Adjusting Ultrasonic Parameters

The basic Ultrasonic parameters can be manually adjusted by clicking the Gain, Delay or
Range buttons. Doing so will reveal the parameter adjustment panel, shown in Figure 35.
Figure 35: Adjustment panel, showing Gain.
Each parameter can be changed either by adjusting the slider bar, using the + / - buttons, or
by entering a value using the number buttons on screen. If a number has been entered using
the onscreen number buttons the Enter button, as circled in Figure 35, must be pressed to
apply the change.
Click the green tick button to close the parameter adjustment panel.
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Typical Ultrasonic parameter values expected when using the Scorpion B-Scan system:
 Gain – Typical values for gain are between 3dB to 10dB. This is due to the Scorpion
B-scan system being fitted with 2 pre-amplifiers.
 Delay – Due to the unique nature of the material used for the Wheel Probe tyres, it
will be necessary to set a larger delay value than that of a “normal” ultrasonic probe.
Typical values for delay are in the region of 20000 units.
 Range – When calibrating the system it is recommended that the time-base range is
initially set at 100mm so that all back wall echoes are visible. Once a suitable delay
value has been set, choose a time-base range more suitable to the thickness of
material to be tested.
10.5. Adjusting the Measurement Gates

The gate control, shown in Figure 36 can be accessed either by clicking anywhere in the A-
Scan window or by clicking Edit and selecting Gates.
Refer to section 9.3 for gate setup information.
Figure 36: Adjustment panel, showing Gate 1.
10.6. Calibration checks

When calibrating the Scorpion B-Scan it is suggested that the calibration is performed on
three different thicknesses of plate, for example 6, 10 and 12 mm. However any thickness of
plate maybe used provided that the exact thickness of the plate is known.
Position the Scorpion B-Scan crawler on each plate in turn and check that the ultrasonic
system indicates the correct thickness. If necessary adjust the UT Parameters to obtain the
correct values.
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11. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Manual Encoder Calibration

As well as performing an encoder calibration during the B-Scan Setup wizard, refer to
section 9.4, one can be manually performed though the software.
The Encoder calibration window, shown below in Figure 37, also allows a calibration to be
performed or saved calibration file to be loaded. To open this window:
 Click System
 Click Encoder Calibration
Figure 37: Encoder Calibration window
Refer to section 9.4 for the encoder calibration procedure.
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12. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Manual Inspection Setup

Not only can the Inspection details be entered during the B-Scan Setup wizard, refer to
section 9.5, they can also be manually entered or edited in the software.
12.1. Entering Inspection Details

Inspection details for the part being inspected can be entered into the software. The
inspection details are saved along with the B-Scan file and will appear on any print-outs
made directly from the software.
To enter inspection details:
 Click Edit
 Select Inspection Details
 Enter relevant inspection details in the boxes provided using the onscreen keyboard.
Once set, click OK to close the window.
12.2. Units
The Scorpion B-Scan software is only set to display thickness reading in millimetres, mm.
12.3. Resolution
A scan resolution can be set to capture between every 1mm up to 10mm that the crawler is
moved. A resolution of 4mm is suitable for most applications when using the Scorpion B-
Scan system.
The resolution can be set prior to beginning a scan, or if required be adjusted during a scan.
To set or adjust the resolution:
 Click System
 Select Resolution
 Set the resolution by moving the slide adjuster or using the + / - buttons
Once set, click the green tick in the corner of the screen.
Figure 38: Resolution Adjustment
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13. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Saving and Recalling settings
13.1. Saving Settings

Setup settings can be saved by clicking File and then selecting Save Settings. The settings
file can then be saved in a suitable location on the computer. The file type is saved with the
extension *.BSJ.
Figure 39: Save settings
The Save Settings function saves the following information

 Ultrasonic Parameters
 Gate settings
 Inspection Details
 Encoder Calibration Information
13.2. Recalling Saved Settings

Any saved settings file can be recalled at a later date. This is done by clicking File and
selecting Recall Settings.
This will automatically recall the saved settings for

 Ultrasonic Parameters
 Gate settings
 Inspection Details
 Encoder Calibration Information
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14. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Acquiring and Saving B-Scans

To perform a B-Scan profile ensure:
1. The system is connected and setup as described in section 3 and 4.
2. The Scorpion B-Scan crawler is placed on the inspection surface as described in
section 5.
3. The Scorpion B-Scan software is setup as described in section 8 through 12.
14.1. Acquiring a B-Scan

To begin creating a B-Scan profile using the Scorpion B-Scan software click Start. The
following confirmation box appears:
Figure 40: The confirmation box
 Click Cancel to close out from, and not begin the B-scan data acquisition.
 Click No to continue scanning the previous scan. Scanning begins from the current
encoder position in the software. This is illustrated by a white vertical line along the
black bar above the B-Scan profile image.
 Click Yes to clear any open scans and begin a new scan.
If Yes is selected then a warning box may appear asking if the required B-Scan profile image
required saving.
Figure 41: The save open data warning box
 Click No if the data does not require saving.

 Click Yes if the data does require saving. Selecting this option opens the save scan
box allowing the scan can be saved. Refer to section 14 on saving B-Scans.
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If a new scan is to be started then an Enter Start Offset box appears, as shown in Figure 42.
Here an offset measurement from a physical starting location to the actual position of the
Scorpion B-Scan crawler‟s wheel probe can be entered if required. Use the keypad to enter
the start offset, in mm then click OK to begin.
Figure 42: Enter Start Offset box
The Scorpion B-Scan software is now “Live” and the B-Scan profile image will be generated
from the A-scan as the Scorpion B-Scan crawler is driven in a forward direction. During the
inspection the crawler can also be driven backward to re-profile any areas. Once the scan is
completed click End.
Check the length of the scanned distance against the X axis to ensure the distance covered
is correct. If the distance covered is not correct then the encoder must be re-calibrated, refer
to section 11.
14.2. Resolution
The scan resolution can be adjusted whilst scanning. During a scan if vertical white lines
appear, as shown in Figure 43, it could indicate that the scan resolution is set too low for the
crawlers speed. It is possible to re-profile any of these areas by driving the scanner
backward the area or by increasing the resolution of the scan. Refer to section 12.3 for
resolution adjustment.
Figure 43: Vertical white lines appearing due to speed or resolution.
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14.3. Saving a B-Scan

The B-Scan profile can be saved by clicking File then Save As. Browse to a suitable
location on the computer (create a folder if necessary) then enter a suitable file name to
save the file in the selected folder.
Repeat this save B-Scan process for any subsequent scans.
When a B-Scan is saved, the following information is saved along with a B-scan file:
 The captured A-scan signals
 The Gate Settings used to create the B-scan profile
 The Inspection Details
 The Ultrasonic Parameters
 The Scan Resolution
The file type is saved with the extension *.xps
A *.CSV file is also saved into the same directory as the B-Scan file and is given the same
file name. This *.CSV file containing all the stored measurements relating to the B-Scan
which were generate when using the measurement tool.
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15. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Viewing / Analysing Saved B-Scan

If the UT400 is connected and the software interface is initialised, then the software will
display the „live‟ A-Scan generated from the UT400.
Click Hold to pause this “live” A-scan display. The software is switched into analyse mode,
allowing the B-Scan to be analysed.
To resume the "Live" A-Scan display, click Run. This will exit analyse mode and return the
A-Scan back to the “live” view generated from the UT400.
Figure 44: Hold and Run button
15.1. Recalling a saved B-Scan

To open previously saved B-scan files click File and select Open.
Browse to the location of the desired file then select the file and click Open.
The screen will now display the B-Scan image and recall all Ultrasonic parameters used
during the scan.
Figure 45: Opening a saved B-Scan file
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15.2. Viewing a B-Scan Profile

Once a saved B-Scan file has been opened the profile image is displayed in the lower
portion of the screen. Touching any part of this B-Scan image with the cursor will display the
corresponding A-Scan in the upper portion of the screen. As the cursor is moved around the
B-Scan image the X- and Y- co-ordinates of its location are displayed.
15.3. Measurement Gate Adjustment

The B-Scan profile is generated when a backwall echo cross the measurement gate. If no
backwall echoes cross the measurement gate or if a loss in backwall echoes occurs, due to
surface irregularities or the presence of corrosion, then no B-Scan profile is generated at that
location. Instead vertical while lines appear on the B-Scan which are similar those observed
if the Scorpion B-Scan crawler is moved too quickly during an inspection.
Adjustment to the measurement gate, such as length, height and start position can be
performed post-inspection to optimise the B-Scan profile image. Refer to section 9.3 for gate
setup.
15.4. Replaying a B-Scan

Once a saved B-scan file has been opened the entire scan can be replayed. To access the
replay controls:
 Click Control
 Select Replay Scan
Figure 46: Analyse control
The Play, Pause, and Speed controls can be used as required. The Rewind and Fast
Forward buttons can be held down to proceed quicker through the scan. The speed at
which the replay runs can be adjusted by altering the Replay Speed value.
During replay the captured A-scan signal is displayed in the upper section while a vertical
white line above the B-scan indicates the current location on the B-Scan as the scan is
replayed.
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15.5. Colour Options

If necessary the colours used to display both A-Scan and B-Scan profile can be adjusted to
allow the data to be easily viewed. To open the colour options:
 Click Edit
 Click Colour Options
Figure 47: Colour Options

To change a colour:
 Click on the required colour option to change
 Choose an alternative colour from the colour window
On exiting the software any changes to the colour options will not be saved
15.6. Statistic
The Scorpion B-Scan software can display statistical thickness information for the minimum,
maximum and mean thickness of the B-Scan profile. To display the statistics:
 Click Edit
 Select View Stats
The location of the minimum and maximum thickness found for a scan can be displayed on
the B-Scan profile as vertical line by ticking Show. Each line colour can be changed by
clicking on the colour box below the thickness name.
Click the green tick in the corner of the screen to close Statistics.
Figure 48: Statistics and location on the B-Scan
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15.7. Marker Lines

The Scorpion B-Scan software has a marker line feature which can display a Nominal
thickness line and a Reporting threshold line across the B-scan profile view. To display the
marker lines controls:
 Click Edit
 Select Marker Lines
 Select the required marker line to be displayed on the B-Scan profile.
 To set the threshold level for the marker line by either:
o Move the slide adjuster or using the + / - buttons.
OR
o Entering the desired thickness value into the text box and apply by pressing
the enter button. The marker line will be positioned as close as possible to the
desired thickness value.
Each marker line colour can be changed by clicking on the colour box above the slider bar.
Once set, click the green tick in the corner of the screen.
Figure 49: Marker Lines control and display on the B-scan profile view
15.8. Cross Hairs

To help pin point specific readings using the cursor it can be set to a Cross Hairs style. To
perform this change:
 Right click on the B-Scan view
 Select Cross Hairs, as shown in Figure 50.
Figure 50: Profile view menu option
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15.9. B-Scan Zoom

The zoom function opens a new window which displays a magnified area of interest selected
from the B-Scan profile. To activate the zoom function:
 Click hold and drag a box around the area of interest on the B-Scan.
 Right Click in the area and select Zoom
Figure 51: Zoomed area of a B-Scan profile
Placing the cursor on any part of the magnified B-scan displays both the distance and depth
value at that point. Also displayed in the bottom section of the zoom window is statistical
thickness information
The zoomed area of interest can either be printed direct from the software, by clicking Print
or be saved as an image, by clicking Save As Bitmap.
15.10. B-Scan Measure Function

The Scorpion B-Scan software features several measurement tools for measuring parts of
the saved B-scan. To access the measurement tools:
 Right click on the B-Scan image
 Select Measure and choose either Horizontal, Vertical or Diagonal measurement.
Figure 52: Measure Menu
Once the measurement window appears:

1. Select the point to measure from by clicking the B-Scan image.
2. Select the point to measure to by clicking the B-Scan image.
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The length of the measurement line is displayed in the Result portion of the Measurement
window, see Figure 53. Individual measurements can be saved by clicking the Store button
in the Measurement window.
To add additional measurements click the relevant arrow representing Horizontal, Vertical
or Diagonal measurements, as shown in Figure 53.
Figure 53: Measurement window
To view saved measurements go to Edit and click View Measurements to reveal the table,
shown in Figure 54 with all the stored B-Scan measurements.
Figure 54: Stored Measurements
To remove any stored measurements, highlight the required measurements then click
Delete.
A *.CSV file containing any stored measurements is created when the B-Scan file is saved.
The *.CSV file will be saved in the same directory and have the same file name as the B-
Scan file.
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16. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Copying / Printing Saved B-Scans
16.1. Image Copy Function

Both A-scan and B-scan images can be copied to a clipboard for immediate pasting into
other applications, such as Microsoft Word.
16.1.1. Copy AScan

To copy an A-scan image:
 Click Edit
 Select Copy AScan
Adjust the A-Scan position so that the required A-scan image is selected.
 Click OK
Figure 55: Select A-Scan window
16.1.2. Copy B-Scan Profile

To copy a B-Scan profile image:
 Click Edit
 Select Copy Image
Adjust the Start and End points so that the required section of the B-scan image is selected.
If the X and Y axis are required on the image tick the required boxes
 Click Copy
Figure 56: Copy Image window
16.1.3. Copy a B-Scan area of interest

To copy an image from a selected area on the B-Scan:
 Click hold and drag a box around the area of interest on the B-Scan
 Right click in the area and select Copy
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 A confirm window will appear asking to Copy Axis with the image. If it is required
select Yes
Figure 57: Copy from a selected area of a B-Scan
16.2. Save Image Function

Both A-scan and B-scan images can saved to a suitable location on the computer. They can
be saved as either Bitmap or JPEG files types.
16.2.1. Save B-Scan as a bitmap image

To save the entire B-Scan as a bitmap image:
 Click File
 Select Save As Bitmap
 A confirm window will appear asking to Copy Axis with the image. If it is required
select Yes
 Choose a suitable file name and location to save the image on the computer
16.2.2. Save B-Scan as JPEG

To save the entire B-Scan as a JPEG image:
 Click File
 Select Save As JPEG
The JPEG Options window, shown in figure 58, appears. Here adjustment for the B-Scan
Image options and JPEG file options can be set.
 Click OK
Figure 58: Copy from a selected area of a B-Scan
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16.2.3. Save A-Scan as Bitmap

To save an A-Scan as a Bitmap:
 Click File
 Select Save AScan As Bitmap
Adjust the A-Scan position so that the required A-scan image is selected.
 Click OK
16.2.4. Save a B-Scan area of interest as a bitmap image

To save a Bitmap image from a selected area on the B-Scan:
 Click hold and drag a box around the area of interest on the B-Scan
 Right click in the area and select Save as Bitmap
 A confirm window will appear asking to Copy Axis with the image If it is required
select Yes
16.3. Printing B-Scans

Before selecting any item to print ensure the correct printer and page size is selected. This
check is performed via the Printer Setup window (accessed by clicking File and click
Printer Setup).
The B-Scan image, or sections, can be printed directly from the Scorpion B-Scan software.
To print B-Scan images click File then click Print. Choose the area (distance and depth) of
the B-scan to be included on the print out, via the window, then click Print. The print out will
include any entered inspection details and resolution.
Figure 59: Print Section window
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17. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Exporting *.CSV B-Scan data
The Scorpion B-Scan software is capable of exporting thickness measurements as *.CSV

files (comma separated value files). *.CSV files contain text entries that are separated by
commas by default. When *.CSV files are opened using software such as Microsoft Excel,
the comma is used to create columns separating the sets of text.
However this can cause issues with computers that are setup for countries that use a
comma as a decimal separator. For example 2,5mm will be opened in excel with 2 in the left
hand column and 5mm in the next column. This problem can be overcome by changing the
symbol used to separate 2 fields within the *.CSV file. This symbol is known as the Delimiter.
17.1. Delimiter Settings

The default *.CSV Delimiter symbol the Scorpion B-Scan software is set to use a Semicolon.
The Scorpion B-Scan software allows the delimiter to be changed to a different symbol if
necessary. To change the Delimiter settings:
 Click Edit
 Select Delimiter Setting
The delimiter symbol can be changed to a Tab, a Comma, a Space or Other. This depends
on what symbol is entered into the text box.
 Click OK
Figure 60: Delimiter Setting
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17.2. Exporting as a *.CSV

The thickness values can be exported and viewed in other software, such as Microsoft
Excel. To export the thickness values
 Click on Control
 Select Export Thickness
In the Export Selection window, select a „from’ and ‘end’ to point on the scan. Use the
up/down arrows or enter the values manually. If available, select the Gate Source to export
from.
 Click Export
 Choose a suitable file name and location to save on the computer
Figure 61: Export Window
17.3. Importing a *.CSV file into Microsoft Excel

Since the Scorpion B-Scan software uses a non-standard delimiter symbol the exported
*.CSV files cannot be open directly into Microsoft Excel by double clicking on the file. To
view any exported *.CSV files using Microsoft Excel it is necessary to use the import data
tool. To import into Microsoft Excel:
 Load Microsoft Excel
 Click Data
 Select Import External Data
 Select Import Data.
Figure 62: Excel Data Import

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Browse to the location of the saved Exported *.CSV thickness file from the Scorpion B-Scan
software. Select the file and click Open.
 Select Delimited
 Click Next
Figure 63: Excel Data Import Step 1

 Select the Delimiter Setting used to export the data from the Scorpion B-Scan
software. Refer to section 17.1 for choosing the Delimiter setting in the Scorpion B-
Scan software
 Click Finish
Figure 64: Excel Data Import Step 2

An Import data window opens asking where to place the imported data
 Click OK.
Figure 65: Select Import Data location Figure 66: Microsoft Excel display for data
recorded using Scorpion B-Scan Software
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18. Software Installation and Updating

There are two versions of the Scorpion B-Scan software included with the system. A copy of
both software versions can be found on the software CD supplied with the system. The two
versions are known as:
 Scorpion B-Scan Netbook – A Netbook version
 Scorpion B-Scan FS – A Full Screen version
18.1. Scorpion B-Scan Netbook

This version of the Scorpion B-Scan software is designed to only operate on the Netbook
computers with a screen resolution of 1024 x 600. The latest version of this software is pre-
installed onto the Netbook, along with the UT400 drivers.
18.2. Scorpion B-Scan FS

The Scorpion B-Scan FS software is a Full Screen version of the software which can be
installed onto a desktop or a laptop computer for reporting and off site analysis. The
minimum screen resolution for this version of software is 1280 x 800.
Do not install the Scorpion B-Scan FS software onto the Netbook or UMPC.
18.3. Hiding the Task Bar on the Netbook

It may be necessary to auto hide Microsoft‟s Windows taskbar since it can hide the scroll bar
on the Scorpion B-Scan software. To hide the taskbar:
 Right click on the windows task bar
 Select Properties
 Tick the box next to Auto-hide the taskbar
 Click Apply
Figure 67: Task bar auto hide.
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18.4. Updating Scorpion B-Scan software

Before a new version of the Scorpion B-Scan software can be installed, the current version
of software must be uninstalled. To do this:
1. Click the Start then click Control Panel
2. Click Add and Remove program, or Program and Features
3. Select the Scorpion B-Scan software then click Remove
Figure 68: Uninstalling Scorpion B-Scan software on a Window XP Operating system
Uninstalling the Scorpion B-Scan software will not remove any saved settings or scans.
To install the updated version, double click on the Scorpion BScan.msi icon.
Follow the onscreen instructions to install the application.
Figure 69: Scorpion B-Scan Installation onscreen instructions.
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18.5. Ultrasonic Module Drivers

Once the software is installed a folder called Drivers is placed within the program directory
which contains the UT400 drivers. This folder is split into 32bit and 64bit operating systems.
If the operating system is unable to find these drivers, manual intervention will be required to
locate the drivers from the folder.
To manually install the drivers on a Windows 7 64 bit computer:

1. Connect the USB cable of the UT400 to the computer.
2. Open device manager from the windows control panel. Depending upon the version of
Microsoft Windows operating system this is done in different ways. For Microsoft
Windows 7:
a) Click on Start
b) Type Device Manager into the run bar
3. Right click on the QuickUSB Module and select Update Driver Software…
Figure 70: Right click on the QuickUSB module in Device Manager.
4. Click Browse my computer for driver software.
Figure 71: Updating software driver.
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5. Navigate to the driver folder by clicking Browse. Depending upon the version of
windows select either 32bit or 64bit. This can be found in the same location as the
installed software.
Figure 72: Right click on the QuickUSB module in Device Manager.
6. Select Install this driver software anyway if prompted by windows security.

7. Click Close once the Windows has successfully updated your driver software window
appears.
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18.6. Resetting the Scorpion B-Scan stored settings

On exiting the Scorpion B-Scan software all current settings are saved and on loading the
software these settings are recalled. If the software fails to load then these stores settings
can be cleared. To clear:
 Click the Start button
 Select Run
 Type regedit and click OK
Figure 73: Microsoft Run window
 Select the Scorpion B-Scan folder, found in HKEY_CURRENT_USER; Silverwing
Figure 74: Microsoft Registry
 Delete the Scorpion B-Scan folder

 Click Yes
Figure 75: Delete confirmation window
 Close the Register Editor.
Once the Scorpion B-Scan software is loaded all the values are reset to their default values.
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19. Hardware battery and charging information
19.1. Ultrasonic Module

All new Ultrasonic Modules MUST be fully charged before use.
The UT400 is powered from a removable rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery pack. In
order for the recharge battery pack to reach its full potential it must undergo at least five
charging cycles.
During operation when the battery indicator led illuminates red the UT400 require charging.
Continuous operation throughout this period causes a buzzer alarm to sound. This is a
further warning that the UT400 requires charging. During this period the UT signals may
degrade and give inconsistent measurements. Failure to comply results in the UT400 being
to automatically switch off.
With fully charged batteries the UT400 will operate continuously for up to 11 hours.
If the UT400 has not been used for a period of greater than 14 days it is recommended that
the battery pack be charged before use.
Extended use during the alarm period can damage the battery pack.
19.1.1. Ultrasonic Module Battery removal and charging

Before charging the UT400, the module must be switched off so as to allow for a battery cool
down period of at least 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes has elapsed, the charging can
begin. To charge:
1. Remove the UT400 from its carry bag.
2. Remove the battery cover by unscrewing both thumb screws securing the cover to
the rear of the UT400 module.
3. Retrieve the inline white battery connector from the inside of the UT400.
Figure 76: Battery pack and inline battery connector for the UT400.
4. Disconnect the inline white battery connector then pull the orange strap to remove
the battery pack from the UT400 module.
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5. Connect the battery charger to the inline white connector of the battery pack.
Figure 77: Battery pack connected to the charger
6. Commence charging by connect the battery charger to a suitable mains power

supply.
The charging of the UT400 battery pack will be complete once a green LED is displayed on
the UT400 charger. Once charged the battery pack must be returned back into the UT400.
1. Fully remove the orange battery strap and position on the top of the UT400.
2. Slide the battery pack into the UT400 ensuring the battery strap is positioned across
the top of the pack.
3. Reconnect the battery pack to the UT400 electronics and push the cables inside the
UT400.
4. Refit the lid of the battery cover using the thumb screws. Secure figure tight.
The UT400 must not be switched on for at least 15 minutes to allow a battery cool down
period. The battery charger MUST be disconnected from the mains power supply so the
green LED is no longer lit before charging another UT400 battery.
DO NOT power the Ultrasonic Module whilst charging. The battery charger is not a
power supply.
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19.1.2. Ultrasonic Module charge cycle and LED indicator

The UT400 charger supplied is Mascot NiCd/NiMH charger, Type 2215.
The table below provides the relationship between the colour of the LED indicator and the
current state / mode of UT400 charger. The colour of the LED indicator correlates directly to
the charging mode of the UT400.
LED MODE
Yellow Battery not connected
Yellow Battery initialisation and analysis
Orange Fast Charge
Green with intermittent yellow flash Top-off charge
Green Trickle charge
Alternating Orange - Green Error
19.2. Netbook
Connect the Netbook AC power adapter to the Netbook and a suitable mains power supply.
Whilst charging the AC power LED and charging LED will be lit.
19.3. Battery Extender

Connect the Battery Extender AC power adapter to the side connector and a suitable mains
power supply. Whilst charging the LCD display the charging range, the lights flashing means
charging. Once fully charged the lights will remain on
19.4. Sitemaster30 battery box

All new Sitemaster30 battery boxes MUST be fully charged before use.
The Sitemaster30 is a 12v battery pack which contains an intelligent charger.
During operation if a buzzer alarm sounds it indicates that the battery pack has limited power
remaining.
Once the Sitemaster30 buzzer alarm sounds there is approximately 15 minutes of power left
to drive the crawler back to ground level.
With fully charged batteries the Sitemaster30 will operate continuously for up to 8 hours.
Do not allow the Sitemaster 30 battery pack to completely discharge. This will shorten is
service life considerably.
Extended use during the alarm period can damage the battery pack.
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19.4.1. Charging Sitemaster30 battery box
Figure 78: Sitemaster30 charging panel.
Before charging the Sitemaster30 battery box, the module must be switched off so as to
allow for a battery cool down period of at least 15 minutes. Disconnect the output power
supply cable from the side of the box. After the 15 minutes have elapsed, the charging can
begin. To charge:
 Connect the charging cable to the connector inside the lid of the Sitemaster30
 Connect the battery charger cable to a suitable mains power supply
 Switch the power switch to Charge. The Red charging LED will light.
 Once fully charged the Green charged LED will light. This will take approx 5 - 7
hours.
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20. Scorpion B-Scan Scanner Care and Maintenance

During an inspection it is recommended that the Scorpion B-Scan Crawler is kept as clean
as possible. After every inspection the scanner head must be thoroughly cleaned ensuring
all dust and debris is removed especially around the critical components such as the wheel
probe, both magnetic wheels and the encoder. The wheel probe / transducer can be
removed for further cleaning.
20.1. Scanning Head component identification and location
2
1
Figure 79: Scorpion B-Scan crawler

Scorpion B-Scan scanning head components:
1. Probe pressure magnet
2. Cleaning pad holder
3. TWP12 Wheel probe
4. Probe normalising adjustment
5. Front Drive wheels
6. Belly magnet assembly
7. Umbilical cable connector box
8. Rear Magnetic Drive wheels
9. Encoder Wheel
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20.2. Wheel Probe / Transducer

The dry coupled rubber of the Wheel Probe is most effective when the contact surface is
slightly tacky. As the Wheel Probe picks up dust and debris from the surface it becomes less
effective. The cleaning pad removes any dust and debris from the Wheel probe and applies
a thin film of oil to help improve coupling. A Silicone Oil, such as silicone brake fluid, should
be manually applied to the cleaning pad to ensure that it remains moist.
Discolouration of the Wheel Probe tyres suggests they be cleaned using a cloth moistened
with Acetone. This will help restore the tyre to their original „tacky‟ condition. The frequency
of cleaning will depend upon the condition in which the unit is being used, for example where
the paint surface is particularly dusty (or coated with a thick 'bloom'), it may be necessary to
clean the tyres after each scan.
Figure 80: Details of recommended Silicone Oil
ONLY USE SILICONE OIL TO MOISTEN THE CLEANING PAD. ANY OTHER FORM OF
MINERAL OIL WILL DAMAGE THE WHEEL PROBE TYRES.
THE USE OF ANY “OIL” OTHER THAN THAT SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER
WILL INVALIDATE THE WARRANTY ON THE WHEEL PROBE TYRES.
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20.2.1. Wheel Probe Removal
For comprehensive cleaning and servicing the Wheel Probe must be removed.
To remove the wheel probe:
1. Disconnect the two SMC connectors on the short leads which connect the wheel
probe to the lid of the crawler.
2. Slacken both wheel probe clamp screws so that the wheel probe can be removed
from the carriage from the bottom.
3. Disconnect the two 90o SMC connectors at either of the wheel probe axle.
WHEEL PROBE
CLAMP SCREWS
Figure 81: Scorpion Wheel Probe Clamp Screws
20.2.2. Wheel Probe Servicing

To dismantle the wheelprobe:
1. Unscrew the brass nuts and remove.
2. Carefully easing off both sideplates complete with bearings.
3. Slide off both parts of the tyre
4. Remove the cork washer (if a twin-crystal wheel probe)
Figure 82: Wheel Probe
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Inspect the tyres for any signs of splitting, cracking, excessive abrasion or any evidence of
swelling due to contact with mineral oil. Check the condition of the cork insulating washer
and ensure that it sits snugly and turns freely in the groove. Check that the ball bearings in
the side plates turn freely.
Use acetone to clean all components and surfaces. Take extra care that all traces of film and
dirt are removed, especially around the outer circumference and Perspex plug over the
crystal and the inner face of the wheel probe tyres.
If new tyres are to be fitted, it is very important they are first cleaned with acetone to remove
protective film.
To re-assemble the wheel probe:

1. Apply silicon brake fluid to axle assembly, cork washer and tyres.
WARNING: Only use Silicone DOT 5 brake fluid. Any other oil can cause irreparable
damage and void warranty.
2. Gently ease the cork washer over the shoulder of the axle and ensure that it rotates
freely in its groove.
3. Fit tyres then the side plates before screwing the brass nuts onto the axle.
DONOT use a spanner to tighten the brass nuts, they must be figure tight only.
Once reassembled, check that there is only slight resistance when rolling the wheel probe.
Do this by holding the wheel probe ends between finger and thumb of each hand.
20.2.3. Wheel Probe Replacing

To replace the wheel probe into the crawler:
1. Reconnect the SMC connectors to either end of the wheel probe axle.
2. Slide the wheel probe back into the carriage. Ensure the marks (dots) on the wheel
probe axle facing towards inspection surface.
3. Push the wheel probe fully into the carriage and tighten the wheel probe clamp bolts.
4. Reconnect the SMC connectors to the lid of the crawler.
Once replaced check the system to ensure UT signals are being received.
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20.3. Cleaning Pad

The cleaning pad is located at in front of the wheel probe front. Before inspection fill the
reservoir located in front cleaning pad with silicone oil.
To fill the reservoir:
1. Remove the screw located at the front.
2. Using a syringe fill the reservoir with the recommended silicon oil
3. Soak the cleaning pad with the recommended silicon oil
CLEANING PAD
RESERVOIR
SCREWS
Figure 83: Cleaning pad and reservoir
20.4. Crawler Drive Wheels

The Scorpion B-Scan crawler is fitted with four drive wheels. During use these on wet or
dusty surfaces, the wheels can spin and become polished, which can lead to more spinning
and slippage. Clean the wheels after each use and if they become polished, lightly roughen
the surface with 120 grit emery cloth.
20.5. Encoder
The Scorpion B-Scan is fitted with an optical encoder on the side of the crawler. Ensure no
debris becomes stuck between the meshing of the gear teeth as this could cause damage to
the teeth.
Ensure the optical encoder does not get damaged during use as it could cause distance
measurement inaccuracies.
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SCORPION B-SCAN

Dry Coupled Remote Access Ultrasonic Crawler

14.1. Acquiring a B-Scan ............................................................................................................ 32

The Scorpion B-Scan system comprises of:

Figure 1: Scorpion B-Scan system

2.1. Scorpion B-Scan Crawler

Figure 2: Scorpion B-Scan Crawler

2.2. Sitemaster30 battery box

2.3. Control Module

2.4. Steering Control Pad

2.5. Portable Ultrasonic Module (UT400)

2.7. Battery Extender

2.8. B-Scan Software

3.1. Short RG174U leads

3.2. Connecting the Umbilical Cables to the Scorpion Crawler

Figure 3: Scorpion Crawler Umbilical Connectors

3.3. Control Module

Figure 4: Scorpion Control Module

3.4. Connecting the Sitemaster 30 to the Control Module

3.5. Connecting the Umbilical cables to the Ultrasonic Module

Figure 5: UT400 connection for encoder and UT connectors

3.6. Connecting the Ultrasonic Module to the Netbook

Figure 6: UT400 rear USB port

4.1. Setup of the Sitemaster 30

Figure 7: Sitemaster30 power switch

4.2. Setup of Netbook

Figure 8: Netbook computer

4.3. Setup of Ultrasonic Module

Battery Indicator LED

Figure 9: UT400 Switches

4.4. Set up of the Battery Extender

Figure 10: Battery Extender

Figure 11: Front and Top of the Battery Extender

Figure 12: Top of the Battery Extender

Figure 13: Yellow tip of power cable

Figure 14: DC Out connector of the Battery Extender

5. Handling the Scorpion crawler

5.1. Placing the Scorpion crawler into the test surface

5.2. Removing the Scorpion crawler from the test surface

6. Driving the Scorpion Crawler

Forward Drive Stop

Steer Left Steer Right

Figure 15: Steering keypad buttons

7. Scorpion Crawler Adjustment

7.1. Wheel Probe Normalisation

FRONT ADJUSTING NUTS

Figure 16: Scorpion Probe Normalisation adjusting nuts

7.2. Wheel Probe Height

1. Loosen the wheel probe clamp screws.

Figure 17: Scorpion Wheel Probe Clamp Screws

WHEEL PROBE HEIGHT

Figure 18: Scorpion Wheel Probe Height Adjustment Screws

3. To complete the adjustment, re-tighten the wheel probe clamp screws.

8. Scorpion B-Scan Software

8.1. Load the Scorpion B-Scan Software

Figure 19: Loaded Scorpion software

8.2. Menu Panel

Figure 20: Menu Bar Panel

8.3. Activating the Ultrasonic Module

9. Scorpion B-Scan Software – Setup Wizard

Figure 21: Scorpion B-Scan Setup Wizard

9.1. Velocity Setup

Figure 22: Velocity Setup window