@ Krauthramer ‘YOUR PARTNER FOR QUALITY Examples of ultrasonic applicat jons for nondestructive testing of plastics Rainer Frielinghaus, Krautkramer GmbH & Co., Hiirth From the known and extensive range of methods for nonde- structive testing, the ultrasonic testing method is one which can be used in many fields of appli- cation including plastics. A few typical examples are discussed here with regard to the three dif- ferent application ranges, flaw detection, thickness measure- ment and material characteriza- tion. Principle of the method Inultrasonic testing the pulse echo method is mainly used (Fig. 1). The test instrument generates electrical pulses which are con- verted into mechanical pulses by a probe containing a piezoelectric converter. These are trans- mitted into the test object and are reflected by possible flaws in the material, e.g. hollow spaces, it clusions as well as the backwall of the test object. Portions of the sound return to the probe where they are converted back to electri- cal pulses and amplified by the amplifier in the instrument. Finally the pulses are displayed on a CRT ‘screen as a time function. Further information about this method can be found in [6]. Ini] itis described in detail with regard to its physical basic principles and technical ap- plications. Flaw detection In the complete volume Fig. 2 shows an example for testing semi-finished products, formed pieces and other tube or bar-shaped parts. With manual testing, the probe is either coupled directly to the test object or coupled via a plastic delay path. The probe with delay path is used for thin-walled parts because the relatively wide transmission pulse Fig. 1: Echo pulse method ]IP FE Plexiglass Dia. 20- 100 mm, Thickness 5 - 60 mm | Suitable probes: K1S, K1SM, G1N, H2K H2N, G2N, H5K Fig. 2: Testing pipes and bars is replaced by the narrow interface echo coming from the plastic delay/test object interface. Due to this, greater width of the evaluation range is achieved in which pos- sible flaw echoes can be directly observed. Besides this, flaws which have a greater width than the cross-section of the sound beam become noticeable due to backwall echo shadowing (Fig. 2. left) In order to test larger numbers, coupling is made via a water delay path by which the probe is able to transmit into the test object via a water jet or in the immersion mode. In addition to the previous- ly mentioned advantage of having a narrower interface echo, con: stant coupling and wear-free probe operation can be achieved from part to part in this case. Mostly, wide band probes are used having frequencies of 1 or 2 MHz, 5 MHz is used with thick- nesses below about 10 mm, de- pending on the sound attenuation in the material to be tested. Nor- mally, flaw-tree test objects are used as references for reproduc- ible instrument calibration and checking of the settings. These have a number of artificial flaws which are mostly small drilled holes. Taking injection moulded hous- ings as an example, Fig. 3 shows the different echo indications with various shapes of flaw. Smooth walled flaws, e.g. gas inclusions, which are smaller than the sound beam cross-section, are indicated in front of the backwall echo (slightly shadowed) in the form of a high, narrow flaw echo (2nd pic- ture from the top). Under this, there is a wide fissured flaw echo Fig. 3: Different echo shapes with cifer- ent types of flawMaterial: PE; PVC > 15 ig. 4: Weld testing with different wall thickness ofa strong irregularly shaped flaw. This flaw has a distinctly larger ex- pansion vertical to the direction of sound propagation than the one above due to the fact that the backwall echo is extensively shad- ‘owed. On the bottom picture, the echo display indicates a cloud of pores distributed over the cross- section which looks like a wide “brush” on the screen. Material joints Special significance is attached to the detection of flaws in material joints. In this connection it is not the whole volume which is tested for flaws but only special levels in the joint. With welded overlap joints, ¢.g. spigot-and-socket joints on tubes and sealing strips for refuse dumps, vertical scan- 1g to the surface is used as shown in both the last figures [2 3, 4]. With high temperature wedge bonding, e.g. pipes for drainage and gas, scanning must be made at an angle as shown in Fig. 4 (5). There is a detailed report concerning the testing of adhe- sive bondings (brake linings on the support material). Thickness measurements The distance between the back- wall echoes is proportional to the thickness of the test object. Itis of course assumed that the sound velocity in the material is constant. In most cases this is admissible when certain marginal conditions are observed. Due to the fact that the pulse echo method is used, the test objects need only be ao- cessible from one side in order to carry out the measurement. This is of great advantage because this enables a simple thickness mea- surement to be made on tubes, casings, coatings, blow moulded parts ete. Fig. 5 shows the test arrangement for measuring the thickness of plastic lenses for glasses. The probe is in a small holder. The space between the probe and the upper edge is filled with weakly flowing water which bubbles over the edge. The lenses are positioned by hand and the thickness is, Fig. 5: Thickness measurement on lenses for glassesFig. 6: Wall thickness measurements of coverings depending on instrument calibra- tion, immediately indicated on the instrument. A typical ultrasonic application is the thickness measurement of plastic coatings on non-metallic supports, such as glass or, as shown in Fig. 6, asbestos cement pipes. Owing to the fact that most coatings have a low thickness, high frequency delay path probes (15 MHz) are used. Dimension checking of plastic pipes immediately behind the ex- A Fig. 7: Thickness lines of an injection moulded part truder is another application. The probes are positioned between the extruder head and the inlet to the cooling tank. Either a fixed number of probes, arranged equally around the pipe circum- ference, are used or one or two probes mounted opposite to each other and driven in reverse around the pipe. Due to temperatures of ‘over 100°C in the pipe at this point, only uneven thickness over the circumference is readable from the time of flight or used as a corresponding controlled variable for the process. Should the abso- lute thickness be set to a certain value then it is initially measured with an assumed sound velocity. After being passed through the cooling tank, the accurately marked measurement positions are measured in the cold condition. The exact sound velolcity can then be calculated behind the extruder head using this value. However, this value only applies to constant process parameters (material, pipe dimensions, drawing speed). With Production method the corresponding expenditure, this system can be extended to in- clude the complete dimension data of the tube, e.g. outside diameter, thickness, centricity. Fig. 7 shows an old example taken from specialized liturature, B. La- dényi carried out accurate manual thickness measurements on injec- tion moulded parts which were produced in different shapes. The measurement points having the same thickness were joined by lines (Fig. 7). This figure shows the results from two differently injec- tion moulded parts. A vivid im- pression can be obtained of the material flow during the produc- tion sequence. The weak points in the part can be clearly recognized, for example the zone having the smallest thickness extends over the part's floor in Method A. Knowing this, itis then not difficult to optimize the production pro- cess. This formulation of the question is the focal point in the following considerations.Characterization of material properties Sound velocity and sound at- tenuation are characteristic values for material which are of interest especially in the field of material and process development. Fig. 8 shows, schematically, two exam- ple pieces with the same thick- ness but having different acoustic characteristics. The echo display for Example | indicates a high sound velocity (low time of flight tt) and a low sound attenuation (low amplitude difference from echo to echo) as opposed to Ex- ample Il with low sound velocity and high sound attenuation. ‘These values change with: = the degree of cross-linking of the plastic (edge and core zone) = the production method (HP-PE, LP-PE) =the mixtures (colour particles, fiber reinforcement) = the temperature of the material age With fiber reinforced thermo- plastic plates the question can be posed as to whether the consider- able deviations in backwall echo over the plate area are caused by =| ys eu 1 aL Fig. 8: Echo indications with diferent acoustic properties Ib Fig. 9: C-scans from fiber reinforced thermoplastic plates insufficient wetting power of the filler material or uneven distribu- of the filler material. These de- viations can be clearly seen in the C-Seans (Fig. 9)using the different densities of blackening Additional sound velocity mea- surements at different points on the plates produced a constant value within small measurement value variations. Therefore uneven distribution of the filler mateexcluded and insufficient wetting power, causing amplitude devia: tions, determined. The results of m CFRP leaf springs are mentioned as a final example. These consist of unidirectional fiber fleece lami- nate with a fiber content of 60%. The dimensions of the individual springs are 300 x 20 x 3.5 mm. There were some springs which became defective after a short pe- rod. Accurate measurements of the density and the modulus of elasti- city determined by mechanical measurements did not produce any significant difference with the springs. However, ultrasonic tests are able to quickly find a clue. Fig. 10 (left) shows the echo display of spring which was in operation for a long time. After the interface echo IF there is a very stable echo indication due topartial reflections on the individ- al fiber layers and a high backwall echo. As opposed to this Fig. 10 (right) shows an echo display from a prematurely defective spring: the reflections from the fiber layers are unevenly distri-buted over the depth and the backwall echo strongly atten-uated. If the com- plete area of the spring is scanned and the backwall echo amplitude (C-Scan) recorded then the good spring dis- plays a constantly high amplitude over the whole area whilst the defective spring has, in addition to low amplitudes, strongly localized fluctuations and clear differences between the edge and the center area. This suggests uneven dis- tribution and wetting power. Conclusions for the practical field The small selection of examples shown here illustrate the many possibilities offered by ultrasonic testing. It can either be made manually or, with the correspond ingly high equipment expense, be mechanized. The reasons for this range from general _ safety regulations, e.g. fuel tanks, to process control the same as with Pipe production, via cost or mate- rial savings with constant flaw-free products. Literature [1] Krautkraimer, J, Krautkramer, Hs Ul trasonic testing of materials 4th Edition, Beriin, Springer (1990) [2] Gutegemeinschatt 21 ev schallprifung von PEn-MutfenschwelB- verbindungen verschiedener Art, Kunst- stotfprodukte ‘90 (90), Nr. 9, 286-287 [5] Nossagk. E., Haferkamp, H., Basler, H-B., Unlig, P.-W.: Utraschallprufung von Elektroschwei8mutien aus HDPE, DGzIP-Jahrestagung 1990, B ‘band 20 (90), 264-27 ultra cht [4] GroScurth, M., Vogt, H.: Schwei8- nahiprifung an groBfiéchigen Dich- tungsbahnen aus APE-HD. Tagungs- band ,ZerstOrungsfrele Kunststotfpri- fung mit Ultraschall*, 25./26.11.86, Wddeutsches Kunsistoftzentrum, Wareburg [6] Frielinghaus, R.: Areas of application for ultrasonic testing of thermoplastics Krautkrimer special print (SD [6] Frielinghaus, R: Zorstérungstroie Pruifung von Klebverbindungen mit Ul traschall. Kunststoffberater 39 (94), Nr. 11, 40-45 [7] Ladanyi, 8: Muanyagtermétek rone- soldsmentes ultrahangos vizegdlata Diss. TU Bucapest 1983 Fig. 10: Echo indications from flaw-free springs and defective springs made of GRP Krautirimer GmbH& Co. USA ‘Great Britain Franco: R ICautirmer Branson Beer Krathramer Lid. Krauramer France 1905738