\n\tOlympus America, Center Valley, Pa., introduces the RollerForm, a new phased -array wheel probe designed for ultrasonic inspection of composites and other smooth-surfaced materials. The unique tire material has been specifically developed to guarantee high-quality, immersion-like ultrasonic testing. Minimal couplant and pressure is required for the RollerForm to provide excellent coupling and a strong signal, even in difficult scanning positions.<\/p>\n
\n\tAn affordable and easy-to-implement replacement for full 2-D encoding systems, the RollerFORM also offers a viable alternative to immersion techniques.<\/p>\n
\n\tIn addition to providing exceptional coupling, the tire of the RollerFORM wheel is made of a unique material that closely matches the acoustic impedance of water. This design feature permits the efficient transmission of energy to the part without unwanted echoes, obtaining an optimum 1 mm near-surface resolution in composites when using the 5-MHz phased array probe model.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe 3.5-MHz phased array probe model is better suited for certain thicker, more attenuating materials. Since the tire is transparent, it is easy to identify the presence of air bubbles or contaminants within the water chamber.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe RollerForm, combined with a phased array instrument such as an OmniScan or the Focus LT, uses zero-degree ultrasonic beams for manufacturing and maintenance inspections. Common applications include delamination sizing and porosity quantification in composite core material, as well as wall-loss monitoring in aluminum panels. With its integrated indexing button, the ergonomically designed it enables mapping the surface of an inspected material by acquiring multiple one-line C-scans and combining them in real time into a single image. The built-in laser guide facilitates straight and precise one-line scans.<\/p>\n