Product category:
Form/co-ordinate, optical and vision instrumentation
News Release from: Phoenix Inspection Systems | Subject: Ultrasmart ultrasonic measurement technology
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 24 August 2007
Ultrasonic measurement tolerates high
temperatures
Ultrasmart could save plant operators millions of pounds each year by allowing them to conduct more inspections on live plant,
Phoenix Inspection Systems, the ultrasonic NDT equipment specialist, has developed a scanner that can operate at temperatures of up to 500C, as part of an GBP 800,000 UK government-funded project to advance high-temperature inspection technology The project, known as Ultrasmart (Ultrasonic Scanning and Monitoring at Running Plant Temperatures), could save plant operators millions of pounds each year by allowing them to conduct more inspections on live plant, thus avoiding expensive shutdowns
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 29 Apr 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Dr Chris Gregory, who is leading the Phoenix team, says: "Using current technology, inspections are restricted to a maximum temperature of around 300C due to limitations involving the design of probes, scanners and couplant".
"The Ultrasmart project is building on recent developments in probe design, scanning techniques and high-temperature materials and has found novel ways to overcome the problems".
Phoenix' role is the development of the scanner.
Its responsibilities include selecting appropriate materials, finding ways to cool the electrical and electronic services, motor drives and position encoders, and developing cooled umbilicals between the instrumentation and the scanner.
Dr Gregory added: "The development process is already well underway".
"The demonstration scanner is based on Phoenix' existing Spider model, which provides a versatile scanning platform".
"The funded part of the project will be completed by the end of 2007, with the technology already attracting commercial interest".
"We are well aware of the demand that exists for high-temperature inspection equipment".
"By allowing testing on live plant, technology of this type has the potential to improve safety and save industry millions of pounds each year".
The UK government-sponsored Technology Strategy Board is providing half of the funding for the Ultrasmart project, with the Regional Development Agencies providing the rest.
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