Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing is the present and future of NDT which is an advanced technique of Ultrasonic testing. It utilizes a set of probes made up of small ultrasonic transducer elements, each of which is pulsed individually with computer-calculated timing. The term ‘phased’ refers to the timing, and the term ‘array’ refers to the multiple elements. It creates ultrasound beams that can be steered, scanned, swept, and focused electronically for fast inspection. This technique is used to detect flaws that cannot be easily found with conventional non-destructive testing methods such as radiography. It is often also combined with TOFD (time-of-flight diffraction) since the modern acquisition units and scanners can accommodate both methods simultaneously, which many codes allow for the substitute of Radiography.
PAUT can be done manually, in semi-automated or a fully automated mode. PAUT is able to create detailed and accurate cross-sections of a part. It is also particularly useful in situations where there is less room for mechanical scanning because it’s able to sweep the beam without moving the probe. Results are immediate, can be viewed as well as emailed for further analysis.