Low-cost laser ultrasonic arrays for the inspection of safety critical components

与传统的压电式换能器相比，激光超声具有非接触、无偶联剂、远程检测等优点。因此，它适用于通道受限、环境危险和/或具有几何复杂性的部件。然而，激光超声系统通常都是大而昂贵的机器，无法走出实验室。这给激光超声相控阵系统的发展带来了进一步的挑战，需要多个激光器来产生超声，并且需要复杂的实验装置。激光超声的另一个缺点是严重的信噪比限制。这大大限制了该技术在实践中的应用。这一拟议项目的目的是开发一种低成本、便携式和坚固耐用的激光超声阵列系统，以便在高价值制造、航空航天和难以进入的工厂区域实现广泛的非接触式和远程超声波检测应用。它将为高价值安全关键部件的制造和在役检测提供一种低成本、高速的工具，而传统的超声波检测无法应用于这些部件。

Compared with conventional piezoelectric transducers, laser ultrasonics can provide non-contact, couplant free and remote inspection. Hence it has applications for situations with limited access, hazardous environment and/or for components with geometrically complexity. However, laser ultrasonic systems have generally been big and expensive machines unable to move beyond the lab. This drawback brings further challenge to develop laser ultrasonic phased array systems, which require multiple lasers for ultrasonic generation and complicated experimental setups. Another drawback associated with laser ultrasonics is serious signal-to[1]noise limitation. This significantly limits the application of the technique in practice. The aim of this proposed project is to develop a low-cost, portable and robust laser ultrasonic array system to allow a wide range of non-contact and remote ultrasonic testing applications in high value manufacturing, aerospace and for areas of plant that are difficult to access. It will provide a low-cost, high-speed tool for manufacture and in-service inspection of high value safety critical components, where conventional ultrasonic inspection cannot be applied.