The presented probe system combines several phased array probes for the ultrasonic testing of sleeve shafts of railway undercarriage axes to detect flaws with longitudinal and transverse orientation according to the set specifications. By employing acoustic beam steering, rotation and focus can be controlled electronically and factors such as the curvature of the borehole can be compensated for. The angular resolution of the rotation can be chosen freely and is independent of the number of array elements on the probe circumference. On account of electronically steered rotation, inspection time decrease substantially and the manipulation system becomes simpler. Both attributes are desired, especially when the increasing number of inspections and resolution are considered that are required to increase technical safety and reduce costs. The presuppositions to design and construct such probes are theoretical models to simulate the acoustic behaviour, especially the sound field pattern, dependent on the constructional parameters and steering conditions.
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