Simulation of Digital Filtering to Optimize Pipe Ultrasound Wall Thickness Measurement

摘要

In the ultrasonic wall thickness testing equipment of the Vallourec Group, filtering algorithms are applied on the raw data by the electronics. While the purpose of this processing is well known, that is to eliminate such problems as interference while taking into account wall thickness irregularities, our knowledge of their influence on the final measurement is incomplete, and the settings controlling these algorithms are made empirically by the operators.In order to assist them in making these settings, a simulation software program has been developed: it aims to reproduce electronically all the possible inspection and filtering configurations and therefore determine the optimal filter settings for a given test bench.Before testing the reference pipe, and for a given setting, the operator can now have a 2D view of its wall thickness distribution, showing the points of measurement that will be deleted by the filter algorithms, as well as an estimation of the final measurement curves that will be issued by the test equipment.