Evaluation of signal disturbance and recovery in phased array ultrasonic inspection during welding

Tools

Dimakos, Angelos and Sweeney, Nina E. and Loukas, Charalampos and Thompson, Christopher D. and Serjeant, Sam and MacLeod, Charles N. and Mohseni, Ehsan and Lines, David and Sibson, James (2025) Evaluation of signal disturbance and recovery in phased array ultrasonic inspection during welding. Welding in the World. (https://doi.org/10.1007/s40194-025-02256-3)

[thumbnail of Dimakos-etal-WTW-2025-Evaluation-of-signal-disturbance-and-recovery-in-phased]
Preview
 Text. Filename: Dimakos-etal-WTW-2025-Evaluation-of-signal-disturbance-and-recovery-in-phased.pdf
Final Published Version
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 logo
Download (1MB)| Preview

Abstract

Lack of sidewall fusion (LOSWF) is a critical defect in arc welding that compromises structural integrity, especially in multi-pass welds where buried discontinuities require highly advanced volumetric imaging techniques for detection. Traditional non-destructive testing (NDT) methods are often unable to identify such defects until fabrication is complete, increasing rework rates and overall build time. This study presents a novel approach, combining in-process ultrasonic imaging with controlled experimentation to enable LOSWF detection capability during welding. An experimental setup is introduced in which a static phased array probe is positioned ahead of the welding torch, allowing B-scan acquisition in real-time, during welding. Characteristic signal loss is observed prior to sidewall fusion, followed by echo recovery upon solidification—providing a dynamic indicator of fusion status, with a distinct amplitude drop from 60 to 0%, highlighting the binary nature of the monitoring. To benchmark detection limits, artificial LOSWF flaws were introduced into single-layer welds and evaluated using a roller probe configuration. In addition, experiments were performed to analyze signal degradation and recovery due to thermal disturbance, captured through C-scan sidewall echo analysis. The results demonstrate that ultrasonic imaging deployed during welding can offer both predictive and confirmatory information about fusion quality. This integrated approach provides a foundation for automated, embedded weld inspection systems that can identify fusion defects earlier in the process chain.

ORCID iDs

Dimakos, Angelos ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9531-2216, Sweeney, Nina E. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4495-4688, Loukas, Charalampos ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3465-8076, Thompson, Christopher D., Serjeant, Sam, MacLeod, Charles N. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4364-9769, Mohseni, Ehsan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0819-6592, Lines, David ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8538-2914 and Sibson, James;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)