JPH11183452A - Waveform display method for ultrasonic flaw detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a waveform display method, for an ultrasonic flaw detector, in which a defect echo waveform can be discriminated easily from other waveforms when many echo waveforms are displayed on the screen of a display device. SOLUTION: A waveform display method is applied to an ultrasonic flaw detector wherein pulsed ultrasonic waves 15 are transmitted periodically to an object 14, to be inspected, form a probe 13, their ultrasonic echo is received, an echo waveform is extracted from the ultrasonic echo, data on an ultrasonic transmitted waveform and that on the echo waveform are stored in a waveform memory 20 and the data are fetched at a proper timing so as to be displayed on a display part 23. A cursor is displayed in the waveform display region of the display part 23, a color display range is designated by the cursor, the color of a waveform part included in the color display range is designated, and the waveform part is displayed in a designated color.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for displaying a waveform of an ultrasonic flaw detector, and more particularly to an ultrasonic flaw detector capable of selecting a waveform displayed on a display unit and changing a display color for each part of the waveform. The waveform display method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an ultrasonic flaw detector, an echo signal waveform of a defect in a subject obtained by flaw detection of the subject is displayed on a screen of a display device. In the display of the conventional ultrasonic flaw detector, the presence or absence of an echo signal from a defect is important, and the display of the echo waveform and the like is not particularly devised, and the display is performed in a single color.

FIG. 6 shows a conventional waveform display example. In FIG.
(A) shows a transmission wave waveform T, a defect echo waveform F, and a bottom surface echo waveform B in the subject, and (b) shows a transmission wave waveform T.
To the bottom echo waveform B, and in addition to these, secondary echo waveforms F2 and B2 relating to the defect and the bottom surface. The display range shown in FIG. 6A is an appropriate display range from the viewpoint of waveform identification. In this case, the defect echo waveform F
Appears at substantially the center between the transmission wave waveform T and the bottom surface echo waveform B. In such a display mode, the defect echo waveform can be easily distinguished from other waveforms. On the other hand, the display range shown in FIG. 6B is an unfavorable display example from the viewpoint of waveform identification, and a large number of waveforms approach each other.
In some cases, overlapping waveforms may appear.

[0004]

When discriminating between a defective echo and another echo while looking at a plurality of waveforms displayed on the screen of the display device of the ultrasonic flaw detector, a display mode as shown in FIG. Especially for a beginner, it is very difficult to identify a defective echo waveform. Significant training and experience was required to be able to perform such identification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems, and when displaying a large number of echo waveforms on a screen of a display device, a defective echo waveform can be easily distinguished from other waveforms with little experience. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of displaying a waveform of an ultrasonic flaw detector which can be performed.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention (corresponding to claim 1), a method of displaying a waveform of an ultrasonic flaw detector periodically transmits a pulsed ultrasonic wave to a subject. ,
Receives the ultrasonic echo returned from the subject, extracts the echo waveform from the ultrasonic echo, stores the transmission waveform of the ultrasonic wave and the data of the echo waveform in the waveform storage unit, retrieves the data at appropriate timing, and displays the data. It is applied to the ultrasonic flaw detector to be displayed in, display a cursor in the waveform display area of the display unit, specify the color display range with the cursor, specify the color of the waveform portion included in the color display range, This is a method of displaying a waveform portion in a designated color.

According to the present invention, an arbitrary portion of the waveform can be colored while a large number of waveforms are displayed in the waveform display area of the display unit of the ultrasonic flaw detector.
That is, when an arbitrary portion of the waveform is designated by the cursor and the color is further designated, the subsequent portions of the waveform can be displayed in the designated color. Thus, it is possible to easily identify the waveform when a large number of waveforms are displayed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention (corresponding to claim 2), in the waveform display method for an ultrasonic flaw detector according to the first aspect of the present invention, the waveform storage unit stores a waveform data array corresponding to the waveform display area in the waveform storage unit. A color data array comprising a color designation number for designating a color for each array element of the waveform data array is stored. When a color display range is designated by a cursor and a color is designated, a color corresponding to the color display range is stored. This is a method in which the color designation number of the data array portion is changed. The color of an arbitrary portion of the waveform is changed using the waveform data array and the color data array.

A third aspect of the present invention (corresponding to claim 3) is a method for displaying a waveform of an ultrasonic flaw detector according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, which is preferably a transmission waveform and / or a bottom echo waveform. One of them is displayed in a different color.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention (corresponding to claim 4), the ultrasonic flaw detector waveform display method according to the third aspect, wherein the color of the echo waveform generated after the secondary echo is preferably The color is changed to the same color in relation to the color display of the first echo waveform.

[0011]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of an ultrasonic flaw detector, FIG. 2 is a view showing a state of transmission of ultrasonic waves to a subject, and FIG. 3 is a view showing a display / operation panel of the ultrasonic flaw detector. 4 is an example of a waveform displayed based on the waveform display method according to the present invention.

The repetition frequency is generated by the timing circuit 11. Based on the repetition frequency, a periodic pulse-like electric signal is output from the pulser 12 to a probe (ultrasonic probe).
13 is transmitted. The probe 13 disposed on the surface of the subject 14 converts each of the periodically supplied pulsed electric signals into ultrasonic waves, and transmits the pulsed ultrasonic waves to the inside of the subject 14. As shown in FIG. 2, inside the subject 14, the ultrasonic waves 15 are reflected by a defect 16 or a bottom surface 17 existing therein. The reflected ultrasonic wave returns as an echo, is received by the probe 13, and is converted into an electric echo signal. The echo signal is amplified by the receiver 18, and is converted from an analog signal to a digital signal by the A / D converter 19 by the signal of the timing circuit 11. The waveform data converted into the digital value is supplied to the timing circuit 1
1 is stored in the waveform memory 20 according to the write signal and the address signal. The object 1 is stored in the waveform memory 20.
Waveform data corresponding to each ultrasonic wave 15 transmitted inside is stored. The waveform data stored in the waveform memory 20 is read out at a predetermined timing and stored in the waveform data array V (t) in the RAM 21.

The display controller 22 displays the waveform obtained by the measurement on a part of the screen of the liquid crystal display 23 using the waveform data stored in the RAM 21 in the waveform data array V (t). A partial area of the screen is called a waveform display area. The display controller 22 reads the display range set by the MPU 24 from the waveform data array V (t), sends it to the liquid crystal display 23, and sends the waveform data array V
The waveform is displayed with the number (t) of (t) on the horizontal axis and the value of the waveform data array on the vertical axis. The size of the screen of the liquid crystal display unit 23 is limited, and the number of displayed data is limited. Therefore, depending on the width (point) of the display range, the data of the waveform data array V (t) may be thinned out and displayed. The thinning interval is usually set at an integral multiple.

On the other hand, in the RAM 21, the waveform data array V
A color data array C (t) for color setting is provided corresponding to each point forming (t). Each element of the color data array C (t) is assigned a color designation number. When reading the waveform data of the waveform data array V (t) from the RAM 21 and displaying the waveform, the display controller 22 simultaneously reads the color data corresponding to the display range from the color data array C (t), and The color is displayed for each point in the waveform display area. As a result, the waveform displayed on the screen of the liquid crystal display unit 23 can be displayed with coloring for each part.

The MPU 24 reads out and executes a program stored in the ROM 25 for performing ultrasonic flaw detection or the like. The ultrasonic flaw detector has a plurality of key switches 26 as an input operation unit and L as an output unit on the outer surface of the apparatus.
An ED 27 and a buzzer 28 are provided. Key switch 26
Are input to the MPU 24 via the input / output control circuit 29. Output signals to the LED 27 and the like are also provided via the input / output control circuit 29.

As shown in FIG. 3, the display of the ultrasonic flaw detector
The operation panel 30 is provided with the above-mentioned liquid crystal display unit 23, and the above-mentioned many key switches 26, LEDs 27 and buzzers 28 are arranged around the liquid crystal display unit 23. The key switch 26 includes a menu key 26
a, direction keys 26b, 26c, 26d, 26e, a set key 26f, and a clear key 26g. Using these key switches, it is possible to perform color display for each part of the waveform displayed in the waveform display area of the liquid crystal display unit 23. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 31 denotes a power switch;
Is an output terminal, and 33 is an input terminal.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4 and the like, a waveform display method according to the present embodiment, that is, an operation of designating a color for an arbitrary portion of a waveform displayed on the liquid crystal display unit and an operation corresponding to the operation will be described. explain. FIGS. 4A and 4B show the contents of the waveform display area on the liquid crystal display unit 23. FIG. 4A shows three waveforms, and FIG. 4B shows three or more waveforms including a secondary echo. 4A and 4B, a waveform T of a transmission wave and an echo waveform F generated by reflection at a defect 16 are shown.
And an echo waveform B generated by reflection on the bottom surface of the subject 14. FIG. 4B shows a defect echo waveform F2 and a bottom surface echo waveform B2 generated by the second reflection. The operation of coloring an arbitrary part of the waveform displayed on the liquid crystal display unit according to the operation is executed by a waveform display program stored in the ROM 25.

When coloring an arbitrary portion of the waveform 34 displayed in the waveform display area of the liquid crystal display unit 23, the menu key 26a is first pressed to display a menu on a part of the screen of the liquid crystal display unit 23 and to move left and right. The color setting function included in the menu is selected using the keys 26b and 26c, and the set key 26f is pressed. Thereby, the cursor 35 is displayed in the waveform display area of the liquid crystal display unit 23. The cursor is a means for specifying an arbitrary position in the waveform display area, and an arbitrary type of cursor can be used.

Next, for example, when coloring the waveform T,
The cursor displayed in the waveform display area of the liquid crystal display unit 23 is moved left and right with the move keys 26b and 26c to display the waveform T.
Is located at the beginning t ₀ of, and press the SET key 26f, then allowed to position the end t _s of waveform T, the set key 26
Press f to confirm. Thus, both ends of the color setting range are determined. After the color setting range is determined, a plurality of colors that can be specified are displayed. Move keys 26b, 26
The color is designated by operating c, and the set key 26f is pressed to confirm.

First, a fixed value, for example, 0 is written as a color designation number in the color data array C (t) of the waveform, so that the waveform is displayed in one color. Doing add color operation waveform T as described above in this state, the value of the set range of the start point t ₀ color data array corresponding to the end point t _s from _{C (t 0) ~C (t} s) Is changed to the designated color value (for example, 1). The waveform displayed on the screen of the liquid crystal display unit 23 is updated in a display cycle of the liquid crystal display unit 23. Therefore, in the next display cycle, the waveform data array V (t) and the color data array C (t) set in the display range of the screen are updated, and at that time, the waveform T is changed from the color data array C (t ₀ ) to the color data array C (t ₀ ). It is displayed in the color designated by C (t _s ). Thus, the waveform T is displayed in a different color from the other waveform portions. In FIGS. 4A and 4B, the colors are indicated by alternate long and short dash lines.

When changing the range to be colored, the start point and the end point can be changed by pressing the clear key 26g, and the color display range can be set again.

When the color data arrays C (t _BS ) to C (t _BE ) corresponding to the waveform B are selected and another color (for example, 2) is designated in the same manner as described above, the waveform B of the waveform B is displayed at the next display cycle. The color changes. In FIG. 4, the color of the waveform B is indicated by a broken line. Thus, in the waveform display area of the liquid crystal display unit 23, each of the waveform T and the waveform B can be displayed in different colors.

Next, in the state where the color of the waveform B is changed as described above, the color of the waveform B2 of the secondary echo generated thereafter can be changed. At this time, the cursor is displayed again, the cursor is moved to the center position of the waveform B, the center position is set to t _B, and the base point t ₀ of the transmission wave T is set to 0,
Using the value t _B , the appearance position of the waveform B2 is determined as t _B2 = t _B ×
2 can be estimated. Therefore, the waveform B2
Color data array C corresponding to the location where
(T _B2S) -C to (t _B2E), the center position of the waveform B2 the value t _B2, the t _BE -t _BS as the width of the waveform B, t _B2S = t
_B × 2− (t _BE −t _BS ) ÷ 2, t _B2E = t _B × 2 + (t
_BE− t _BS ) ÷ 2 is calculated and obtained. Thus, the color data arrays C (t _B2S ) to C (t _B2E ) corresponding to the waveform B2 can be set to the same value as the waveform B. This state is shown in FIG.
(B) of FIG.

In the same manner as described above, the appearance positions of the third-order echo waveform B3 and the fourth-order echo waveform B4 of the bottom surface echo can be estimated, and the colors of those waveforms can be set.

As described above, according to the waveform display method of the present embodiment, in the waveform display area of the screen of the liquid crystal display unit 23, the color of the waveform T as the transmission wave and the color of the waveform B as the bottom reflection echo are made different. Therefore, it is possible to easily identify the waveform F of the defect echo wave that appears during that time.
In particular, when a defect is identified by using a secondary or tertiary echo waveform by widening the display range, even if many multiple reflection echoes appear, as described above, the waveforms B, B2, and B2 of the bottom surface reflection echoes. Since B3 can be all colored the same and displayed in a different color from the other waveform parts, it can be determined at a glance that it is a multiple echo. Thereby, the waveform F which is a defect echo can be easily identified.

In the above embodiment, the bottom surface 17 of the subject 14 is
Although the example of the multiple echo in the above was explained, if the multiple echo is expected due to reflection at another interface or defect, the multiple echo waveform can be colored in the same manner as described above. In this case, it is necessary to set a multiple reflection reference for estimating the position of the secondary echo or the tertiary echo.

The waveform display example shown in FIG. 5 shows another waveform display method. In this waveform display method, all waveforms after waveform B are set to a fixed color. That is, a constant value, for example, 2 is given after the color data array C (t _BS ). According to this waveform display method, the waveform of a defect echo can be emphasized by displaying a waveform portion that is not noticed in defect detection in a color that is difficult to see.

In each of the above embodiments, the color data array C
By rewriting (t) all at the time of setting, the waveform data array V is displayed while changing the display range during the measurement.
Even if the position of (t) and the thinning amount are changed, a color display that is set in advance by color designation from the color data array C (t) corresponding to each element of the data array can be performed.

In the above embodiment, when information such as the thickness of the subject 14 is known in advance, the appearance position of the waveform B can be estimated based on the waveform T, and the color of the waveform B can be changed. Although the menu key 26a is used in the above description, it is also possible to use a function key to select a menu.

[0031]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, for a plurality of waveforms displayed on the screen of the display unit of the ultrasonic flaw detector, an arbitrary part is designated and the color of the part is arbitrary. , And the waveform can be easily identified. Also, the waveform coloring operation can be easily performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of an ultrasonic flaw detector in which a waveform display method according to the present invention is performed.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a transmission state of an ultrasonic wave in a subject.

FIG. 3 is a view of a display / operation panel provided on a front surface of a main body of the ultrasonic flaw detector.

FIG. 4 is a waveform chart for explaining a waveform display method according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a waveform chart for explaining another example of the waveform display method according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a waveform chart for explaining a conventional waveform display method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 13 Probe 14 Subject 15 Ultrasound 16 Defect 17 Bottom

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shigeru Miwa 650 Kandamachi, Tsuchiura-shi, Ibaraki Prefecture Within Hitachi Construction Machinery Engineering Co., Ltd. Engineering Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method according to claim 1, wherein a pulsed ultrasonic wave is periodically transmitted to the subject, an ultrasonic echo returned from the subject is received, and an echo waveform is extracted from the ultrasonic echo. In an ultrasonic flaw detector that stores data of a transmission waveform and the echo waveform in a waveform storage unit, extracts the data at an appropriate timing, and displays the data on a display unit, displaying a cursor in a waveform display area of the display unit, A color display range, a color of a waveform part included in the color display range is specified, and the waveform part is displayed in the specified color. 2. The waveform storage unit stores a waveform data array corresponding to the waveform display area and a color data array including a color designation number for designating a color for each array element of the waveform data array. 2. The color designation number of a portion of the color data array corresponding to the color display range when the color display range is designated by the cursor and the color is designated. Display method of ultrasonic flaw detector. 3. The method for displaying a waveform of an ultrasonic flaw detector according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the transmission waveform and the bottom surface echo waveform is displayed in different colors. 4. The waveform of the ultrasonic flaw detector according to claim 3, wherein the color of the echo waveform generated after the secondary echo is changed to the same color in relation to the color display of the first echo waveform. Display method.