Software TomoView

TomoView™ is a powerful and versatile software package that manages the acquisition of UT (ultrasonic testing) signals combined with the real-time imaging of these signals, as well as offline analysis of previously acquired data files.

TomoView is designed to perform UT parameter setup and data acquisition with any of R/D Tech conventional and phased array ultrasonic systems in a similar, user-friendly way. This eliminates the need for additional training when operators switch from one type of acquisition unit to another.
TomoView offers many advanced functions and features that are needed to efficiently acquire and analyze data during UT inspections. An ideal tool for either on-site or laboratory work, it runs under Microsoft® Windows® XP. Adaptable to any hardware configuration, TomoView can run efficiently on standard laptop computers and on high-end desktop workstations. It is a complete software application capable of easily handling very large data files (up to 1 gigabyte), depending on the configuration of the computer. Furthermore, TomoView offers great flexibility and a graphic interface that makes it very easy to use.

Features

• Powerful Tools for Detection, Sizing, and Characterization of Flaws
• Flexible Data Display
• Comprehensive Reporting Functions
• Drives R/D Tech UT and Phased Array Systems
• Perfect Complement for OmniScan Family Instruments
• Built-in Functions for Scanner Interface

Flexible and Powerful Ultrasound Data Acquisition and Analysis Software

TomoView Drives These R/D Tech Systems
TomoView can be used for setup and data acquisition operations with Olympus NDT's various conventional and phased array ultrasonic R/D Tech’s systems. TomoView also allows analysis of data files generated by most R/D Tech’s past and present ultrasonic acquisition units, and any previous version of TomoView.
TomoView will drive the following Olympus NDT R/D Tech instruments:
µTomoscan
Tomoscan FOCUS
Tomoscan III PA
TomoScan FOCUS LT
MultiScan MS5800
OmniScan PA
OmniScan UT

Illustration of volume-corrected views: top, side, end, and A-scan views.
TomoScan FOCUS LT
OmniScan PA and OmniScan UT

Interface Overview

TomoView™ screen layouts are user-defined and can easily be saved for rapid retrieval, thus facilitating the work of the operators during an UT inspection. The screen can be split into any number of nonoverlapping window sections called panes. TomoView is available with predefined display layouts that can be easily loaded, modified, and saved.
In addition to generic graphical features such as measurement cursors, zooming, and color-palette modifications, TomoView provides automated tools to facilitate advanced data analysis according to various standards.

Advanced Calculator

The TomoView Advanced Calculator is an essential and powerful component of the TomoView software package. The Calculator enables precise programming of angle beams and focal points as well as the type of electronic scanning (sectorial, linear, or depth).
The parameter entry is facilitated as wedge, probe, and material data are already pre-programmed in the database. In addition, the graphical display of the resulting focal laws and angle beams offer the user an important validation tool.

• 3-D ray-tracing
• Sectorial scan, linear scan, depth scan, and dynamic-depth focusing
• Support for focusing on user-defined planes

• Support for standard linear probes, up to 2-D matrix, and dual phased array probes

• Save results in .law file for inspection with the OmniScan®
• Probe, wedge, and specimen database for easy definition of all relevant parameters

For each focal law, near-field depth and angular deflection values are computed and displayed in the display tab, which allows the user to verify, at any time, if the settings are within the ultrasound's physical limits.

The Calculator can be used as a standalone software. All the settings can be saved for re-use within TomoView.

Setup and Data Acquisition

• Multiple-channel operation—using conventional, phased array UT, or any combination of both
• Weld and specimen overlay offers direct reading of defect location: Select predefined weld bevel or import CAD drawings (in DXF format).

• Automated calibration (amplitude, time base) and TCG (time-correction gain) for both conventional UT and phased array UT configurations—automatically computes one TCG per focal law.
• “Ghost echoes” usually occurs when high-speed inspection (high PRF) is required. They are due to multiple reflections on interface between wedge and part. These ghost echoes can be dramatically reduced using an interleaved firing sequence without any other drawback.

• Various types of inspection sequences 1-D, 1.5-D, or 2-D based on encoder inputs, internal clock, or external PACE signal
• Beam simulation module—allows real-time visualization of the considered UT and/or phased array beams, together with a realistic visualization of the component and weld-preparation geometry. This feature is extremely useful for performing real-time examination-coverage evaluation.
• Dynamic depth focusing (DDF)—instead of requiring one focal law for each depth position (depth focusing), the DDF algorithm allows the use of a single focal law by dynamically changing the focusing depth at reception of the signal. This function is particularly useful for the inspection of components where a large through-wall range is to be covered.

Data Analysis

• Various graphical tools are available for optimizing visualization and for retrieving numerical information from data:
  • Crosshair cursors
  • Zoom function with possibility to link views
  • Contour function, to mark indications and to automatically obtain numerical information (amplitude, position, size, etc.) from indications
  • Gain information, and the possibility to add software gain, in order to adjust the sensitivity of the examination during data analysis
• Template layout display provides different ways to view data
• Up to 8 user-defined layouts can be created and saved for displaying the ultrasonic data, including view types, units, weld overlays, color palette and software gain setting, information fields in various views, defect table information, etc.
• Display amplitude and time-of-flight C-scan using different color palettes
• Information groups—various parameters related to a data group and/or a specific view can be selected by the operator to be displayed in the upper part of a pane. These parameters include information about cursor positions, statistical calculations, probe settings, UT settings, file history, FFT, cylindrical calculation tools, etc.
• Edit color palette using improved palette manager for corrosion mapping

• Select echodynamic curves based on minimal position or minimal/maximum amplitude
• Click and drag a contour around a defect and instantly read x,y,z position, position amplitude, width, and length at -6 dB drop

Advanced Analysis Tools

• Multiple files can be opened and visualized, with either similar or different display settings.
• Hysteresis correction—allows fast and easy offline elimination of visible backlash phenomena caused by a scanning mechanism, while conserving the raw data unchanged.
• Data-file merge function—allows merging of multiple files with various channels and/or focal laws into one single file.
• Volumetric merge function—allows the merging of ultrasonic data acquired with various acoustic beams, as generated by the corresponding data files, channels, and/or focal laws. This merging process compares the amplitudes obtained in each point of the inspected volume by the considered channels and/or focal laws, and creates a new data group with the maximum amplitude observed at each position in the inspected volume.
• TOFD Manager—a dedicated tool for basic and advanced analysis of TOFD examination data: typical TOFD cursors, offline calibration of data files generated with conventional UT and phased array equipment on both flat and cylindrical geometries, lateral wave straightening and removal, and dedicated information groups for fast and easy length and height sizing of flaws
• User-friendly creation and exportation of a customized defect table, which contains all required numerical information about the indications to be reported and/or essential variable information of the considered data file.
• Visualization and analysis of files corresponding to acoustic beam simulations created with the PASS software
• Logarithmic-to-linear conversion of both 8-bit and 12-bit data files
• Soft Cscan module—allows generating amplitude and position Cscan images from Ascan data. Allows subtraction of TOF Cscans for thickness measurement.
• C-scan merge module—merges interleaved C-scans based on minimum or maximum amplitude, or TOF.
• Offline resynchronization of A-scans based on interface signal

Reporting

A complete inspection report layout is available for immediate printing in TomoView™. This report contains information about the inspection parameters, the focal laws, or the indications reported in the defect table. In addition, customized inspection reports can be prepared with Microsoft Access.

Data Exchange

• The screen capture tool allows capturing either the complete TomoView™ screen, any pane, image, or data table. This content can be saved as a BMP file or copied to the Clipboard and can then be pasted into any Microsoft® Windows® application.
• The numerical information contained in the defect table can be saved as a TXT file, which can then be imported into standard spreadsheet software.
• The export A-scan and C-scan functions allow exporting the information contained in either A-scan signals or C-scan images to a TXT file.

OmniScan® Data Analysis

Import OmniScan data files and display volume-corrected views as well as multiple B-scan views.