Another U.S. patent granted to Cambridge based Engineering firm

May 16, 2019

UTComp continues to contribute towards the advancement of composite material inspection and engineering with their latest patent. The U.S. Patent 10,295,506, titled “ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER WITH REDUCED APERTURE DELAY LINE”, will be issued on May 21, 2019. Chief Technical Officer Geoff Clarkson P.Eng., developed the RAD Line to be used on FRP with radius of curvature less than 300mm (600mm or 24 inches diameter). Pipes and other smaller radius FRP assets will now benefit from accurate data on their structural integrity and estimated remaining service life.

About UTComp

Founded in 2008, UTComp Inc. is dedicated to improving the performance and safety of equipment made of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) and other composite materials. They provide a full spectrum of engineering and inspection services for composite fabrication and management excellence, including the patented UltraAnalytix® inspection system for non-destructive and non-intrusive evaluation and service life forecasting of FRP and composite tanks, pipes and other industrial assets.

Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) Methods for FRP

Comparison of NDE methods for determining Remaining Strength Factor of FRP for completion of Assessment as per proposed Part 16 update to API 579-1/ASME FFS-1:

NDE Method
Acoustic Emission (AE)
Acousto-ultrasonics (AU)
Attenuation-based ultrasonics (UAX)
UltraAnalytix (UAX+)
Applicable Standard
ASTM E1067
ASTM E1495
ASTM C1332¹
Combines ASTM C1332 & E1495
Inspector Certification Available
ISO, ASNT, SNT-TC-1A
SNT-TC-1A
SNT-TC-1A
SNT-TC-1A
Included in ISO or ASNT Training



Number of Calibration Specimens Required for an Inspection
0
1 or 2
2
0
Destructive Testing and Analysis of Calibration Specimens Required



Available Equipment Provides Output Values



Automated Processing for PDS Available



Remaining Strength Factor and Remaining Life Provided