Robotic Nondestructive Testing Technology

The content of this book includes a variety of nondestructive testing (NDT) methods, with many introductions to testing and application cases. The book proposes new ultrasonic testing technology for complex workpieces. It is hard for traditional NDT technology to realize the automatic detection of complex curved components, especially the automatic high-precision nondestructive detection of curved-surface components with variable curvature, variable thickness and complex contour. Therefore, the robotic NDT technique as a combination of manipulator technique and NDT technique can further improve the efficiency and accuracy of NDT. Robotic NDT Technique combines the physical principle of nondestructive testing with the flexible motion control of spatial attitude of articulated manipulator. With NDT as the constraint, it controls the motion attitude and azimuth angle of a transmitting and receiving transducer. Thus traditional NDT technique has developed from plane to curved surface, from 2D to many dimensions and from artificiality to intelligence, into a unique and systematic interdisciplinary robotic NDT technique.

Chunguang Xu is a professor at Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China. He earned his PhD in mechanical manufacturing from Beijing Institute of Technology in 1995. His current research interests include ultrasonic testing and manipulator control.