Improving Surface Mine Profitability with Phased Array Ultrasonics

Results of a year analyzing the use of Phased Array in the Mining industry.

Nicholas Bublitz Olympus Scientific Solutions Americas

Abbreviated Abstract and Scope

• ~9 years working mainly with Phased Array and Tofd

• Business Development Project- Mining Industry

• 2 years spent visiting mines and working on applications– ~1 year of actual field work

• Significant improvements to inspection found

• Focused at major surface coal locations

Mining Issues-What I learned

• $$$ of downtime

• Parts availability

• Limited downtime for inspection

• Limited inspectors

• Lack of procedures

• Thick and complicated

• Culture of SAFETY

Also very dirty….

Applications in Heavy Equipment

• Draglines, Shovels, and Other

• Fatigue cracks, repairs

• Majority– Shafts and pins

– Bores and lugs

– “other”

Dragline-Where we are Using or Working to use Phased Array

• Boom anchors, lugs, links and pins

• Mast anchors, lugs, links and pins

• Back leg anchors, lugs, links and pins

• Main suspension pins, attachment plates

• Intermediate suspension pins, attachment

plates

• Swing Shafts

• Boom point shaft

• “Sticks”

• Propel-Main shafts-Intermediate shafts,

Stabilizer Arms, Lifting hooks

• Fairlead Pins

• Hoist and Drag Drum Stub Shafts

• Drum Split line bolts

• Drum to spider bolts

• Hoist and Drag Intermediate Shafts

• Center Pin

• House Rollers

Conventional Ultrasound Issues

• Lack of access for full coverage with a single angle

• Limited in how it can be applied

• Difficult to decipher geometrical reflections from the parts

• Heavy reliance on skilled operator

• Lack of permanent record and data

• Limited detection/characterization especially in situ

Phased Array• Multiple angles or rastering

• Imaging/data

• Flexible/Adaptable

• Fast

• Affordable

• Simplified and accepted

• Conv. Flaw Detection comparison=confidence

Swing Shafts as Illustration of Issues• Issues

– Access

– Off the shelf angles

– Geometry

– Mode conversion

– Off angle cracks (“winders)

– Access

– Diameter/Thickness

Swings Shafts as Illustration of Benefit

• Identify and Reduce geometry

• Change angles on the spot on defects

• Manual or encoded for monitoring

Swings Shafts as Illustration of Benefit

• Reliable and repeatable

• Outperformed: Sized closer to

actual size

• Permanent records

Typical Recommended Equipment List

• Small phased array unit (manual and encoded capable) (OmniScan SX used for study)– Portable– Low cost– User Friendly

• Scan Design Software to develop inspection (ES BeamTool used for study)– Import drawing– Draw complex parts

• Optional post analysis software (OmniPC used for study)– Encoded data– View / share/report on PC

• Phased Array Probe and wedge (2.25L60-60X10-CA14-SPEC/ SA14-N55S used for study)

• Optional Encoder or Scanner (Mini Wheel and ChainScanner used for study)

Results of Implementations of Phased Array

• Converting almost all ultrasonics to phased array

• Immediate Improved results in detection, characterization and sizing. Shaft cracks are winding in nature.

• Faster and more reliable

• Expansion into more inspections with ultrasound

• More communicable to others who needed to do repairs

• Increased safety

Looking Ahead: Advanced Probe Technologies• CCEV Probes

– Curved in passive axis= better length

sizing

• Lateral Sweeping– Fixed angle, sweep side to side– Only requires wedge change

• Dual Linear Arrays– 2 common phased arrays probes

– Roof angle

– Sweep side to side– Limited by wedge

• Dual Matrix Arrays– Increased focus

– side sweeping– No real limit by wedge Limited

to wedge (mechanical)

Thank you!

For more information on Olympus Phased Array Ultrasonics:

www.olympus-ims.com/en/phasedarray