1. What is a Phasor XS?
A Phasor XS consists of 2 individual instruments in one box:
- a 16 channel flaw detector for Phased Array probes of up to 64 elements AND
- a 1 channel conventional flaw detector for 1 or 2 element probes
2. What are the specific main features of a Phasor XS?
The Phasor XS is a compact, easy to use combination of a 16-channel flaw detector for Phased Array probes and a conventional flaw detector all in one box. It is lightweight, rugged, responsive, and well prepared for outside use. It provides a high value of practical use at an affordable price.
3. Why should I buy a Phasor XS instead of a Flaw Detector?
With the Phasor XS you buy not only a Phased Array flaw detector but also a complete and independent conventional 1-channel flaw detector. The Phased Array part of the Phasor XS gives you the power of up to 16 UT channels which can be multiplexed in order to drive up to 64 individual elements of a linear probe or up to 128 angle steps for an angle beam probe.
4. For what do I need Phased Array technology?
Phased Array technology gives you a two dimensional impression of the flaws in your test material (B-Scan or side view). Angle beam probes with an extended range from 0° up to 88° can be used as well as linear probes with up to 64 elements.
5. What are the typical applications for the Phased Array technology?
It starts with angle beam testing (weld inspection) and goes up to composite material testing for large area scanning. Any of those applications are matched as well by using the conventional flaw detector and conventional probes. The Phasor XS allows easy toggling between the Phased Array and the conventional part. All probes may remain connected at any time.
6. Can I perform thickness measurements with my Phasor XS?
Yes! Both Phased Array or the conventional flaw detector allow indications of all kinds of transit time related thickness results like sound path, thickness, projected distance etc. Additional to these known features Phased Array enables an automatic evaluation of the event of maximum amplitude within the array.
7. How can I document my measurement results?
The Phasor XS is equipped with an SD card slot. Documents can be stored either in the instrument, on an SD card or in the memory area of a dialog probe.
Two types of documents are available:
- a full ASCII type data set including all individual displayed A-Scans, all settings, all delay laws etc.
- a report as a *.JPG file providing the display information plus individual header and comment lines
SD cards can easily be read by using an external laptop/computer. JPG files can easily be integrated as resizable pictures into any report file type.
8. What is the maximum operation time of the Phasor XS?
The Phasor XS has a compact, exchangeable Li-Ion battery pack giving more than 6 hours of uninterrupted operation time. The power supply/charging device allows charging of the batteries during operation.
9. How are Angle Beam probes operated in a Phasor XS?
One or two conventional angle beam probes can be used with the conventional flaw detector. Up to 16 elements of a multiple element angle beam probe can be prepared in up to 128 consecutive shots covering any ranges of angles from down to 0° to up to 88°.
10. How are Linear Array probes operated in a Phasor XS?
Linear Array probes of up to 64 elements can be used with an aperture of up to 16 elements.
11. What is a Dialog Phased Array probe?
Dialog Phased Array probes contain an additional memory chip providing individual data of the probe like ID-No., Serial No. ,Pitch, Probe Frequency, etc. Additionally, there is a RAM area reserved for a complete data set stored by the operator. When connecting such a probe to the instrument, all data is transferred to the instrument like a recall of as SD Card dataset. Applications can so easily be exchanged by exchanging probes only!
12. What is a Wedge, and what is a Delay Line?
With every Phased Array probe you will get a tool to adjust the two screws at each side of the array. A wedge allows you to convert the longitudinal sound beam of a Phased Array probe into a shear wave type sound beam in the material. Therefore, it is important to know the correct values for all sound velocities and the precise measures of the wedge. Especially the mechanical angle of the wedge is important. You will find areas of black rubber-like attenuation material to suppress any longitudinal waves.
A delay line is simply a wedge at a mechanical angle of 0°. The transfer to shear waves needs a mechanical wedge angle, therefore we produce longitudinal waves only. These waves are transferred to the material from element 1 to the last element.
13. Can I use my Phased Array probe without a wedge?
Principally yes. There are two things to consider:
- your instrument will show a very large area influenced by the transmit pulse. This can be reduced by
a delay line only!
- protect your sound exit/entrance area (footprint) of the probe by an adequate adhesive tape.
14. Why do I have an Analog and a Digital Gain setting in PA mode?
This is the ideal setting for your instrument/probe/material combination - set digital gain to a minimum value of 10 dBD. Then adjust your maximum echo amplitude in the array area by using analog gain to a dBA value showing your max. Echo at an amplitude below 100% of screen height in the A-Scan.
Avoid any kind of amplitude saturation (>100% SCH) by reducing analog gain (dBA). Use digital gain to modify gain of the stored echoes giving you then a suitable dynamic range for offline dB between –10 and +44 dB.
15. Which rectifier is used to generate the B-Scan pictures?
Phasor XS allows you to use any of the Rectifier Modes at any time for the A-Scan displays: RF, POS, NEG, FULL. For the generation of the B-Scan picture only FULLWAVE Rectified A-Scans are used.
16. Can I use my Phasor XS w/o a battery pack?
Yes, you can. There is a lemo socket located on the back of the instrument for using a power supply module available as an accessory. Please read your manual for the details. In case it is connected to the instrument, all activities in and for the Li-Ion battery pack are suspended.
17. What happens to the instrument when the little red watch shows up?
Whenever the little red watch shows up, you have initiated a recalculation of the delay laws for all beams. This is needed whenever at least one of the functions changed turned to red.
18. How many Data Sets can I store on one SD card?
Let’s assume you are using an SD card of 512MB. Data files need a capacity of @ 500KB. That means this SD card is able to store up to 1000 data sets.
19. How many reports can I store on one SD Card?
Assuming you are using an SD card of 512MB. Report files need a capacity of up to 80KB. That means, this SD card is able to store up to 6400 report files.
20. How can I identify a report file afterwards?
Following the manual it is recommended to choose a reasonable name for your report files first. Pressing the Freeze button for > 3 seconds creates a new report file. The file name consists of the given file name plus _xxx.jpg, where xxx stands for a consecutive number beginning at 001 up to 999. In case no file name is given, instrument chooses an own name (PANONAME).
