MECHATRONICS IN NON DESTRUCTIVE TESTING (NDT) APPLICATIONS

AHMAD SYAZANI BIN JAAFAR

1125941
Mechatronics Engineering

AHMAD ZUHDI BIN UZIR

1120799
Mechatronics Engineering

Supervisor: DR. ALI SOPHIAN

Department of Mechatronics Engineering
International Islamic University Malaysia
Jalan Gombak, Selangor Darul Ehsan
ABSTRACT
Non Destructive Testing had been using in
many fields because the nature of its
applications is to preserve the integrity of
materials or components. Non-destructive
testing was proven to be the effective way
to test the irregularities in materials. While
there are many ways to perform the test,
some of it requires mechatronics to further
the efficiency. Mechatronics is a new way
to perform NDT in various places with
variety new technology. This paper will
discover more on the use of mechatronics
in non-destructive testing and discuss on
the future technologies for NDT.

1. INTRODUCTION
In today market, materials that are produce
need to undergo inspection or perform
some testing to grade its quality. This
quality covers from ductility, brittleness,
toughness and strength. Apart from
material, the testing also had been
performing on mechanical components or
structural. There was many ways to
perform the testing and most of it will
destroy the material permanently. This
kind of test is commonly known as
destructive testing.
To preserve the material, Non Destructive
Testing (NDT) comes into play and gives
huge impact on material, structural and
component testing. NDT will ensure the
integrity of the structure and mechanical

component and simultaneously preserve

the continuity of material, component and
parts to perform their function.
When performing NDT, it will locate the
pointers and incoherence that may cause
systems to fails or shut down. The tests
that are performed will not affect the
quality of test object or in other word
non-destructive. To avoid deconstruction
or damage, NDT will carefully evaluate
the material thoroughly. NDT is typically
used at different point in component life
cycle [1]. Another prior use of NDT is as a
quality control and to detect service related
conditions that may affect reliability [1].
Today, modern non-destructive tests are
used to ensure product integrity and
reliability in manufacture, fabrication and
operating inspection [2]. When using in
construction, NDT will be used to protect
the quality of materials and joining
processes when undergoes fabrication and
erection phases. Apart from that, NDT
inspection is common for in-service usage
to ensure the product in use to maintain its
usefulness and the safety of the public.

A. Different Types of NDT

Techniques
Over the past few years, scientists and
engineers have produced various test
method for NDT applications. These test
methods or techniques mostly refer to the
type of penetration use (medium) or

different equipment that help to perform

specific test. Some of the current NDT
methods are: Electromagnetic Testing
(ET), Leak Testing (LT), Magnetic Flux
Leakage (MFL), Liquid Penetrant Testing
(PT), Magnetic Particle Testing (MT),
Radiographic Testing (RT), Ultrasonic
Testing (UT), Vibration Analysis (VA) and
Visual Testing (VT) [2].
These different methods or techniques all
have their merits and will be use when the
situation need it most but there are six test
method that are frequently use, namely
Ultrasonic Testing (UT), Radiographic
Testing (RT),Magnetic Particle Testing
(MT),Electromagnetic Testing (ET),Visual
Testing (VT) and Liquid Penetrant Testing
(PT). We will describe four of these
techniques to provide more insights on
NDT test methods.
i) Ultrasonic Testing (UT)
Ultrasonic testing adapts the same
principle as in use in fish finder and sonar.
This technique uses ultra-high frequency
sound waves on the part of inspection and
it will detect irregularities by sensing the
material using acoustic impedance. When
there is change in the material
characteristic, the sound will reflect back
to the receiver to be presented in visual
display. The frequencies that were used in
UT were commonly between 1.0 and 10.0
MHz. This frequency is higher to be heard
and do not travel through air. Higher
frequencies were preferable because it can
detect smaller indications.
Some of the UT techniques are Straight
Beam, Angle Beam, Immersion Testing,
Through Transmission, Phased Array and
Time of Flight Diffraction.
ii) Radiographic Testing (RT)
Radiographic testing will expose the
material to a radiation that penetrating the
body to detect irregularities. On opposite
side of the material is a recording medium
that receive the radiation that already pass

through the object as an image. The

common radiation uses is electrically
generated x-radiation or x-ray. X-ray was
typically use on material with less density
or thinner, example: aluminium. For
thicker and denser material, the common
radiation is gamma radiation.
The techniques that were used to perform
RT were Film Radiography, Computed
Radiography, Computed Tomography and
Digital Radiography.
iii) Magnetic Particle Testing (MT)
Magnetic Particle Testing was use on
ferromagnetic materials to locate
discontinuities on the surface or near
surface. This testing applies one or more
magnetic fields which can be produce
using permanent magnet or an
electromagnet. These magnetic fields will
produce flux leakage when encounter
irregularity and will attract magnetic
particle to gather at the discontinuity
producing a visible indication on the
surface.
The techniques that can be used to
perform MT were Yokes, Prods, Coils,
Heads and Central Conductor.
iv) Electromagnetic Testing (ET)
Magnetic Particle Testing was basically an
Electromagnetic Testing but due to its
widespread, MT is consider an individual
test. As in general use, ET is a popular
choice. ET consists of Eddy Current
Testing, Alternating Current Field
Measurement (ACFM), and Remote Field
Testing.

B. NDT Applications
With introduction of non-destructive
testing, many fields adapt this kind of
testing to preserve the material and
mechanical component. Some of the fields
benefit greatly from the usage of NDT.
NDT was used to protect the integrity of

machine equipment, oil-ducts, gas-pipes,

aeronautics and nuclear power equipment
[3].
i) Aircraft
During aircraft maintenance NDT is the
most economical way of performing
inspection and is a way of discovering
defects on metallic plates[3].Mainly use
Eddy Current testing, it useful to detect
cracks caused by fatigue or by stress
corrosion. The cause of widely use of eddy
current is because it use minimal time to
prepare and has a high sensitivity.
ii) Oil and Gas
With the rising of demand on oil and gas,
the cost of operating the equipment and
maintenance keep rising. NDT help to
prevent future complication if the
equipment becomes faulty. The most
effective methods which guarantee
capacity for work of oil & gas equipment
and tools are systematic non-destructive
testing and technical diagnostics of their
working state [4]. NDT will allow
detecting any defect on the equipment
before putting it into work.
iii) Structure
In Civil Engineering, Non Destructing
Testing is widely use in different
application. Most of these applications can
be recognising as structural but they also
consist of site surveying and highways
difficulties [5]. Testing may be used during
planning and construction periods, but the
greater part of applications are
apprehensive with troubleshooting,
maintenance and repair [5].

fields. Mechatronics system helps to

ensure safety and increase productivity.
Furthermore, mechatronics help to achieve
something beyond the human physical
limit. One of the definitions of
mechatronics is: Mechatronics is the
synergistic mixture of mechanical and
electrical engineering, computer science,
and information technology, which
contains control systems along with
numerical methods used to design products
with integrated intelligence [6].
Vehicles, aircraft, power systems, and
fundamentally all design systems rely on
the combination of electrical, mechanical,
and software technologies to control or
replace mechanical operations [7].
Mechatronics helps to combine all this into
a simpler and reliable system with much
more efficiency.

2. MECHATRONICS IN NON
DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
APPLICATIONS
Industrial Robot
Non-destructive testing (NDT) play a vital
role in many industries to ensure the
quality and safety of materials, products
and structures. In this topic regarding an
industrial robot, we will give a several
preview about the use of mechatronic
systems in different industries. There are
many types of mechatronic systems that
have been developed by engineers such as
wheeled, climbing or crawling robots to
reflects the difficulties and safety issues in
major industries. [8]
i.

C. Mechatronics Systems
Before we discuss further about
mechatronic on NDT application, we first
must understand the concept of
mechatronic system. As in today worlds,
mechatronics had been using in many

Magnetic Flux Leakage Pipeline

Inspection Gauges ( MFL PIG)

MFL PIG has been used since the 1960s

for gas pipeline inspection, this tools use
permanent powerful magnets to magnetize
the pipes wall to near saturation flux
density. If there are defects present on pipe
wall, magnetic flux will leaks from wall

into surrounding air. In this gauge, there is

a sensor named Hall-effect sensor that
detect leakage flux and will estimating the
shape and size of the wall defects. [9][10]
[11]

Data acquisition

Electronics board

Gyroscope sensors

Coil type sensors

Rear body :

Figure 9 Schematic view of a MFL PIG [9]

This tool will be sent down to a pipeline
by a launcher and the pressure of product
(gas) is used to push it along down the
pipe until it reaches the receiving trap at
the end of each run. The first MFL PIG
tool is designed and build in Iran with
collaboration of Segal Pardazesh Part Co.
And University of Tehran.[12][13] See the
figure below:

Figure 10 First MFL PIG designed for

inspection of 30 inch pipelines [12][13]

Its consists of two part : [12][13]

Front body:

Batteries

Magnets

Brushes

Odometer system

Hall-effect sensors

ii.

Other pipeline inspection robot

The Explorer. [8]

Being design because of some pipes are
not compatible to previous pigging tool as
the pigs cannot navigate through narrow
region such as Y- and T-joints, 90 turns
and small diameter pipes.
Design by engineers at Carnegie Mellon
Universitys (CMU) Robotics Institute
(RI) which are funded by Department of
Energy (DoE). CMU had develop an
advanced remote and robotic inspection
system, being able for long-duration travel
inside pipeline for in-situ inspection in the
6-8 inch diameter range gas pipelines. [8]
[14][15]
Main advantage of Explorer is capability
to locomote the robot through different
type of pipes including sharp bends,
elbows, Ys and Ts, by using its on-board
driving arms and steering joints. The
system can normally operate in natural gas
environment. There are five type of
modules in one Explorer which are
locomotor (drive), camera, battery,
computer and support modules. Each
module is connected by an articulated
joint. For locomotor modules, it connected
to other module by pitch roll joints while

the remaining modules connected by pitch

joints. [14][15]

B. Camera module
Design as an imaging only add on to the
drive module. It integrate the CMOS
imager using fish-eyes lens LED lighting
plus a protective dome. The nose cone of
the camera was designed as an RFtransparent unit, with embedded antennae.
It also have a set of recharge points on the
nose cone, so the robot can be recharged in
situ (external).
C. Support Module

Figure 11 Overall design configuration for

X-I and X-II [16]
Explorer modules : [16][17][18]
A. Locomotion module
Design to combine a powered wheeldriven preloadable and adjustable hybrid
leg locomotor into a single unit. It has the
ability to expand to self center itself in a 68 inch diameter pipe. The arm are powered
by single motor which drives the three bar
linkage arrangement to extend/collapse the
arm. The dual sets of wheel at each arm
are driven also by single motor through a
planatery gear reduction. The different
between these two robot (X-I and X-II) is
the placement of camera section. For X-I
camera was added with driver module,
while for X-II, camera and driver separate
train with each other.

To provide alignment with the pipes

centerline during climbing and turning to
reduce friction. It have same design with
drive module and also have same structure
and leg-deployment drive design. However
it only features an arm with free spinning
wheel at the end.

Figure 13 Support module design [16]

D. Battery Module
Based on chemical energy storage, namely
batteries. The selection was limited to
nickel-metal-hydride (NiMh) for X-I and
lithium-polymer (LiP) for X-II.

Figure 12 Drive module between X-I and

X-II [9]

Figure 14 Comparison between battery

chemistry and configuration [16]

Before NDT methods had been used in this

industries, all testing and visual inspection
have being conducted manually by divers.
This a prototype system for the NDT od
sub-sea flexible risers. The system consists
of a crawling robot with a digital gamma
radiography system. Its has the ability to
move along the length of a riser and also
can rotate about the axis. The detector is
attached to an ambedded PC and generate
the images that sended to the host PC via
an umbilical link. The system has been
tested underwater and still being
developed by Computerised Information
Technology Ltd. [8][20]

Robotic Pipe Scanner. [8]

This robot had been develop by Rosen
Swiss AG, which move along the outside
of the pipes surface for fully 360
coverage of above-ground. Its used
magnetic flux leakage principle to detects
flaws on the pipes.

Figure 11 The FlexiRiserTest system

during underwater trials [Source:
FlexiRiverTest Consortium]
The Magnetic Hull Crawler Ship
industries [8]

Figure 15 Robotic Pipe Scanner [Source:

Rosen Swiss AG]

iii.

Other example from different

industries

FlexiRiserTest - Offshore industries. [8]

Produced by French company Cybernetix

SA, these are the other example of crawler
robot that had been design intended to
climb up the ships hull while making
inspection. These crawler had been used
because of the difficulty and the safety
issues when doing the inspection on hull as
it prone to developing defects and cracks
due to corrosion. It has a speeds up to 0.3
m/s and also can operate underwater to the
depth of 50 m. There are two-colour
camera for visual inspection and ultrasonic
probes, consists of positioning system to

allow 3D hull thickness mapping. [8][19]

[20]

REFERENCES
[1]

What is NonDestructive Testing? ,

(n.d.), Retrieved from
http://www.trainingndt.com/index.
php/what-is-nondestructive-testing

[2]

Introduction to Nondestructive
Testing , (n.d.), Retrieved from
https://www.asnt.org/MinorSiteSec
tions/AboutASNT/Intro-to-NDT

[3]

O. Postolache, M. D. Pereira, H.G.

Ramos, A. Lopes Ribeirol, NDT
on AluminumAircraft Plates based
on Eddy Current Sensing and
Image Processing,Instrumentation
and Measurement Technology
Conference Proceedings, 2008.
IMTC 2008. IEEE, pp1803 1808, 2008

[4]

Karpash Oleg ,P. Krinichny, L.

Kiyko, Non-destructive Testing
and technical diagnostics of Oil &
Gas Equipment and Tools,
http://www.ndt.net/article/wcndt00/
papers/idn040/idn040.htm

[5]

Sri HarshaGamidi, Non

Destructive Testing Of Structures,
Indian Institute of
Technology,Bombay, November
2009

[6]

D. Shetty and R.A. Kolk,

Mechatronics System Design, PWS
Publishing Company, 1997.

[7]

Saber for Mechatronic Systems,

(n.d.), Retrieved from
http://www.synopsys.com/prototypi
ng/saber/pages/mechsystems.aspx

[8]

Robert Bogue, (2010),"The role of

robotics in non-destructive testing",
Industrial Robot: An International
Journal, Vol. 37 Iss 5 pp. 421 426

[9]

A.A. Carvalho, J.M.A. Rebello,

L.V.S. Sagrilo, C.S. Camerini,
I.V.J. Mirand, MFL signals and
artificial neural networks applied to

Figure 12 The Magnetic Hull Crawler

(MHC) [Source: Cybernetix SA]

3. CONCLUSION
This report aims to explore some of the
use of mechatronics in NDT and their
applications. This report discusses the
definition of NDT and various NDT
techniques. Then it touches on few of NDT
applications which are aircraft, oil and gas,
and structures. To further understand
mechatronics, this report introduced
mechatronic system that helps progress
through the report. After understanding the
basic, we discuss the main topic which is
mechatronics in NDT. We show a few
working projects on NDT and how
mechatronics help to improve the
efficiency and functionalities.
We learned from this report that
mechatronics help to move NDT industry
forward. There are many new integrated
systems that need to be developed in the
future and researches that will become
very useful in a few years.
In summary, non-destructive testing
benefit greatly by using mechatronics as a
medium to further expand the industry.

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

detection and classification of pipe

weld defects, NDT&E
International, Vol. 39, pp. 661-667,
2006.

[15]

Staff Report, New Optical

methane detector improves gas leak
surveys, PipeLine & Gas Industry
Journal, September 2000

Reza K. Amineh, Slawomir Koziel,

Natalia K. Nikolova, John W.
Bandler, and James P. Reilly, A
space mapping methodology for
defect characterization from
magnetic flux leakage
measurements, IEEE Trans. on
Magnetics, Vol. 44, No. 8, pp.
2058-2065, 2008.

[16]

Schempf, H., & Vradis, G. (2004).

Explorer: Long-range untethered
real-time live gas main inspection
system. In Natural Gas
Technologies II Conference,
Phoenix, AZ.

[17]

Schempf, H., Mutschler, E.,

Goltsberg, V., & Chemel, B.
(2001). Robotic repair system for
live distribution gasmains. In Field
and Service Robotics Conference,
FSR 2001, Helsinki, Finland.

[18]

Schempf, H.,Mutschler, E.,

Crowley,W., Gavaert, A., Skoptsov,
G., & Graham, T. (2005). Gas main
robotic inspection system. U.S.
Patent #6,917,176.

[19]

C. Schlosser, T. Schppstuhl. 2014.

Numerical controlled robot
crawler: new resource for
industries with large scale
products. Production Engineering
8, 719-725

[20]

Melquisedec F. Santos, Maurcio

O. Brito, Cassiano Neves, Luciano
L. Menegaldo. 2013. Development
of an underwater riser inspection
robot. Industrial Robot: An
International Journal 40:4, 402-411

Muhammad Afzal, Satish Udpa,

Advanced signal processing of
magnetic flux leakage data
obtained from seamless gas
pipeline, NDT&E International,
Vol. 35, pp. 449-457, 2002.
Raymond G. Rempel, Anomaly
Detection using Magnetic Flux
Leakage Technology, in Proc.
2005 the Rio Pipeline Conference
and Exposition.
Qi Jiang, Qingmei Sui, Nan Lu,
Paschalis Zachariades, Jihong
Wang, Detection and Estimation
of Oil-Gas Pipeline Corrosion
Defects, in Proc. 2006 the 8th
International Conference on
Systems Engineering, pp. 173-177.
Ives, G., Jr., Pipe Ruptures,
PipeLine & Gas Industry Journal,
Vol. 83, No.9, Houston, TX