NDT Data Access Library. User s Manual

Transcription

1 NDT Data Access Library User s Manual Software Version 1.10 DMTA EN [U ] Revision A October 2012

2 Olympus NDT, 48 Woerd Avenue, Waltham, MA 02453, USA 2012 Olympus NDT, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, or distributed without the express written permission of Olympus NDT, Inc. This document was prepared with particular attention to usage to ensure the accuracy of the information contained therein, and corresponds to the version of the product manufactured prior to the date appearing on the title page. There could, however, be some differences between the manual and the product if the product was modified thereafter. The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. Software version 1.10 Part number: DMTA EN [U ] Revision A October 2012 Printed in Canada All brands are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners and third party entities.

3 Table of Contents Important Information Please Read Before Use... 1 Intended Use... 1 Instruction Manual... 1 Safety Symbols... 1 Safety Signal Words... 2 Note Signal Words... 3 Warranty Information... 4 Technical Support... 4 Introduction Installation System Requirements Finding the Version Number of the NDT Data Access Library for Windows XP and Windows Installing the NDT Data Access Library Component Installing the NDT Data Access Library Component Under Windows XP Installing the NDT Data Access Library Component Under Windows Accessing Data Data groups for OmniScan and TomoView data files Data groups for the OmniScan ix, MX, and MX Acquisition Data Storage ReadData ReadAscan ReadDataSlice Table of Contents iii

4 3. Application Example Using the OmniScan and TomoView Data Extraction Application OmniScan and TomoView Data Extraction Application Description Data File Structure Program Commands IRDTiffDataFile IChannels IChannel IFilterSettings IPartParameters IBeams IBeam IGates IGate IDataGroups IDataManager IDataGroup IDataAccess Troubleshooting Troubleshooting First Steps Contacting Technical Support Appendix: Data Retrieval A.1 Retrieving Data Information A.1.1 Smart Pointer Using C A.1.2 Smart Pointer Using Matlab A.1.3 Browser Using C A.1.4 Browser Using Visual Basic A.1.5 Browser Using Matlab A.2 Retrieving Acquisition Data A.2.1 For a C++ Application A.2.2 For a Matlab Application List of Figures Index iv Table of Contents

5 Important Information Please Read Before Use Intended Use The NDT Data Access Library is designed to help integrating systems designed for the nondestructive inspections on industrial and commercial materials. Instruction Manual This instruction manual contains essential information on how to use this Olympus product safely and effectively. Before using this product, thoroughly review this instruction manual, and use the product as instructed. Keep this instruction manual in a safe, accessible location. Safety Symbols The following safety symbols might appear on the instrument and in the instruction manual: General warning symbol: This symbol is used to alert the user to potential hazards. All safety messages that follow this symbol shall be obeyed to avoid possible harm. Important Information Please Read Before Use 1

6 High voltage warning symbol: This symbol is used to alert the user to potential electric shock hazards greater than 1000 volts. All safety messages that follow this symbol shall be obeyed to avoid possible harm. Safety Signal Words The following safety symbols might appear in the documentation of the instrument: The DANGER signal word indicates an imminently hazardous situation. It calls attention to a procedure, practice, or the like, which, if not correctly performed or adhered to, could result in death or serious personal injury. Do not proceed beyond a DANGER signal word until the indicated conditions are fully understood and met. The WARNING signal word indicates a potentially hazardous situation. It calls attention to a procedure, practice, or the like, which, if not correctly performed or adhered to, could result in death or serious personal injury. Do not proceed beyond a WARNING signal word until the indicated conditions are fully understood and met. The CAUTION signal word indicates a potentially hazardous situation. It calls attention to an operating procedure, practice, or the like, which, if not correctly performed or adhered to, could result in minor or moderate personal injury, material damage, particularly to the product, destruction of part or all of the product, or loss of data. Do not proceed beyond a CAUTION signal word until the indicated conditions are fully understood and met. 2 Important Information Please Read Before Use

7 Note Signal Words The following safety symbols could appear in the documentation of the instrument: The IMPORTANT signal word calls attention to a note that provides important information, or information essential to the completion of a task. The NOTE signal word calls attention to an operating procedure, practice, or the like, which requires special attention. A note also denotes related parenthetical information that is useful, but not imperative. The TIP signal word calls attention to a type of note that helps you apply the techniques and procedures described in the manual to your specific needs, or provides hints on how to effectively use the capabilities of the product. Important Information Please Read Before Use 3

8 Warranty Information Olympus guarantees your Olympus product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a specific period, and in accordance with conditions specified in the Olympus NDT Terms and Conditions available at The Olympus warranty only covers equipment that has been used in a proper manner, as described in this instruction manual, and that has not been subjected to excessive abuse, attempted unauthorized repair, or modification. Inspect materials thoroughly on receipt for evidence of external or internal damage that might have occurred during shipment. Immediately notify the carrier making the delivery of any damage, because the carrier is normally liable for damage during shipment. Retain packing materials, waybills, and other shipping documentation needed in order to file a damage claim. After notifying the carrier, contact Olympus for assistance with the damage claim and equipment replacement, if necessary. This instruction manual explains the proper operation of your Olympus product. The information contained herein is intended solely as a teaching aid, and shall not be used in any particular application without independent testing and/or verification by the operator or the supervisor. Such independent verification of procedures becomes increasingly important as the criticality of the application increases. For this reason, Olympus makes no warranty, expressed or implied, that the techniques, examples, or procedures described herein are consistent with industry standards, nor that they meet the requirements of any particular application. Olympus reserves the right to modify any product without incurring the responsibility for modifying previously manufactured products. Technical Support Olympus is firmly committed to providing the highest level of customer service and product support. If you experience any difficulties when using our product, or if it fails to operate as described in the documentation, first consult the user s manual, and then, if you are still in need of assistance, contact our After-Sales Service. To locate the nearest service center, visit the Service Centers page at: 4 Important Information Please Read Before Use

9 Introduction The NDT Data Access Library is a COM component designed to help OmniScan ix, MX, MX2, and TomoView users create custom applications that can be used to get direct access to the A-Scan, C-Scan, and thickness data, and also to various acquisition parameters from the Olympus NDT data files in order to perform external data processing and display. Data is stored in the Olympus NDT RDTiff data file format, which is referred to as data file in this manual. It includes information on the acquisition parameters, along with the raw A-scan and C-scan data. This library is designed to be used with C++, C#, LabView, Matlab, and Visual Basic programing environments. It supports.opd files acquired with versions 1.0 and 1.4 of the OmniScan PA,.oud files acquired with versions 1.2 and 1.6 of the OmniScan UT,.opd and.oud data files acquired with versions 2.0 and 3.X of the OmniScan MX and MX2, data files in the.oud format acquired with versions 2.0 and 2.1 of the OmniScan ix, and data files in the.rdt format acquired with versions 1.4 and 2.X of TomoView. With the objective of helping users to create applications in a more user-friendly way, complete programs have been designed and are provided along with their original source code, offering a ready-to-use starting point for users who want to build their own applications. A complete listing of the functionalities available within the library is given with a description of each element in chapter Data File Structure on page 31. This manual presents the installation of the data file access component, and explains how Olympus NDT data is organized and how you can use this information to visualize scan results or build your own applications. Introduction 5

10 A certain level of knowledge and familiarity with non-destructive testing (NDT) using ultrasounds is required to be able to use the NDT Data Access Library. The NDT Data Access Library commands are documented in detail in the NDT Data Access documentation, which is provided as an online help document, located at the following access path: [Installation Folder Name]:\OlympusNDT\NDTDataAccessLibrary110\Manual For more information on non-destructive ultrasonic testing, please refer to the following manuals from the Advanced Practical NDT Series collection, available for free as downloadable PDF files at Introduction to Phased Array Ultrasonic Technology Applications Advances in Phased Array Ultrasonic Technology Applications 6 Introduction

11 1. Installation The installation of the NDT Data Access Library component is straightforward. Make sure the computer onto which the NDT Data Access Library component is to be installed meets the minimum system requirements. To visualize data samples, see Chapter Application Example on page System Requirements To install and run NDT Data Access Library, you need the following: Personal computer with a Pentium Pro III processor of 800 MHz or higher 512 MB of RAM or higher 1.03 GB free hard disk space, plus two times the size of the biggest data file to be handled Video adapter and monitor resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels that support a minimum of 256 colors Ethernet card and connection One of the following operating systems: Microsoft Windows 7; 32-bit and 64-bit versions Microsoft Windows Vista Microsoft Windows XP Professional (Service Pack 2 or higher) The recommended configuration includes: Personal computer with a Pentium processor of 1.4 GHz 1 GB of RAM (less RAM may result in limitations when attempting to perform operations on data files of 500 MB and more) 40 GB free hard disk for data storage Installation 7

12 1.2 Finding the Version Number of the NDT Data Access Library for Windows XP and Windows 7 In the case that the NDT Data Access Library component has already been installed on your computer, its version number must be found in order to decide whether it should be updated. To find the version number of the NDT Data Access Library under Windows XP 1. On the Windows taskbar, click START, and then click Control Panel. 2. Double-click Add or Remove Programs. The Add or Remove Programs window is displayed. 3. Scroll down to Olympus NDT Data Access Library [version number]. The number displayed at the end of the name of the software indicates the current software version (see Figure 1-1 on page 8). Figure 1-1 Finding the version number of the NDT Data Access Library under Windows XP using the Add or Remove Programs window To find the version number of the NDT Data Access Library under Windows 7 1. On the Windows taskbar, click START, and then click Control Panel. 2. Under Programs, click Uninstall a program. The Uninstall or change a program panel is displayed. 3. Scroll down to Olympus NDT Data Access Library [version number]. The number displayed at the end of the name of the software indicates the current software version (see Figure 1-2 on page 9). 8 Chapter 1

13 Figure 1-2 Finding the version number of the NDT Data Access Library under Windows 7 using the Add or Remove Programs window 1.3 Installing the NDT Data Access Library Component This section presents the procedure to install the NDT Data Access Library component for Windows XP and Windows 7. The NDT Data Access Library component is installed using an installation wizard, by following one of the procedures below Installing the NDT Data Access Library Component Under Windows XP This section presents the procedure to install the NDT Data Access Library component for Windows XP and Windows 7. To install the NDT Data Access Library component under Windows XP 1. On the Olympus NDT Web site at find the installer for the NDT Data Access Library software. The installer should be available in the TomoView section. It can also be found on the installation DVD provided with Olympus instruments. Installation 9

14 On the Olympus NDT Web site, you can find the most recent version of the NDT Data Access Library component installer. 2. Double-click the InstallNDTDataAccessLibrary-[version].exe. The installation wizard appears. 3. On the Software Licence Agreement page of the installation wizard, click I agree (see Figure 1-3 on page 10). Figure 1-3 The Software Agreement page 4. On the Welcome page of the installation wizard, click Next (see Figure 1-4 on page 11). 10 Chapter 1

15 Figure 1-4 The Welcome page 5. On the Select Destination Directory page, under Destination drive, select the drive where you wish to install the software, and then click Next (see Figure 1-5 on page 11). Figure 1-5 The Select Destination Directory page Installation 11

16 6. On the Start Installation page, click Next (see Figure 1-6 on page 12). Figure 1-6 The Start Installation page The Installing page appears briefly. After installation is completed, the Installation Complete page appears. 7. On the Installation Complete page, click Finish (see Figure 1-7 on page 12). Figure 1-7 The Installation Complete page 12 Chapter 1

17 The data access library component is now installed Installing the NDT Data Access Library Component Under Windows 7 This section presents the procedure to install the NDT Data Access Library component for Windows 7. To install the NDT Data Access Library component under Windows 7 1. On the Olympus NDT Web site at find the installer for the NDT Data Access Library software. It should be available in the TomoView section. The component can also be found on the installation DVD provided with Olympus instruments. On the Olympus NDT Web site, you can find the most recent version of the NDT Data Access Library component installer. 2. Double-click the InstallNDTDataAccessLibrary-[version].exe. The installation wizard appears. 3. On the Software Licence Agreement page of the installation wizard, click I agree (see Figure 1-8 on page 14). Installation 13

18 Figure 1-8 The Software Agreement page 4. On the Welcome page of the installation wizard, click Next (see Figure 1-9 on page 14). Figure 1-9 The Welcome page 14 Chapter 1

19 5. On the Select Destination Directory page, select the drive where you wish to install the software, and then click Next (see Figure 1-10 on page 15). Figure 1-10 The Select Destination Directory page 6. On the Start Installation page, click Next (see Figure 1-11 on page 15). Figure 1-11 The Start Installation page Installation 15

20 The Installing page appears briefly. After installation is completed, the Installation Complete page appears. 7. On the Installation Complete page, click Finish (see Figure 1-12 on page 16). Figure 1-12 The Installation Complete page The data access library component is now installed. 16 Chapter 1

21 2. Accessing Data This chapter presents a description of stored inspection data. Data files can be stored in either the.opd,.oud, or.rdt data file format depending on which Olympus NDT acquisition unit is being used for the inspection. This file is accessed through the NDT Data Access Library COM component (see Figure 2-1 on page 17). OmniScan PA Write.opd Read OmniScan UT Write.oud Read Data file access Read Custom application TomoView Write.rdt Read Figure 2-1 Diagram of the Olympus NDT Data Access Library 2.1 Data groups for OmniScan and TomoView data files A data group contains either the A-Scan or C-Scan data associated with a specific beam along with information that can be used to reconstruct the image. It should also be noted that a data group is a resultant of the node parameters that are generating it in the tree structure. The entry point to access data groups is IRDTiffDataFile. For more information on the IRDTiffDataFile entry point and to the data file s tree structure, see section 4 on page 31. Accessing Data 17

22 Each data file contains a collection of data groups; one for each type of data to be stored or analyzed. The number of data groups can vary depending on whether the acquisition was performed using an OmniScan or TomoView. 2.2 Data groups for the OmniScan ix, MX, and MX2 The following are the 11 data groups that can be found in the OmniScan ix, MX, and MX2 data files. However, this number can be reduced to 9 if the A-Scan storage was not activated when the data was acquired One data group for the A-scan: 1. A-scan main gate for the A-scan data (if the A-scan storage mode was activated on the OmniScan). Three data groups for gate I (also referred to as Synchronization Gate): 2. I% for the maximum amplitude detected inside gate I. 3. I^ for the position corresponding to the maximum amplitude detected inside gate I. 4. I/ for the position of the first A-Scan signal crossing gate I level. Three data groups for gate A: 5. A% for the maximum amplitude detected inside gate A. 6. A^ for the position corresponding to the maximum amplitude detected inside gate A. 7. A/ for the position of the first A-Scan signal crossing gate A level. Three data groups for gate B: 8. B% for the maximum amplitude detected inside gate B. 9. B^ for the position corresponding to the maximum amplitude detected inside gate B. 10. B/ for the position of the first A-Scan signal crossing gate B level. One thickness data group: 11. The position thickness data group can be configured directly from the OmniScan. 18 Chapter 2

23 Data groups are made up of a series of parameters used at the time of inspection. They also contain the A-scan or C-scan inspection data for a gate on a beam for a given channel. The entry point to access data groups is IRDTiffDataFile (see Figure 4-1 on page 32). Data available in IDataAccess is as follows: ReadData Get either the A-scan or C-scan data for a specified position, based on the relative cell position inside the data grid. The position C-scans are given in absolute time units. The amplitude C-scans and A-scans are given in percentages, generally from 100 % to +100 %. Depending on the OmniScan ix hardware specifications, some files (.oud) can provide values in percentages from 128 % to +128 % and some other files (.opd) in percentages from 200 % to +200 %. ReadAscan Get the A-scan data for a specified position, based on the relative cell position inside the data grid. ReadDataSlice Get a complete line of data in the scan axis or index axis dimension at the specified position (set EDataSliceType = 1 for the scan dimension or EDataSliceType = 2 for the index dimension). GetDataError Get an error code for a specified C-scan position based on the relative cell position inside the data grid. The possible error codes are: no error (0), no data (1), no signal has crossed the detection gate (2), and no detection on the synchronization gate (3). Accessing Data 19

24 An error is possible only if the value of the data received from a ReadData, ReadAScan, or ReadDataSlice command is zero. If the read value is different from zero, there is no need to check for the error code with the GetDataError function. Systematic use of the GetDataError function may impact performance. 2.3 Acquisition Data Storage This section presents a description of how Olympus NDT acquisition data is stored. The basic data storage model used is based on the fact that, in most cases, scanning produces a raster scan (made of a scan axis and an index axis), which creates rows and columns of information. The acquisition unit samples a waveform and/or a reading inside an inspection gate. Since all waveforms have the same length, acquisition data can be regarded as a three-dimensional cube. The acquisition file contains one cube for each type of data stored during the inspection. For a mechanical or electronic-combined, raster scan, the scan axis is called the column and the index axis is called the row. For an A-scan only, the depth of the cube is the size of the data information which we call the samples (see Figure 2-2 on page 20). Samples Figure 2-2 Representation of an acquisition data for an A-scan 20 Chapter 2

25 Data from a C-scan is represented as one part of the whole A-scan, which is represented as a slice of the cube (see Figure 2-3 on page 21). Figure 2-3 Representation of an acquisition data for a C-scan There are two ways to access acquisition data: ReadData and ReadAscan from the DataAccess parameter in the data group. ReadData retrieves the complete data file whether it is an A-scan or a C-scan. ReadAScan has to be followed by coordinates to only retrieve that part of the A-scan ReadData The ReadData command retrieves complete data from either a C-scan or an A-scan. This section explains how you must reconstruct data since the RDTiff file format supports only a one-dimension table. To increase the access to large data files, starting with the NDT Data Access Library version 1.8, the data format type is FLOAT (for versions prior to 1.8, it was DOUBLE). When data comes from A-scans and the file takes up a lot of memory space, it is recommended to retrieve data for each A-scan separately or by slice. The size of the file for which A-scans should be dealt with separately depends on the computer capacity; however, it can safely be said that files of 100 Mb and over should be retrieved separately. Using the ReadDataSlice function allows processing larger files in smaller chunks. Accessing Data 21

26 The size of the table for an A-scan is equal to the total number of rows times the total number of columns times the number of samples times the size of a sample in bytes. Once you retrieve data, it is presented in a single row made of variables of the float type. For example, for an A-scan of 4 (rows) x 4 (columns) x 4 (samples) you get 64 x float equals 256 bytes. The data will be sent sequentially as follows: R1C1S1, R1C1S2, R1C1S3, R1C1S4 is the first A-scan at position 1,1 followed by R1C2S1, R1C2S2, R1C2S3, R1C2S4 for position 1,2 followed by R1C3S1, R1C3S2, R1C3S3, R1C3S4 for position 1,3 until it reaches the end of the row to start back with the second row and so on. Figure 2-4 on page 22 shows an example of data position for an A-scan. Samples Row 1 Col. 1 Col. 2 Col. 3 Col. 4 Row 4 Col. 3 Col. 4 S1 S2 S3 S4 S1 S2 S3 S4 S1 S2 S3 S4 S1 S2 S3 S4 S1 S2 S3 S4 S1 S2S3 S4 Figure 2-4 Data position for an A-scan (ReadData) The size of the table for a C-scan is equal to the number of rows times the number of columns times the size of one sample in bytes. Once you retrieve data, it is presented in a single row made of variables of the double type. For example, for a C-scan of 4 (rows) x 4 (columns) you get 16 x double equals 64 bytes. The data will be sent sequentially as follows: R1C1, R1C2, R1C3, R1C4, R2C1, R4C4 Figure 2-5 on page 23 shows an example of data position for a C-scan. 22 Chapter 2

27 Row 1 Row 4 Col.1 Col.2 Col.3 Col.4 Col.2 Col.3 Col.4 Figure 2-5 Data position for a C-scan (ReadData) ReadAscan To increase the access to large data files, starting with the NDT Data Access Library version 1.8 or higher, the data format type is FLOAT (for versions prior to 1.8, it was DOUBLE). The ReadAscan command retrieves data from an A-scan at a given coordinate. This section explains how you must reconstruct data since the RDTiff file format supports only a one-dimension table. The size of the table for an A-scan is equal to the row times the column times the number of samples times the size of a sample in bytes. Once you retrieve data, it is presented in a single row made of variables of the float type. For example, for an A-scan at position row 4, column 4 and for 4 samples you get 4 x float equals 16 bytes. The data will be sent sequentially as follows: R4C4S1, R4C4S2, R4C4S3, R4C4S4. Figure 2-6 on page 24 shows an example of data position at specific coordinates for an A-scan. Accessing Data 23

28 Samples Row 1 Row 2 Col. 1 Col. 2 Col. 3 Col. 4 Col. 1 Col. 2 Col. 3 S1 S2 S3 S4 S1 S2 S3 S4 S1 S2 S3 S4 S1 S2 S3 S4 S1S2S3 S4 S1 S2 S3 S4 S1S2S3 S4 Figure 2-6 Data position for an A-scan (ReadAscan) ReadDataSlice To increase the access to large data files, starting with the NDT Data Access Library version 1.8 or higher, the data format type is FLOAT (for versions prior to 1.8, it was DOUBLE). The ReadDataSlice command retrieves a row or a column of data at a specific position, for a specified data slice type (A-scan or C-scan). For example, for all A-scans of the second row (a scan line at position 1), data will be sent sequentially as follows: R1C1, R1C2, R1C3,..., R1Cn Figure 2-7 on page 25 and Figure 2-8 on page 25 shows an example of data position at specific coordinates respectively for a C-scan and an A-scan. 24 Chapter 2

29 Row 1 Col. 1 Col. 2 Col. 3 Col. 4 Figure 2-7 Data position for a C-scan (ReadDataSlice) Samples Row 1 Col. 1 Col. 2 Col. 3 Col. 4 S1S2 S3 S4 S1 S2 S3S4S1 S2 S3 S4 S1 S2 S3S4 Figure 2-8 Data position for an A-scan (ReadDataSlice) The OmniScan ix supports A-scan and C-scan amplitude data acquisition between 0 % and 128 % as opposed to TomoView and OmniScan MX and MX2 Phased Array modules which only support A-scan and C-scan amplitude data acquisition between from 0 % and 100 %. Accessing Data 25

30 When an OmniScan ix data file is imported into TomoView (and is converted to the TomoView format in the process), the amplitude of A-scan and C-scan amplitude data is divided by 128 % in order to ensure that the user will get the entire amplitude range of the raw data. Since the NDT Data Access Library uses the same source code as the OmniScan-to-TomoView converter, the same amplitude range compression is performed when reading OmniScan ix data files using this library. As an example, a 128 % amplitude data on the OmniScan ix will be converted to 78 % when converted with the NDT Data Access Library (78 % = 100 %/128). The accuracy in amplitude value is preserved because C-scan data is saved in 12-bit format. Conversely, when reading an OmniScan data file from the NDT Data Access Library, amplitude numbers should be multiplied by 1.28 to get the correct value. Also, when used with the UT-2, UT-4 or UT-8 modules, the OmniScan MX and MX2 will also show the same behavior as the OmniScan ix. 26 Chapter 2

31 3. Application Example In the [Installation Folder Name]:\OlympusNDT\NDTDataAccessLibrary110\ Samples directory, a sample application can be found. It was designed to be an ideal starting point to build custom applications. The complete source code for this application is available in the [Installation Folder Name]\OlympusNDT\NDTDataAccessLibrary110\Samples directory. The Data Extraction_MFC.exe program reproduces typical OmniScan and TomoView data extraction applications. This application is used to get data out of the Olympus NDT data file format in order to perform external data display and processing using custom built applications. 3.1 Using the OmniScan and TomoView Data Extraction Application The sample Data Extraction Application provides the basic controls to extract data from OmniScan or TomoView data files. To use the OmniScan and TomoView data extraction application 1. In the [Installation Folder Name]:\OlympusNDT\NDTDataAccessLibrary110\ Samples, double-click the Data Extraction_MFC.exe program. 2. In the Data Extraction_MFC.exe program, under Data File, click Browse ( ). 3. Select an OmniScan (.oud or.opd) or TomoView (.rdt) data file, and then click Open. If you do not have a data file, one is included with the samples. Go to the [Installation Folder]\OlympusNDT\NDTDataAccessLibrary110\Samples and open the COMPOSITE_INSPECTION_DATA.rdt data file (see Figure 3-1 on page 28). Application Example 27

32 Figure 3-1 Reading data in the sample data extraction application 3.2 OmniScan and TomoView Data Extraction Application Description The sample data extraction application provides the functions required to control which data to extract from data files and display in the host application (see Figure 3-2 on page 29). 28 Chapter 3

33 A-scan or C-scan data to display Controls to open and close a data file. Controls to select which A-scan or C-scan data group to display. Controls to export the selected thickness data to a text file. Control to export the selected data group to a text file. General setup information Figure 3-2 Reading data in the sample data extraction application The various controls available in this application allow the user to extract A-Scan, C-Scan, and thickness data to a text file which can then be easily imported, processed, and/or displayed by any other program. The application also displays the selected A-Scan or C-Scan data group and allows the user to retrieve the principal acquisition parameters. Application Example 29

34 30 Chapter 3

35 4. Data File Structure The NDT Data Access Library is based on an arborescent structure. For the data file structure, see the tree view in Figure 4-1 on page 32 and Figure 4-2 on page 33. The interfaces described in the following sections can be easily identified as their names begin by the letter i. Collections names end with the letter s. In this text, collections refer to one dimensional object arrays. For historic reasons, channels refer to what is presented as groups when seen in the TomoView or OmniScan interfaces. To access the data in a file, a DataAccess object must first be created. To access the data, you must access the IRDTiffDataFile interface. Legend for Figure 4-1 and Figure 4-2 Terms in bold identify public methods. Terms in italics identify public properties. Data File Structure 31

36 IRDTiffData IRDTiffDataFile Channels (IChannels) IChannel Averaging Beams Compression DigitizingFrequency Filter Name PartParameters PulseWidth Type Add Remove RemoveAll NewEnum Count Item PulserVoltage CloseFile GetRDTiffDataFileVersion OpenFile OpenFileWithComplement SaveComplementFile WriteFile WriteFileWithLayout Channels IBeams IBeam Angle Delay Gain Gates Name ReferenceIndexOffset ReferenceScanOffset Skew IGates IGate DataGroups Level Name Rectification Start Synchro Type Width Add Remove RemoveAll NewEnum Count Item Add GetGate Remove RemoveAll NewEnum Count Item IPartParameters IFilterSettings AnalogicSmoothing DigitalSmoothing HighPass LowPass IDataGroups (see Figure 4-2 on page 33) InspectionType InterfaceSoundVelocity MaterialSoundVelocity ProbeDelay ProbeParallelToScan ProbeSeparation Radius Surface Thickness Figure 4-1 RDTiff Data Access tree structure 32 Chapter 4

37 IDataGroups IDataManager AddDataGroupFrom (DataGroup) IDataAccess AddDataGroupFromID (DataGroup) IDataAccess GetDataError GetDataErrorBuffer GetDataErrorSlice ReadAscan ReadData ReadDataSlice WriteData GetDataError GetDataErrorBuffer GetDataErrorSlice ReadAscan ReadData ReadDataSlice WriteData AddDataGroupFrom AddDataGroupFromID DataAccess DataRectification IndexQuantity IndexResolution Name SampleQuantity SampleResolution ScanQuantity ScanResolution Type DataAccess DataRectification IndexQuantity IndexResolution Name SampleQuantity SampleResolution ScanQuantity ScanResolution Type Add GetDataGroup GetDataSource Remove RemoveAll SetDataSource NewEnum Count DataManager Item IDataGroup IDataAccess GetDataError GetDataErrorBuffer GetDataErrorSlice ReadAscan ReadData ReadDataSlice WriteData DataAccess DataRectification IndexQuantity IndexResolution Name SampleQuantity SampleResolution ScanQuantity ScanResolution Type Figure 4-2 IDataGroups tree structure Data File Structure 33

38 The NDT Data Access Library commands are documented in detail in the NDT Data Access documentation, which is provided as an online help document, located at the following access path: [Installation Folder Name]:\OlympusNDT\NDTDataAccessLibrary110\Manual Items in a collection are numbered starting with 1. If there are 10 channels in the Channels collection, you will have access to channels 1 to 10. For example, if you have a pointer on the channel collection, and you want to get channel number 1, do the following: pchannel = pchannels->item[1]; Units All data values are expressed in the international system of units. Time is in seconds Distance is in meters Rotation/angles are in degrees Amplitude is in percentage. Data on the ultrasound axis are expressed in time. Data on the scan and index axes are expressed in distance or rotation. 34 Chapter 4

39 5. Program Commands The IRDTiffData interface is the entry point to open and close data files. 5.1 IRDTiffDataFile The IRDTiffDataFile interface contains the following elements: Methods CloseFile Close the current data file. GetRDTiffDataFileVersion Get information on the RDTiffDataFile version of the current data file. OpenFile Open an OmniScan (.opd or.oud format) or TomoView (.rdt) data file. OpenFileWithComplement Open a TomoView (.rdt) data file with the complement file (.A01) if available, which contains the data modified in analysis. SaveComplementFile Save the complement file (.A01) of the current TomoView (.rdt) data file, which contains the data modified in analysis. WriteFile Create a TomoView (.rdt) data file from an OmniScan (.oud or.opd) data file. WriteFileWithLayout Create a TomoView (.rdt) data file from an OmniScan (.oud or.opd) data file and copy the layout from a specified layout (.rst) file. Program Commands 35

40 Properties Channels Get the array of channel objects in the data file. 5.2 IChannels The IChannels collection gives control on all the channels used for the inspection. IChannel contains, along with the Add, Remove, and RemoveAll methods and the NewEnum, Count, and Item properties, the following property: PulserVoltage Get the pulse voltage of the pulser, when this value is the same for all groups (specified in volts). 5.3 IChannel The IChannel interface gives control on all the channels used for the inspection. IChannel contains the following properties: Averaging Get the number of A-scans acquired for each A-scan that is returned. The returned A-scan is obtained by calculating, for each sample, the average value over all the acquired A-scans. Beams Get the array of beam objects in the current channel object. Compression Get the digitizer compression ratio, which is used to reduce the sample quantity (and thus the data file size) by keeping the position of the first sample with the maximum amplitude detected over the number of considered samples. DigitizingFrequency Get the digitizer frequency which was used for the acquisition (specified in hertz). Filter Get the IFilterSettings interface. For a list of the commands available in the IFilterSettings interface, see section 5.4 on page 37. Name Get the name of the current channel. 36 Chapter 5

41 PartParameters Get the IPartParameters interface. For a list of the commands available in the IPartParameters interface, see section 5.5 on page 38. PulseWidth Get the pulse width of the pulser (specified in seconds). Type Get information on the channel type, which can be either MonoElement (Conventional UT), PhasedArrayMerged (Linear merged in TomoView and Linear at 0 on the OmniScan PA), or PhasedArray. ConditionalAScan Get if the Conditional A-Scan function was activated, which allows the A-Scans to be recorded only when an alarm was triggered (TRUE = Conditional A-Scan is activated and FALSE = Conditional A-Scan is not activated). PulserVoltage Get the pulse voltage of the pulser for the active channel (specified in volts). 5.4 IFilterSettings The IFilterSettings collection contains the following properties: AnalogicSmoothing Get the frequency of the video filter which was used to filter the channel signal (specified in hertz). If no video filter was applied, this parameter will be equal to 0. DigitalSmoothing Get if the digital smoothing is activated or not (TRUE = Digital Smoothing is activated and FALSE = Digital Smoothing is not activated). HighPass Get the frequency of the high-pass filter which was used to filter the channel signal (specified in hertz). LowPass Get the frequency of the low-pass filter which was used to filter the channel signal (specified in hertz). Program Commands 37

42 5.5 IPartParameters The IPartParameters collection contains the following properties: InspectionType Get the current channel configuration, which can be either PulseEcho, Tofd, PitchCatch, or ThroughTransmission. InterfaceSoundVelocity Get the sound velocity inside water, which is always equal to 1483 (specified in meters per second). MaterialSoundVelocity Get the sound velocity inside the part (specified in meters per second). ProbeDelay Get the time taken by the transmitted ultrasound wave to travel across the wedge and be reflected back to the ultrasound element (specified in seconds). ProbeParallelToScan Indicates if the probe was positioned parallel or perpendicular to the inspected part (TRUE = parallel and FALSE = perpendicular). ProbeSeparation For TOFD applications, get the distance between the beam exit points (where the beam exits the wedge) of the two probes. Radius Get the radius of the inspected cylindrical part (specified in meters). For a flat surface this parameter will always be equal to 0. Surface Get the positioning of the probe which was used during the inspection. This parameter can take four values for cylindrical parts (CylOuterScanAlong, CylOuterScanAround, CylInnerScanAlong, or CylInnerScanAround) depending on whether the part was inspected on the outer or inner diameter and if the scan was performed on the longitudinal or radial axis. There is only one possibility for flat surfaces (FlatSurface). Thickness Get the thickness of the inspected flat or tube part (specified in meters). For a bar (filled cylinder), this value will always be equal to Chapter 5

43 WallThicknessType Get the wall thickness type for the inspected part, which can be either Constant or Variable. VWThicknessMin This function was designed for internal use by Olympus NDT only. VWThicknessMed This function was designed for internal use by Olympus NDT only. VWThicknessMax This function was designed for internal use by Olympus NDT only. VWThicknessMedStart This function was designed for internal use by Olympus NDT only. VWThicknessMedStop This function was designed for internal use by Olympus NDT only. 5.6 IBeams The IBeams collection contains the Add, Remove, RemoveAll methods along with the NewEnum, Count, and Item properties. 5.7 IBeam The IBeam collection gives control on all beams used for the inspection and contains the following properties: For Phased Array configurations, each beam corresponds to a focal law. For a conventional UT configuration, there is only one beam. Angle Get the refracted angle of the ultrasound beam (specified in degrees), which is defined as the angle between the central ray of the ultrasound beam in the material and the normal of the incidence place inside the material. Program Commands 39

44 Delay Get the current beam delay (specified in seconds), to which the wedge delay has been subtracted. Gain Get the total gain value of the current beam, which is calculated by adding the channel gain to the beam gain (specified in db). Gates Get the IGates interface. For a list of the commands available in the IGates interface, see section 5.8 on page 40. Name Get the name of the current beam. ReferenceIndexOffset Get the distance between the beam exit point (where the beam exits the wedge) and the zero position on the index axis (specified in meters). ReferenceScanOffset Get the distance between the beam exit point (where the beam exits the wedge) and the zero position on the scan axis (specified in meters). Skew Get the skew angle of the ultrasound beam (specified in degrees), which is defined as the angle between the ultrasound beam projection on the scanning surface and the primary axis of the array. 5.8 IGates The IGates collection contains, along with the Add, Remove, and RemoveAll methods, and the NewEnum, Count, and Item properties, the following method: GetGate Select the current gate, which can take the following values: Synchro (Gate I), GateA, GateB, Main (A-scan), MainVideo (A-Scan video), MainPeak (A-Scan peak), Gate2Gate1 (Gate 2 Gate 1), SoftGate (software A-scan), GateC, GateD, ThicknessGate, SoftI (software Gate I), SoftA (software Gate A), SoftB (software Gate B), SoftC (software Gate C), SoftD (software Gate D). 40 Chapter 5

45 5.9 IGate The IGate collection gives control on all gates used for the selected beam. Each gate presents a series of parameters and a collection of data groups. IGate contains the following properties: DataGroups Get the IDataGroups interface. For a list of the commands available in the IDataGroups interface, see section 5.10 on page 43. Level Get the threshold level of the selected gate (specified in percentage (%) of the full screen height). Name Get the name of the selected gate. Rectification Get the signal rectification type between NotRectified (the A-scan signal is displayed without any rectification), UnipolarPositif (only the positive part of the signal is kept), UnipolarNegatif (only the negative part of the signal is kept) and Bipolar (the negative part of the signal is brought back to the positive part). Start Get the start position of the selected gate (specified in seconds). Synchro Get the synchronization mode of the selected gate. For a synchronized gate, the Start position is determined either by the position where the signal crosses the gate, or by the maximum position of the gate on which the signal is synchronized. Type Get the gate type, which can take the following values: Synchro (Gate I), GateA, GateB, Main (A-scan), MainVideo (A-Scan video), MainPeak (A-Scan peak), Gate2Gate1 (Gate 2 Gate 1), SoftGate (software A-scan), GateC, GateD, ThicknessGate, SoftI (software Gate I), SoftA (software Gate A), SoftB (software Gate B), SoftC (software Gate C), SoftD (software Gate D). Width Get the length of the selected gate (specified in seconds). AmplitudeUnderLevelSaved Get whether the amplitude data is shown even when the signal has not crossed the gate, therefore ignoring the no detection codes (TRUE = Amplitude under level is saved and FALSE = Amplitude under level is not saved). Program Commands 41

46 PeakSelection Get the peak selection type for the selected gate, which can be either FirstPeak or HighestPeak. Figure 5-1 on page 42 shows the start position for the gates when acquisition is synchronized on pulse. Figure 5-2 on page 43 shows the start position for the gates when acquisition is synchronized on echo. Legend for Figure 5-1 and Figure 5-2 WD: Wedge delay, the beam delay plus the probe delay (always > 0) 1: Start position of the main gate (> 0 or 0) 2: Start position of gate A (> 0 or 0) 3: Start position of gate B (> 0 or 0) WD µs, reference Figure 5-1 Synchronization on pulse 42 Chapter 5

47 Synchronization trigger Note: Always set the wedge delay to 0 before using the synchronization on echo. Floating reference Figure 5-2 Synchronization on echo 5.10 IDataGroups The IDataGroups collection contains the following data group elements, along with the Add, Remove, and RemoveAll methods and the NewEnum, Count, and Item properties: Methods GetDataGroup Get the first data group with the requested name, which can be either Ascan, AscanVideo, AscanPeak, CscanPeak, CscanTimeOfFlight, CscanCrossing, or Analog. GetDataSource Get the data groups source, which can be either TVFile, OmniFile, TVOnline, OmniFileUT128Pourcent, TVFileFromOmniscanUT128Pourcent, or OmniOnline, TVFileFromStandardOmniscan. Program Commands 43

48 SetDataSource For added data groups, sets the data groups source, which can be either TVFile, OmniFile, TVOnline, OmniFileUT128Pourcent, TVFileFromOmniscanUT128Pourcent, OmniOnline, or TVFileFromStandardOmniscan. Property DataManager Get a pointer on the IDataManager interface. For a list of the commands available in the IDataManager interface, see section 5.11 on page IDataManager The IDataManager interface creates a new data group, which can then be accessed like other data groups using the IDataGroup interface. This command is only available for C-Scan data. IDataManager contains the following methods: AddDatagroupFrom Create a new data group that is a copy of the specified data group, with the difference that all the C-scan data points are replaced by 0. This command is only available for C-Scan data. AddDatagroupFromID Create a new data group that is a copy of the specified data group ID, with the difference that all the C-scan data points are replaced by 0. This command is only available for C-Scan data IDataGroup The IDataGroup interface gives control on all data groups used for the selected gate. Each gate presents a series of parameters and a collection of inspection data. IDataGroup contains the following properties: DataAccess Get access to the IDataAccess interface, which allows retrieving the acquisition data in the form of A-scans and C-scans. For a list of the commands available in the IDataAccess interface, see section 5.13 on page Chapter 5

49 DataRectification Get the signal rectification type between NotRectified (the A-scan signal is displayed without any rectification), UnipolarPositif (only the positive part of the signal is kept), UnipolarNegatif (only the negative part of the signal is kept) and Bipolar (the negative part of the signal is brought back to the positive part). IndexQuantity Get the number of cells on the index axis (rows). The total index length can then be obtained by performing the following calculation: Index Length = (Index Quantity 1)*(Index Resolution). IndexResolution Get the resolution of the index axis (specified in meters). The total index length can then be obtained by performing the following calculation: Index Length = (Index Quantity 1)*(Index Resolution). IndexUnit Get the index axis unit, which can be either meters or degrees. Name Get the name of the selected data group. SampleQuantity Get the number of samples per data acquisition, that is, the number of points that compose the A-scan. For example, for a 10 µs A-scan digitized at 100 MHz, this value is equal to (10 µs)*(100 MHz) = SampleResolution Get the resolution of each sample (specified in seconds). For example, for an A-scan digitized at 100 MHz, this value is equal to (1)/(100 MHz) = s = 10 ns. SampleUnit Get the ultrasound axis unit, which can be either seconds or samples. ScanQuantity Get the number of cells on the scan axis (columns). The total scan length can then be obtained by performing the following calculation: Scan Length = (Scan Quantity 1)*(Scan Resolution). ScanResolution Get the resolution of the scan axis (specified in meters). The total scan length can then be obtained by performing the following calculation: Scan Length = (Scan Quantity 1)*(Scan Resolution). Program Commands 45

50 ScanUnit Get the scan axis unit, which can be either meters or degrees. Type Get the current data group type, which can be either Ascan, AscanVideo, AscanPeak, CscanPeak, CscanTimeOfFlight, or CscanCrossing IDataAccess The IDataAccess interface contains the following methods: GetDataError Get an error code for a specified C-scan position based on the relative cell position inside the data grid. The possible error codes are: no error (0), no data (1), no signal has crossed the detection gate (2), and no detection on the synchronization gate (3). GetDataErrorBuffer Get the error codes for the full C-scan patch. The possible error codes are: no error (0), no data (1), no signal has crossed the detection gate (2), and no detection on the synchronization gate (3). GetDataErrorSlice Get the error codes for a specified slice of the full C-scan patch. The possible error codes are: no error (0), no data (1), no signal has crossed the detection gate (2), and no detection on the synchronization gate (3). ReadAscan Get the A-scan data for a specified position, based on the relative cell position inside the data grid. ReadData Get either the A-scan or C-scan data for a specified position, based on the relative cell position inside the data grid. ReadDataSlice Get a complete line of data in the Scan or Index axis dimension at the specified position (set EDataSliceType = 1 for the Scan dimension or EDataSliceType = 2 for the Index dimension). WriteData Write data to be saved in a companion file (only available for data groups that were created using the IDataManager interface). 46 Chapter 5

51 6. Troubleshooting Should you experience an issue with the NDT Data Access Library, a few troubleshooting first steps can be performed to solve the most common problems. If the issue persists, the Olympus technical support can be contacted. 6.1 Troubleshooting First Steps Before contacting The Olympus NDT technical support, it is recommended to perform the following short steps. These steps will help solve simple and common issues, and gather essential information that will speed up solving remaining issues in case technical support needs to be contacted. To perform the troubleshooting first steps 1. Verify which version of the Windows operating system is installed on your computer. To retrieve the Windows operating system version under Windows XP a) On the taskbar, click Start. b) Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties. c) Click the General tab (see Figure 6-1 on page 48). Under System, the version of the operating system is displayed. Troubleshooting 47

52 Figure 6-1 Windows XP version number in the System Properties dialog box To retrieve the Windows operating system version under Windows 7 a) On the taskbar, click Start. b) Right-click Computer, and then click Properties (see Figure 6-2 on page 49). Under Windows edition, the version of the operating system is displayed. 48 Chapter 6

53 Figure 6-2 The Windows Control Panel displaying the Windows edition Verify that you are running on either Windows 7 or Windows XP Service Pack 3 or higher. 2. Verify that a HASP key containing a NDT Data Access Library licence is properly connected on your computer. On the Windows taskbar, click Start, click All Programs, click Olympus NDT, and then click Keytool [Version Number] (see Figure 6-3 on page 50). Troubleshooting 49

54 Figure 6-3 The KeyTool window showing the NDT Data Access Library license Verify that your HASP key is properly recognized by the Keytool software and contains the NDT Data Access Library software licence. 3. If applicable, verify that the Ethernet cables used to communicate with the OmniScan ix are crosslink Ethernet (RJ-45) cable category 5e or better. Try using different cables of the same category to see if this corrects the problem. 4. If applicable, verify that your antivirus software is not preventing the NDT Data Access Library from working correctly. 5. If applicable, verify that your firewall software is not preventing the NDT Data Access Library from working correctly. 6. Reinstall the latest NDT Data Access Library version on your computer. For more information, see section 1.3 on page Chapter 6