The Famous Instrument

Driving the Revolution

The design of the X-32 started in 1999.  After many years of research and development in microelectronics, DSP and imaging software, the X-32 was introduced in Barcelona at the 8th ECNDT, on June 17th 2002.  It makes it world’s first portable, battery-operated phased array instrument for the NDT market.  Since then, HARFANG pursued its innovation with several premières around the X-32:

  1. •First embedded 3D raytracing for focal laws (September 2002)

  2. •First embedded real-time recording on hard disk (January 2003)

  3. •First beamformer with up to 2000 beams in real-time (September 2003)

  4. •First embedded multi-scan real-time display (August 2004)



What is the X-32 ?

The X-32 is a portable flaw detector using phased array imaging.  It supports up to 32 active channels both for pulsing and receiving. With its own internal storage, the X-32 can make a real-time continuous recording of the inspection. The X-32 software is very easy to operate and it’s based on bullet-proof Linux operating system.



Advantages of the X-32

FASTER inspections:

  1. •Simultaneous multi-angle and multi-depth inspection with one probe

  2. •Reduced manual movement for a greater inspected volume

  3. •Reduced inspection time

  4. •Reduced personnel exposure to radiation


EASIER inspections:

  1. •Hand-held and lightweight instrument

  2. •Intuitive, user-friendly interface

  3. •Real-time imaging, including Top projected view

  4. •Fastest sectorial scan rendering (S-scan) of the industry


MORE RELIABLE inspections:

  1. •32 active elements for high volume resolution to precisely size and map flaws

  2. •Up to 2000 focal laws for maximum coverage with maximum resolution

  3. •Full programmability for better inspection of complex geometries



Technology

The X-32 uses ultrasound phased array technology for nondestructive testing of critical components in various industries.


For detailed information about phased array technology, please refer to the Phased Array FAQ section of our website.



Operation Software

The X-32 operation software is user-friendly, stable and intuitive to help interpret the signal and image. The graphical user interface (GUI) is designed with an Infobar concept for a permanent control over the views and the parameters. The Infobar continuously displays the options and the status information.


The operation software offers many very interesting features to optimize the inspections:

  1. •Real-time A-scan, scrolling B-scan and corrected sectorial scan (pie-shaped view) that can be either added, removed, enlarged or shrunk

  2. •Fastest sectorial scan rendering of the industry

  3. •Three modes for acquisition and recording

  4. •Cursor (2) positionning on each view and an extractor on the sectorial scan

  5. •Angular or Cartesian cursor on the sectorial scan

  6. •Zoom in and out on each view

  7. •Maximized views (full screen)

  8. •Possibility to change parameters directly in the Infobar

  9. •Color palette selection and adjustment

  10. •Rulers


The X-32 operation software is designed to support a fast pace of development for the implementation of new features.



PhaseFX

PhaseFX is the configuration software of the X-32. This powerful software allows you to calculate focal laws for applications in a nondestructive testing (NDT) context. Focal laws are typically beam angles either in longitudinal (LW) or shear (SW) waves.


PhaseFX offers numerous configuration possibilities:

  1. •Two probe/wedge setups

  2. •Up to 512 elements per probe

  3. •Up to 16 different scans

  4. •Up to 2000 focal laws per scan

  5. •Flat or cylindrical wedge interface


PhaseFX features a user-friendly interface which includes:

  1. •Five menus : inspection, probe, wedge, scan, and encoders & sequence

  2. •3D raytracing view

  3. •Numerical view

  4. •Online help



Hardware

The X-32 is the only hand-held ultrasound phased array instrument that supports up to 32 channels and 200V pulsing.  The instrument’s architecture is state-of-the-art microelectronics, designed from scratch. This architecture assures an exceptional rendering on screen rivaling with the best medical phased array systems.  The X-32 can be powered from the battery or from external AC power adaptor. The battery is rechargeable within the instrument.

 

Simple as ABC !

The X-32 is really simple to learn.  It’s operated like a normal Digital Flaw Detector (DFD), with the exception that you can control much more acoustic parameters for beamforming.  With only a couple days in training, Level I and II operators can achieve to master 80% of the instrument capabilities.

International

The X-32 supports 5 languages as of now: French, English, Spanish, Russian and German.

Help !

At all time you can push the help button and you’ll get instant help on the parameters, featuring images and precautions to observe.

Gates

You can decide to work with gates or not.  Not only gates in A-scan, but zone gates in imaging.  Therefore, you can really accelerate the process of making measurements.

Embedded Focal Law Calculation

The X-32 features PhaseFX, an embedded focal law calculation engine.  It’s a very powerful tool that can address simple 1D arrays to complex pitch-and-catch roof angle setups with 2D arrays and skew planes.

Simple User Interface

With the X-32, even the relatively complex operations are only a couple buttons away.  And there are nice icons to help the user too.

Top view

Like a VCR

Whenever you want to record your full UT data, you just have to press REC. You can freeze the image too.

Navigation

With only a couple buttons, you can do all you need, from menu options to cursors.

Infobar

That’s where you can decide which menu you want to work in.

Help !

If you want to know more about a parameter, the HELP button is the solution.

Imaging

With phased array imaging, you’ll see a spot whenever there’s a defect.

Good Old A-scan

Still you can have access to whatever A-scan signal included in the imaging span.

INSTRUMENT LAYOUT

STANDARD ACCESSORIES

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

AC/DC Adapter (x2)

One for the instrument and one for the battery charger.

USB Memory Stick

256 MB, tested on X-32.

USB Mouse

Tested on X-32.

Couplant

Recommended for probe-to-wedge and normal use.

M-Box

This is a multiplexer box that connects to the X-32.  It allows the 32 active channels of the instrument to be redirected on an array of up to 128 elements.  The M-Box is very practical for:

  1. •Wide L-scanning to increase speed of inspection (ex: carbon fiber panels, corrosion mapping)

  2. •Pitch-and-catch configurations where 32 elements are used to pulse and another 32 elements to receive.

  3. •multiple pulse-echo probes that are required in parallel

Y-Splitter

The Y-Splitter is very practical for pitch-and-catch configurations where one probe is used to pulse and another one to receive.  It’s also very practical when multiple pulse-echo probes are required in parallel.  The splitter comes in different versions:

  1. •1-32 = 1-16 + 17-32

  2. •1-64 = 1-32 + 33-64 (requires M-Box)

  3. •1-128 = 1-64 + 65-128 (requires M-Box)

USB Keyboard

Foldable and rugged.

Wedges

SW and LW.

Transportation Case

Very rugged, IP56, wheels, retractable handle, two layers of foam compartments.

➔  Click on Picture to Download Specs

       February 2008, English version

Toll Free:  +1 866  HARFANG    

e-mail:  info@harfangmicro.com

Tel:   +1 418  683-6222 

Fax:  +1 418  683-7032

Left side view

Face view

Connector side view

Battery Charger

Charges 2 batteries in 1 hour.

Battery (x2)

Lithium-Ion, 6600 mAh.

32-element Probe

Enough for you to learn phased array and eventually solve a couple applications.