Advanced ultrasonic testing techniques such as Phased Array (PAUT) have been employed for years for weld-quality examinations. Major construction codes including ASME and AWS have implemented allowances for PAUT and other UT methods into their bodies of work over the past two decades. More recently, a newer UT technique, Full Matrix Capture/ Total Focusing Method (FMC/ TFM), has been gaining traction in the industry, and ASME started addressing it in the 2019 revision of the BPVC, in Section V, Article IV, Mandatory Appendix XI and Non-Mandatory Appendix F.
A commonality found throughout various codes for UT weld- quality exams is the requirement for a Scan Plan. This is true in most every code for PAUT, and it is also becoming the norm for FMC/ TFM. For example, in the ASME code, Scan Plans are required (SHALL!!!) for all PAUT and FMC/ TFM weld examinations. A Scan Plan is a documented inspection strategy that captures important information relative to the examination—typically including material and weld joint information, probe and wedge parameters, focal law/ beam-setups, a depiction of the extent of volumetric weld coverage, scanning patterns and probe positions, etc. Much progress has been made in the industry regarding PAUT scan plans over the years. Most PAUT instruments have very robust tools built into the on-board software these days, and there are even dedicated PC- based software programs that have been created to help in this regard as well.