METHOD FOR ULTRASONIC INSPECTION OF STRUCTURE HAVING RADIUSED SURFACE USING MULTI-CENTRIC RADIUS FOCUSING

Multi-centric radius focusing is used to inspect a radiused surface (26) of a radiused part (10, 22) having a varying radius without mechanically adjusting the array sensor (30, 46). A plurality of focal laws are designed to electronically steer and focus ultrasound at respective focal points corresponding to centers of curvature of a simulated radiused surface having a varying radius. The mechanical probe (40) that carries the array sensor is located to two physical places that are outside of the radiused area and have a spatial relationship that varies less than the radius of the radiused surface varies. As the probe is moved along the radiused part, the probe maintains the array sensor at a constant location relative to the radiused part. As the array sensor scans the radiused part, the array sensor is electronically adjusted to focus at the respective focal points in sequence.