ULTRASOUND PREDICTION OF WORKPIECE DEFORMATION

Method of predicting the deformation of a workpiece (13) prior to machining that causes the workpiece to deform through release of residual stresses, which method consists in emitting a beam of ultrasound waves onto the surface of the workpiece (13) in such a way that a longitudinal wave (12) is propagated substantially parallel to and under the surface of the workpiece (13), then in measuring the propagation velocity of the subsurface longitudinal wave in a first region (A) sensitive to residual stresses and in a second region (B) somewhat insensitive to residual stresses, then in calculating the difference in the measured velocities and from this deducing the deformation that will result from machining the first region of the workpiece (13).