Physical Acoustics Corp.

Acoustic Emission (AE) testing is a powerful method for examining behavior of materials deforming under stress. The Acoustic Emission NDT technique is based on the detection and conversion of high frequency elastic waves into electrical signals. This is accomplished by directly coupling piezoelectric transducers on the surface of the structure under test and loading the structure. Sensors are coupled to the structure, and the output of each sensor (during structure loading) is amplified through a low-noise preamplifier, filtered to remove any extraneous noise and furthered processed by suitable electronic equipment.

Small-scale damage is detectable long before failure, so AE can be used as a non-destructive technique to find defects during structural proof tests and plant operation. AE also offers unique capabilities for materials research and development in the laboratory. Finally, AE equipment is adaptable to many forms of production testing, including weld monitoring and leak detection.