What Is An Ultrasonic Thickness Tester?

What Is An Ultrasonic Thickness Tester?

An ultrasonic thickness tester is a sophisticated tool often used in industrial environments. This article focuses attention on ultrasonic thickness testers, what they are, their advantages and disadvantages and provides common examples of their use.

What is an Ultrasonic Thickness Tester?

An ultrasonic thickness tester, also known as a thickness gauge, employs a non-destructive method to determine the thickness of a component or material.

How do Ultrasonic Thickness Testers Work?

Ultrasonic thickness testers determine sample thickness by measuring the amount of time it takes for sound to cross from the sensors transducer through the measured material and back to the transducer. The ultrasonic thickness tester will then rapidly and automatically calculate the data based on the speed of the sound through the tested sample and display the resulting measurement on an LCD.

There are several advantages and disadvantages of ultrasonic thickness testers.

Ultrasonic Thickness Testers

Advantages

Disadvantages

+        Non-destructive measurements.

+        Access to both sides of the sample is not required.

+        The sensors can be engineered or calibrated to measure and cope with coatings and linings.

 

-          Usually requires calibration to specific materials.

-          The sensors require good contact with the surface area to be measured.

-          Coupling material between the measured surface and the probe is often required.

 

Applications for Ultrasonic Thickness Testers

Ultrasonic thickness testers are used to check material thickness and properties regularly throughout many industry applications. Common examples include the measurement of:

  1. Metal thickness
  2. Corrosion monitoring
  3. Wall thickness
  4. Casting/moulding thickness testing
  5. Paint and coating thickness; and
  6. Plastic thickness.

Ultrasonic Thickness Tester Examples

The scientists have put together three examples of the most popular ultrasonic thickness testers available at Instrument Choice.

WT2110 Coating Thickness Gauge
Product code: IC-WT2110

ic-wt2110

In a nutshell: The IC-WT2110 non-destructively measures non-magnetic coating thickness and accurately displays measurements on the clear, colour and high-definition display.

 

Key features:

  • The IC-WT2110 performs thickness measurement of non-magnetic coating on magnetic metal surfaces and non-metallic coatings on non-magnetic metal surfaces.
  • Intuitive menu-driven display.
  • Two straightforward measurement modes: single point measurement and continuous measurement
  • Three calibration modes: basic, offset, and zero calibration. 

For more features, go to the product page 

Key specifications:

  • Measurement range: 0-1500um/0-59mil/0-1.5mm
  • Resolution: 0.1μm (<100μm), 1μm (≥100μm)
  • Accuracy: ±5um(≤ 150um), ± (3%H+1μm) (>150μm)
  • Minimum diameter/ thickness of magnetic metal substrate: diameter: 12mm/ thickness: 0.5mm
  • Minimum radius of curvature for magnetic convex/ concave substrate: convex: 2mm/ concave: 11mm
  • Minimum diameter/ thickness of non-magnetic metal substrate: diameter: 50mm / thickness: 0.5mm. 

For more specifications, go to the product page 

 

GT235 Coating Thickness Gauge
Product code: GT235

 

In a nutshell: The GT235 coating thickness tester performs quick and effective measurements of the thickness of non-metallic and non-magnetic coatings.

GT235

Key features:

  • The GT235 is ideal for measuring the thickness of a non-magnetic coating on a magnetic metal surface and the thickness of the non-metallic coating on a non-magnetic metal surface.
  • Automatically identifies non-magnetic and magnetic metal surfaces.
  • Three straightforward measurement modes to suit most coating measurement tasks, including; single measurement, continuous measurement and differential measurement.
  • Three calibration modes, including; zero-point calibration, offset calibration and basic calibration. 

For more features, read more 

Key specifications:

  • Measurement ranges: 0 to 1800m/70.8mil/1.8mm
  • Resolution: 0.1um(<100um), 1um(100um)
  • Measuring error: 150um, 5m >150 um, (3%H+1um)
  • Minimum diameter and thickness of magnetic substrate: diameter: 12mm / thickness: 0.5mm
  • Minimum curvature radius of convex and concave magnetic substrate: convex: 2mm / concave:11mm
  • Minimum diameter and thickness of non-magnetic substrate: diameter: 50mm/ thickenss 0.5mm. 

For more specifications, read more 

 

Ultrasonic Wall Thickness Gauge
Product code: IC-TI-25MX


In a nutshell:
The professional TI-25MX Wall Thickness Tester by Checkline accurately measures wall thickness and the extent of corrosion of all metals, ceramics, glass and most rigid plastics. Depending on the material, it can measure thickness up to 915 mm.

ti-25mx Key features:

  • NIST Traceable Calibration Certificate included.
  • The TI-25MX allows the operator to select from 8 preset materials and program two custom material velocities. The preset materials are:

1. Steel 4340
2. Stainless 303
3. Aluminum 2024
4. Cast Iron
5. Plexiglass

6. PVC
7. Polystyrene
8. Polyurethane
9. Custom 1
10. Custom 2

  • User-enabled, straightforward two-point calibration helps to optimise linearity over a wide measurement range.
  • The easy to use scan mode performs 100 readings per second. Users can slide the sensor over a large measuring area, and the minimum thickness measured will display.
  • Adjustable GAIN in 5 steps to fine-tune the gauge for use on challenging materials or applications. 

For more features, click here 

Key specifications

  • Measurement range: With included transducer: 0.60-150.00 mm/ total instrument range depending on material/transducer type: 0.63-914.40 mm
  • Resolution: 0.01mm
  • Minimum Sample Diameter:3.8 mm
  • Minimum radius for convex and concave surfaces: convex 8.89mm/ concave: 76.2mm
  • Minimum Headroom: 25.0 mm. 

For more specifications, click here 

 

Conclusion

Ultrasonic thickness testers are straightforward, non-destructive meters that measure the thickness of various materials.

Need more information on ultrasonic thickness testers? Need advice on the best meter for your application? Speak with an Instrument Choice Scientist! Call 1300 737 871 or email [email protected].

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