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3.1.2 Acoustic Microscopy
James J. Filliben Statistical Engineering Division, CAML
Nelson Hsu
Dan Xiang Automated Technology Production Division, MEL Acoustic microscopy is a newly-developed, low-cost alternate ultrasonic methodology that is superior to contact/transducer methods for non-tactile underwater identification of material type, orientation, velocity, roughness, stress, and/or attenuation. Acoustic microcopy is distantly related to radar technology-but at a much more refined level. Nelson Hsu and Dan Xiang of the Automated Production Technology Division of the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory is carrying out state-of-the-art developmental work on acoustic microscopy. The immediate goal of this project is to develop a prediction equation relating elapsed time of an acoustic microscopy signal to distance and other material properties. Data from 15 experiments had already been collected. The prediction equation analysis was straighforward-consisting of the carrying out of linear or quadratic (as appropriate) fits for each and all of the 15 data sets. In addition, a Dataplot macro was written and provided so that the NIST scientists could carry out the analysis on their own PC's on similar such data sets.
Figure 2: Acoustic Microscopy. Assessing the quality and consistency of linear fits (of distance as a function of time) across all 15 data sets.
Date created: 7/20/2001 |