Flexible Data Acquisition System with Custom Front-End for Ultrasonic NDT Research

Ultrasonic guided wave-based inspection is highly effective for detecting defects in various materials, including metal plates. This method enables the inspection of larger areas compared to traditional bulk waves and can identify even minor structural damage. However, several aspects require further investigation to improve the efficiency and accuracy of guided wave measurements. Commercial devices are often expensive, lack scalability, and are typically proprietary. Research, therefore, necessitates a more flexible, reconfigurable, and scalable approach. This paper presents a simple and cost-effective solution that facilitates experiments with ultrasonic guided waves, data collection, and subsequent analysis. The system is based on a general multi-function test and measurement device with custom-designed front-end circuitry. This design is easily replicable and can be tested by other research groups. It supports measurements with up to 40 V peak-to-peak excitation signals in the frequency range of 1 kHz to 1 MHz, making it suitable for general guided wave tests. Arbitrary waveform excitation, including classical few-period Hanning windowed sinusoids, can be applied. Signals can be designed on a PC, stored, and recalled as needed. Measurement results are automatically logged to a connected storage device, and a custom real-time analysis environment can be easily added and modified as required.