Center for Ultrasonics and Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE)

Welcome to the Center for Ultrasonics and Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) homepage at The University of Denver. On these pages, you will find brief description of our research activities, the people in our center, and our facilities. We welcome your questions and comments.

The Center conducts applied research and development in the areas of ultrasonics, nondestructive evaluation (NDE), on-line process measurements, sensor signal processing, and custom system development. Center personnel assist clients by providing a timely analysis of their problems, working with them to identify a solution, and then performing the required testing or technology development. Should a non-standard NDE technique be required, Center staff have unique R&D skills to develop custom solutions. The Center draws on the multi-disciplinary expertise of University of Denver faculty to complement the capabilities within the University of Denver Research Institute.

The Ultrasonics and Nondestructive Evaluation Center supports industry and government sponsors in the following areas:

• Consulting and sponsored R&D in all aspects of ultrasonics and signal processing
• NDE inspection of manufactured parts for quality assurance
• Development and demonstration of on-line measurements for process monitoring
• Design, fabrication, qualification, and testing of ultrasonic and acoustic systems.
• Identification of hardware and software measurement systems to meet specific needs
• Custom sensor and system development

To support these activities, Center personnel conduct fundamental research in ultrasonic and other sensor technologies.

Capabilities:
The staff has a broad experience in material characterization for quality assurance including ultrasonic, X-ray, eddy current, acoustic emission, thermography and acoustic microscopy. Investigations have considered metals, composites, ceramics, electronics packages, concrete, and tissues. Additional expertise is available in the analysis of the fundamental physics of material interactions, high-power ultrasonics and cleaning, sensor/transducer selection and design, system design and development and signal processing. Center members apply these skills to develop unique solutions to industrial and government problems in the areas of:

• Quantitative ultrasonic analysis and NDE for materials characterization & failure analysis
• Ultrasonics for on and off-line process measurement and control
• High-frequency acoustic microscopy for surface and electronic package testing