Ultrasonic Transducer Application for Nondestructive Testing of Continuous Cast Billets

Steel wires are made by elongating hot billets. If the billets have internal or surface defects, the wire can be broken during elongation process. After testing surface defect, we are testing internal defect by ultrasonic transducers. POSCO is producing two kinds of billets, hot rolled billet and cast billet. Hot rolled one is denser than cast billet. Because of the low density and rough surface, ultrasonic testing is difficult for the cast billet. Size of the transducer was related with the size and density of the billet. A transducer having 21mm long, 8.5mm wide and 0.95mm thick piezoelectric ceramic plate was best for cast billet. Center frequency of the transducer was 2.25MHz and the focus distance was 70mm.