A new synthetic training environment system based on an ICT-approach for manual ultrasonic testing

Training to qualify as a manual ultrasonic inspector takes a long time and costs a considerable amount of money. We developed a virtual training environment using an innovative dead-reckoning optical sensor that yields translational position which offers additional information to operators and examiners alike. The training environment contains a library of test scenarios, shows surface coverage, measures the time of inspection, indicates detected defects and provides a performance score. Our test-bed trial results using a pool of Ultrasonic Test (UT) qualified and unqualified participants on two virtual training blocks that contain 2 flaws each reveal 100% detection and an accuracy of 5mm in locating defects in more than 50% of the measured defect locations.