In the fast-paced world of pipeline construction, every weld counts. Pipeline Girth Weld (PGW) inspection must happen immediately after welding, ensuring each joint is flawless before the next section is laid. With the clock ticking and production moving swiftly, there’s no room for error. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) teams need more than just skill—they rely on fast and reliable equipment to ensure weld integrity in real time. The pressure is on, and precision is key.  

Recent advances in Automated Ultrasonic Testing (AUT) technology are transforming pipeline inspection, offering operators greater efficiency than ever before. WeldXprt, the latest AUT software by Eddyfi Technologies, is designed to streamline the rapid inspection of pipeline girth welds both onshore and offshore. With a dedicated user interface, intuitive workflow, and innovative tools, WeldXprt ensures inspections are not only fast but also highly reliable, delivering unmatched efficiency at the critical point of installation. 

Next-Generation Software Tools for Automated Ultrasonic Testing (AUT) of Pipeline Welds
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Dedicated AUT Workflow  

An efficient workflow starts with a task-oriented user interface, optimized for PGW inspection tools. WeldXprt is a turnkey AUT platform, built on the UltraVision® core – a reliable and well-established software by Eddyfi Technologies, trusted by critical industry around the world. The intuitive interface is specifically designed for pipeline girth weld inspections, ensuring high responsiveness and productivity throughout campaigns. WeldXprt streamlines the entire workflow—from designing inspection techniques to equipment setup, data acquisition, analysis, and reporting—providing comprehensive support at every step. 

As an end-to-end platform, common tasks are handled within the same software, reducing the need to transition from one package to another. In this way WeldXprt incorporates functions such as calibration block design, focal law calculation, scanner control, and advanced analysis giving traceability of setup, acquisition, and processing within the native file format. 

Advanced UT Modes Support 

WeldXprt offers a powerful, flexible, and scalable solution for pipeline weld examination, accommodating multiple inspection techniques that can be performed independently or simultaneously in a multi-channel setup. This enables the collection of all relevant data in a single pass of the weld. The supported techniques include: 

  • Zonal Discrimination 
  • Conventional Ultrasonic Testing (UT) 
  • Time of Flight Diffraction (TOFD) 
  • Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) 
  • Live Full Matrix Capture (FMC) - Total Focusing Method (TFM) 
  • Live Plane Wave Imaging (PWI) - TFM 
  • Raw FMC or PWI data saving 

The availability of all of these techniques in a single platform gives operators choice to deploy the most relevant technology to each campaign, with greater redundancy built in. 

Integrated with Powerful Electronics 

WeldXprt is fully integrated with Eddyfi Technologies Emerald PAUT instrument, supporting high speed inspection speeds with simultaneous advanced modes, including zonal discrimination and TFM. It is designed to handle the most challenging applications with best-in-class signal quality and performance.  

emerald-Phased-array-ut-instrument-front-1

  • 64/128PR + 2UT high performance phased array system 
  • FMC & PWI data acquisition with latest TFM processing and imaging 
  • High speed multi-channel configurations 
  • Seamlessly integrated with WeldXprt & UltraVision 3 platforms 

 

Inspection Technique Design 

Technique design and validation is a critical step carried out before inspection campaigns. WeldXprt incorporates a calibration block design tool, allowing ease of reflector specification and output of mechanical drawings for fabrication. Creating the calibration block within the software also means that the setup is pre-populated with the reflector parameters, giving the software smart capabilities for calibration block verification and design of UT inspection approach. 

In Zonal Discrimination, WeldXprt solves the optimal solution for each channel, selecting the most relevant UT approach for each zone under scrutiny. The operator is also able to adjust each configuration individually with real time update of the ultrasonic response.  

Calibration and Inspection 

In PGW testing, correct sensitivity and flaw positioning must be verified at set intervals on a calibration block, ensuring that flaw detection is not comprised and maintaining traceability of performance.  

With advanced AUT software, calibration checks can be streamlined. Thanks to WeldXprt’s automated calibration verification, calibration block reflectors can be instantly verified identifying out of tolerance reflectors and applying corrections in just a few clicks.  

 

Software-Assisted Analysis

In the age of Industry 4.0, methods for software aided appraisal of data are at the forefront of many industries. This can be the case too with NDT data and modern software brings progressive solutions to help the NDT analyst to be efficient in this critical step of the process.  

Within WeldXprt, Eddyfi Technologies has integrated rule-based assisted analysis for rapid flagging of recordable indications within AUT data, with operators able to configure the rules based on their own criteria for sensitivity and sizing and may configure different rules for different areas of the weld. This means that in a single click, those relevant indications in the data are added to the indication table and sized. The analyst can alter these indications if required, the big benefit being for increased speed of assessment. This type of implementation is also able to help the analyst reduce the risk of missed indications in high production environments.  

Following indication classification and weld sentencing, individual weld reports can be exported ready for repair teams or archiving.

 

Optimize Your Pipeline Inspections with WeldXprt 

WeldXprt by Eddyfi Technologies offers an unparalleled solution for pipeline girth weld inspection, providing speed, precision, and efficiency when it matters most. Discover how WeldXprt can enhance your inspection operations by connecting with our experts today.