Aviation Maintenance had the opportunity to see Evident’s OmniScan X4 flaw detector in action at a recent trade show. The OmniScan X4 is a portable, powerful solution that offers speed and versatility for detecting flaws and corrosion. The company says the unit can help boost productivity while increasing confidence in assessment results. The X4 has advanced phased array capabilities, total focusing method (TFM) and phase coherence imaging (PCI) to detect and interpret challenging flaws. Utilizing it can help identify damage earlier, Evident says. We spoke with Evident’s Rod Matheson, director, global product marketing NDT and Victor Chumillas Puya, NDT and RVI sales specialist, to learn more about this latest iteration of the OmniScan.
Aviation Maintenance: Tell us about the OmniScan X4 flaw detector.
Rod Matheson: It’s really an evolution, both in terms of the transition from the OmniScan X3, but also in terms of future advancements. We provide quarterly updates of the instrument’s software free of charge to our customers. As the demands of the aviation industry expand and there are more requirements in certain inspections, this flaw detector will be able to grow and evolve with the customer’s needs. What we tried to do with the X4 is to help ensure a simple transition for existing OmniScan users, and customers looking to get on board with the OmniScan X4 can quickly get up and running. It’s an advanced flaw detector equipped with the tools they need to help them carry out these critical inspections as efficiently as possible.
Victor Chumillas Puya: It’s an instrument that can be used for many applications in aerospace and oil and gas. For instance, it’s equipped with phase coherence imaging (PCI) to detect and accentuate historically hard-to-find flaws, including hook cracks and stress corrosion cracking (SCC). With PCI, you can identify individual flaws in areas of many fine cracks and characterize them with certainty. This is particularly helpful in aerospace inspections that require metallic crack imaging and sizing.
AVM: Why is it better than what was available before?
Matheson: It’s all about the evolution. It has a more powerful processor on board that makes the software faster and more responsive. It also has one terabyte of storage, which is crucial for large-area scans and handling large data sets.
Technicians want the space to store their inspection data and not have to constantly stop to transfer it. They may have an aircraft on the ground, which as we all know, is a huge cost, and they need to get that aircraft back into the skies. Since downtime is costly, speed and workflow efficiency are critical, it’s key that customers have confidence and trust the results, trust that it’s reliable. The OmniScan X4 is a ruggedized unit designed to work in challenging and hazardous environments, whether in aerospace or the oil and gas sector.
AVM: It looks fairly user-friendly. Is it?
Matheson: The interface and the workflow are very much something that we’ve developed over 20-plus years, culminating with the OmniScan X4. I would say that what we have developed here is really something in terms of simplicity and speed for our customers.
Chumillas Puya: Another important contributing factor to its speed is that we offer an OmniScan X4 model that supports a phased array group of up to 128 elements. It enables technicians to achieve much wider coverage with one pass when using a 128-element probe, such as the one in our RollerFORM XL wheel probe. So, this is very interesting because it’s more efficient, quicker, and saves time. Its detection and measurement capabilities help to identify and evaluate the severity of damage before it becomes critical.
AVM: Even though it is powerful, it is also portable.
Matheson: Yes, it’s a portable system. If we go back years ago and look at what phased array systems used to look like, they were much bulkier. Even by today’s standards, this is a truly portable system. It’s packed with a lot of power, yet it remains a portable solution in phased array.
AVM: Give an example of when the OmniScan X4 would be used.
Matheson: It can be used in many different applications, with a wide portfolio of probes and scanner solutions. A good example in aerospace is wing inspection. We have various accessories, including the GLIDER scanner, that allow the technician to efficiently inspect a large area. Connected to the OmniScan X4, the GLIDER scanner enables the inspector to manually scan a large area of the composite material, acquiring precise 2-axis encoded data of the volume.
Another example is our RollerFORM XL scanner, which is a wheel probe used to inspect composites and other smooth-surfaced materials. You can actually roll it across the component. It gives us a complete visual understanding on the display as well as the data behind that. It helps technicians locate and size defects with confidence. We also offer a vast array of complementary phased array probes to match the type and thickness of the material you need to inspect.
AVM: What would you use the different probes for?
Matheson: It depends on the application. If you’re inspecting some sort of complex geometry, for example, you should choose your probe accordingly. Whether it’s for a wing, aileron or fuselage, first, you need to understand the inspection requirements, and second, you need to know what the manufacturer specifies for that inspection. If it’s an Airbus or a Boeing, there’ll be specific criteria. Then we can build a comprehensive solution based on the OmniScan X4 flaw detector and associated probes, scanners, software, and accessories.
AVM: What about training? Do you offer training with the product?
Matheson: Absolutely. Training is one of our key strengths. Evident has a global training network with specialists all around the world. That’s huge when you consider the critical nature of aerospace inspections. Whether it’s to help you get the best out of the instrument, to support your ongoing calibration requirements, or if your equipment needs repairing, we have repair centers globally as well. Providing a high level of support is very important to Evident. When you invest in an Evident solution, you gain access to comprehensive service and assistance.
AVM: Explain the inspection process.
Chumillas Puya: Before inspecting the part, the user is able to create an overview in the scan plan workflow, assisted by our intuitive application presets. These presets can help speed up the setup and improve the consistency of results. We provide presets for common corrosion and flaw detection applications, and they can be used to help with the setup of some of our industrial scanners, such as the HydroFORM, RollerFORM, or FlexoFORM scanner. Each option provides preprogrammed parameters that can be edited as needed.
After the technician is finished scanning, they can analyze the data on the instrument or export the info and analyze it with PC software, which we also supply to our customers. It is very easy. The instrument helps and, as we said before, the interface of the instrument is user-friendly. We made sure to design an interface that is very intuitive for everybody.
Matheson: Phased array detection is based on multiple beams of sound as opposed to conventional ultrasonic flaw detection. Phased array UT enables the technician to get a full visual understanding of the inspected component. And then, we can go in and examine that data in more detail. Using the OmniScan X4 and RollerFORM XL scanner, data is acquired very quickly, whereas if you were using a traditional phased array probe, it takes longer.
Chumillas Puya: So, very quickly, I have the information about the size, I have the information about the thickness and I can also identify the location of the indication.
Matheson: I think it’s also worth mentioning our dedicated ScanPlan software. It has the same intuitive user interface and tools as the onboard OmniScan X4 scan plan. With ScanPlan software, users can create basic setups that can then be imported into the device. ScanPlan software’s 2D and 3D views are easy to prepare, and inspectors can take screenshots for reporting purposes. The idea is to speed up the process and give you more flexibility in terms of equipment management.
The OmniScan X4 unit can also be used in collaboration with others; for example, using the Remote Calibration Service. You can use the RCS to communicate via the OmniScan X4 with the manufacturer, sharing information with them or with the line maintenance manager, that sort of thing. The X4 is equipped with cloud connectivity, so you have the ability to share data and collaborate.
AVM: What else should readers know about Evident and the OmniScan X4?
Matheson: It’s a brand that’s known all over the world. Ultimately, we are about aviation safety, of course, the critical safety of an aircraft, and this touches the entire life cycle of the aircraft. From raw material through manufacturing, to in-service maintenance and even the decommissioning of the aircraft, throughout each stage, the OmniScan X4 can be of service.
We continue to evolve the OmniScan X4 with each MXU software update, so that adds value for the customer, at no additional cost. The instrument’s performance will continue to evolve quite literally. We also want to work with aerospace professionals — manufacturers, maintenance organizations and industry experts — to get their insights on how we can further enhance their inspection efficiency. It’s a journey, and we’re committed to evolving alongside our customers.