NDT Systems Bondascope 350 User manual

Bondascope 350 Operator's Manual

Bondascope 350 Operator's Manual
1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 IMPORTANT: ................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 General Features: ............................................................................................................................... 1
2 AREAS OF APPLICATION ..................................................................................................................... 2
3 PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION.................................................................................................................. 3
3.1 Resonance: ......................................................................................................................................... 3
3.2 Pitch-Catch:........................................................................................................................................ 3
4 4.0 BASIC DESIGN .................................................................................................................................. 4
5 Description of Connections........................................................................................................................ 5
6 PREPARATION FOR USE....................................................................................................................... 6
6.1 Batteries: ............................................................................................................................................ 6
6.2 Probe Selection : ................................................................................................................................ 7
6.3 Reference Samples - IMPORTANT!!................................................................................................ 7
7 KEYPAD AND OPERATION.................................................................................................................. 8
7.1 ON/OFF COMMAND....................................................................................................................... 8
7.2 SETUP ............................................................................................................................................... 8
7.3 GAIN.................................................................................................................................................. 8
7.4 MENU/ESC BUTTON ...................................................................................................................... 8
7.5 LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN ARROW and ENTER Keys................................................................. 8
7.6 NULL – Also acts as a BALANCING function where required ....................................................... 8
7.7 PROFILE ........................................................................................................................................... 9
7.8 Alarm Key.......................................................................................................................................... 9
7.9 MODE Keys (RF/DOTS, SWEEP & GATES) ................................................................................. 9
7.9.1 RF / DOTS Key.............................................................................................................................. 9
7.9.2 SWEEP Key................................................................................................................................... 9
7.9.3 GATES Key................................................................................................................................... 9
8 MAIN SCREEN & MENU Items............................................................................................................ 11
8.1 Main Menu Screen........................................................................................................................... 11
8.2 MAIN MENU ITEM DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................ 12
8.2.1 Gain.............................................................................................................................................. 12
8.2.2 RNG – RANGE ........................................................................................................................... 12
8.2.3 DLY – DELAY............................................................................................................................ 12
8.2.4 VLTS - VOLTS ........................................................................................................................... 12
8.2.5 GATE........................................................................................................................................... 12
8.2.6 FREQ – FREQUENCY ............................................................................................................... 12
8.2.7 PRB – PROBE ............................................................................................................................. 12
8.2.8 CYCLES ...................................................................................................................................... 12
8.2.9 DISP............................................................................................................................................. 13
8.2.10 ALRM – ALARM........................................................................................................................ 13
8.2.11 SET - SETUP............................................................................................................................... 14
8.2.12 SCRN - SCREEN SAVE............................................................................................................. 14
8.3 MAIN MENU ITEM OPERATION................................................................................................ 15
8.3.1 DOTS ........................................................................................................................................... 15
8.3.2 FREQ - FREQUENCY................................................................................................................ 15
8.3.3 ROT – ROTATE.......................................................................................................................... 15
8.3.4 POS - Position.............................................................................................................................. 16
8.3.5 Xscl – X Scale Factor................................................................................................................... 16
8.3.6 Yscl – Y Scale Factor................................................................................................................... 16

8.3.7 PRB – Probe..................................................................................................................................16
8.3.8 PERS – Persistence.......................................................................................................................16
8.3.9 VLTS – Volts................................................................................................................................16
8.3.10 SET – Setup ..................................................................................................................................16
9 9.0 Front Panel Keys.................................................................................................................................17
9.1 PROFILE - Bond Profile Front Panel Key.......................................................................................17
9.2 SETUP ..............................................................................................................................................17
9.3 GAIN.................................................................................................................................................17
9.4 ALARM............................................................................................................................................17
9.5 NULL................................................................................................................................................17
10 INSPECTION TIPS & TECHNIQUES................................................................................................18
10.1 Resonance Sample Setup Procedure.................................................................................................18
10.2 PITCH-CATCH Sample Setup Procedure........................................................................................19
10.3 Care and use of Pitch-Catch Probes..................................................................................................19
10.4 Amplitude Inspection........................................................................................................................20
10.5 Phase Inspection................................................................................................................................20
10.6 Signature Mode.................................................................................................................................20
10.7 Excessive Surface Roughness:..........................................................................................................20
10.8 Compound Contours:........................................................................................................................20
10.9 Non-Parallel Surfaces: ......................................................................................................................20
10.10 Material Temperature Effects:......................................................................................................21
10.11 Excessively Attenuative Materials:...............................................................................................21
10.12 Honeycomb Cell Shape on Directionality Effects:.......................................................................21
11 BondaScope Series - Features, Options, Probes and Accessories........................................................22
12 SPECIFICATIONS:..............................................................................................................................25
13 PRODUCT WARRANTY....................................................................................................................27

Bondascope 350 Operator's Manual
1
1 INTRODUCTION
All of us at NDT Systems, Inc. would like to thank you for your purchase of the BondaScope 350, Ultrasonic Bond
Tester, an instrument that not only provides the best value and feature set currently available but will also provide you
with many years of dependable performance.
The BondaScope 350 features the following:
•Membrane-sealed TOUCH-COMMAND control to simplify its setup and use.
•5.7", 240 x 320 Pixel, high contrast, graphic Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) allows for simple, plain text menus.
•Variable Frequency, and Cycle Tone Burst Oscillator.
•Resonance & Pitch-Catch Mode along with Pulsed Mode for Broader Banded Probe Response.
•Ultra-portability available in a hand-held instrument incorporating NDT Systems’ “Easy Grip” Custom Extruded
Aluminum Case.
•State-of-the-Art RISC based Microprocessor-based design offers unparalleled performance for Bonding
applications.
•Exclusive ScanBars feature permits a simple, analog metered display of Amplitude and/or Phase for easy &
rapid view of bond trend.
•Scrolling ‘BPM’ (Bond Profile Mode) Scan - Standard. - Industry First in a bond tester
•Auto Probe Recognition (patented)
•Fully Adjustable Range - Standard
•Waveform Storage for up to 250 Screen sets along with their associated setups.
•3 Default User Modes / Probe - Standard
•Alarm Limits in high speed scan mode.
•Alarm LED on Instrument & Probes
•USB Data Transfer Port permits upload of user setups & download of User Setups and stored screen
information.
•Operates on 6 “AA” NiMh Batteries for up to 8 hours of continuous use.
•1.8 lbs with batteries.
•Variety of Probes available to suit a range of applications.
1.1 IMPORTANT:
The BondaScope 350's unique design makes it one of the most portable and simple to operate Bond Testers available.
However, in order for the owner of this advanced technology instrument to fully benefit from the unique features of the
BondaScope 350, the assigned operator(s) must be experienced and well-founded in the fundamentals of ultrasonic
testing. Also, it is highly recommended the operator be familiar with this manual.
When using the Bondascope series instruments always be sure the cables are in good working order and be sure to
use cables no longer than necessary. Reduced performance and higher signal to noise ratios can be expected with
cables longer than necessary.
1.2 General Features:
The BondaScope 300 & 350 are designed as portable and robust instruments provided in an aluminum extruded case
with high impact plastic cover plates. The handle assembly is operated by loosening the knobs and pulling outward on
the handle arms to disengage them from the indexing pins and rotate to the desired position. Re-engage the indexing
pins and tighten the handle knobs.

Bondascope 350 Operator's Manual
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2 AREAS OF APPLICATION
The BondaScope 350 inspects a wide range of Bonded on metals, plastics, ceramics, glass or virtually any other
material which will satisfactorily conduct ultrasound, and has fairly parallel (or concentric) surfaces. The actual range is
material and application dependent.
The durable custom extruded, design allows the unit to withstand the rigors of heavier industrial environments.
The All New BondaScope Series defines a new standard in ease of use, performance, features and portability in a
Portable, Handheld Bond Tester. The ALL NEW BondaScope 350 operates in Continuous Wave, Tone Burst or Pulsed
mode (depending on user application & probe selected) as well as Pulsed Pitch-Catch mode with Pulse Rates up to
300 Hz. Display Updates of 40+Hz. With the introduction of NEW, industry leading features including SplitView and
SplitScan the BondaScope 350 presents the best indication and presentation of potential bond problems available
today. NDT Systems, Inc. is unique in offering, for the first time in industry, the ability to scan a surface and map a
Bond Profile in real time! This mode can be significantly easier to interpret for users of all levels. Other,
SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive units may offer to store a TOTAL of a mere 20 waveforms; the BondaScope can
store over 250 full scan sets!!
The concept of Scanning and presenting historic information on screen, in real time, allows the operator to assess the
pattern over distance and/or time, thereby developing a trend pattern. This information can provide the operator with a
higher level of confidence.
Setup is as simple as setting a probe over a good area and pressing NULL, then go over a bad area, set gain and/or
alarm level threshold.
The high speed (120Hz refresh rate), sunlight readable display offers a full Quarter VGA resolution. The resolution of
the display will appear to approach analog! User interface is via simple plain text menus located at the bottom of the
display.
Examples subjects of evaluation:
Airframes/Aircraft Skins
Bulkheads
Crushed Core
Fiberglass
Adhesive Joints
Cardboard
Skin to Honeycomb
Skin to Skin Composite to Aluminum Honeycomb
Multi-Layer Aluminum Laminates
.... And More

Bondascope 350 Operator's Manual
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3 PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
The BondaScope 350 operates on a principle similar to sonar, operating in frequency ranges of 1 KHz to 1MHz
3.1 Resonance:
Resonance inspection is typically performed by inducing a continuous wave, fixed frequency to a vey narrow banded
probe or sensor head. When the probe is coupled to the sample under test, the acoustic impedance change within the
material (due to unbounded or other conditions) loads the probe in a manner to affect its resonant frequency and
amplitude.
3.2 Pitch-Catch:
The following figure explains the ultrasonic Pitch-Catch principle that the BondaScope 350 and its dual tip probe
(transducer) employ. The probe's transmitter element (T) sends a short ultrasonic tone burst or pulse into the material.
The burst or pulse traverses the surface of the material under test to the receiver tip. The frequency selected to
provide the maximum flexural motion in the top layer thickness in the material under test. A variable time gate is used
to select the position in the received echo envelope which has the greatest change in amplitude and or Phase when
the probe is scanned from a bonded area to an un-bonded area.
This round trip time is correlated to the material's thickness (i.e.. the thicker the material, the longer the round trip
time). By precisely measuring the round trip time and compensating for the characteristic ultrasonic velocity of the
material being gaged (sound velocity differs in various materials), an accurate thickness indication can be obtained.

Bondascope 350 Operator's Manual
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4 4.0 BASIC DESIGN
The BondaScope 350 incorporates the latest technology available in microprocessor design. Through sophisticated
on-chip programming, the RISC based microprocessor computes, transit time from one tip to the other, and directs
numerous operations at high speeds. It also offers simplified setup and operation (gage calibration) via front panel
TOUCH-COMMAND pushbuttons.
The Continuous Wave, Tone Burst or Pulsed transmitter, high-sensitivity receiver and informative digital display
function in concert with the microprocessor to produce the unparalleled performance and ease of use in determining
potential bond integrity.

Bondascope 350 Operator's Manual
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5 Description of Connections
1) Probe Connection - 8 pin – Connector for BondaScope 300 & 350 Probes
2) USB/Charger connector on bottom panel. (BE SURE TO LOAD USB DRIVER PER INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE
CONNECTING INSTRUMENT TO A PC)
3) Two battery covers (6 AA batteries 3 in each tube).

Bondascope 350 Operator's Manual
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6 PREPARATION FOR USE
6.1 Batteries:
The BondaScope 350 comes with six “AA” NiMH batteries installed 3 in each battery tube. The batteries supplied with
the unit are 2700 mAh Sanyo’s, the 350 will run approx 8 hours with the backlight off.
When the batteries are within the instrument, check for satisfactory battery life by pressing press the ON/OFF touch
command to turn power on. A Battery Icon appears on the upper right side of the display indicating the current battery
charge state. If the display readout fails to register more than 20% scale the batteries will need charging. When power
becomes marginal, the Power-Guard Marginal Cutoff feature automatically turns the power off until the batteries are
charged or replaced.
Battery Replacement:
Loosen (counterclockwise) the battery tube covers on the bottom plate of the instrument with a screwdriver or a coin.
Remove the batteries and replace with another full set.
Often NiMH batteries that are not charging correctly in the instrument can be reconditioned in an external charger that
is setup for reconditioning and be returned to service.
CAUTION:
Charging:
USE ONLY NDT Systems supplied charger. Plug the charger into wall and then into instrument. The “Charging”
indicator will usually glow green for a second while the charge circuit determines the current state of charge and then
turns RED to indicate a status of charging. When charge is complete, the indicator will return to GREEN.
While the 350 will run off of any AA batteries. ONLY USE THE CHARGER IF EITHER THERE ARE NO BATTERIES
INSTALLED OR NIMH BATTERIES ARE INSTALLED. If Alkaline, NiCd, or any other chemistry batteries are installed
and the charger plugged in damage may occur to the instrument.
NOTE: It is normal for the instrument to warm slightly while charging.
“An optional, conditioning external charger is also available for charging an extra pack while or
conditioning/recalibrating a Li-Ion pack.”
Charge while operating is supported from any charge level.