Olympus Panametrics Epoch 4 Plus User manual

EPOCH 4PLUS
Part No. 910-250C
USER’S MANUAL
Advanced Test Equipment Rentals
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In accordance with European Directive 2002/96/EC on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, this symbol
indicates that the product must not be disposed of as unsorted municipal waste, but should be collected separately.
Refer to your local Olympus distributor for return and/or collection systems available in your country.
Copyright 2005 by Olympus NDT, Inc. All rights reserved.
No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval
system, without the written permission of Olympus NDT, except where permitted by law. For
information, contact: [e-mail].
Other product names mentioned in this document may be trademarks of their respective companies, and
are mentioned for identification purposes only.
Printed in the United States of America.

Warranty
Part # 910-250C
Warranty
The EPOCH 4PLUS Digital Ultrasonic Flaw Detector has been designed and
manufactured as a high quality instrument.
Inspect the unit thoroughly upon receipt for evidence of external or internal damage that
may have occurred during shipment. Notify the carrier making the delivery immediately
of any damage, since the carrier is normally liable for damage in shipment. Preserve
packing materials, waybills, and other shipping documentation in order to establish
damage claims. After notifying the carrier, contact Olympus NDTTM sothatwemayassist
in the damage claims, and provide replacement equipment, if necessary.
Olympus NDT guarantees the EPOCH 4PLUS to be free from defects in materials and
workmanship for a period of one year (twelve months) from date of shipment. This
warrantyonlycoversequipmentthathasbeenused inapropermannerasdescribedin this
instructionmanualandhasnotbeensubjectedtoexcessiveabuse,attemptedunauthorized
repair, or modification. DURING THIS WARRANTY PERIOD, Olympus NDT
LIABILITY IS STRICTLY LIMITED TO REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF A
DEFECTIVE UNIT AT ITS OPTION. Olympus NDT does not warrant the EPOCH
4PLUS to be suitable of intended use, or fitness for any particular application or purpose.
Olympus NDT accepts no liability for consequential or incidental damages including
damage to property and/or personal injury. In addition to our standard one year warranty,
Olympus NDT also offers an optional two year warranty (call for further details).
This warranty does notinclude transducers, transducer cables, or battery. The customer
will pay shipping expense to the Olympus NDT plant for warranty repair; Olympus NDT
will payforthereturnof the repaired equipment. (For instrumentsnotunderwarranty,the
customer will pay shipping expenses both ways.)
In this manual, we have attempted to teach theproper operation of the EPOCH 4PLUS
consistentwith accepted flaw detection techniques. We believe the procedures and
examples given are accurate. However, the information contained herein is intended
solely as a teaching aid and should not be used in any particular application without
independent testing and/or verification by the operator or the supervisor. Such
independent verification of procedures become more important as the criticality of the
application increases.
For these reasons, we make no warranty, expressed or implied, that the techniques,
examples, or procedures described herein are consistent with industry standards nor that
they will meet the requirements of any particular application. Olympus NDT expressly
disclaims all implied warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any particular
application.
Olympus NDT reserves the right to modify all products without incurring the
responsibility for modifying previously manufactured products. Olympus NDT does not
assume any liability for the results of particular installations, as these circumstances are
not within our control.
THE WARRANTIES SET FORTH HEREIN ARE EXCLUSIVE AND ARE IN LIEU
OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER STATUTORY, EXPRESS,OR
IMPLIED (INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND WARRANTIES ARISING FROM COURSE
OF DEALING OR USAGE OR TRADE).

EPOCH 4PLUS

Table of Contents
Part # 910-250C
Table of Contents
Warranty
Table of Contents
1 Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Product Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 About this Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.3 Audience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.4 Typographic Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.5 If You have Documentation Comments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.6 Revision History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.7 Technical Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2 Operating the Power Supply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.1 Using AC Line Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.2 Using Battery Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.3 Operating Time for the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.4 Replacing the Battery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.5 Charging the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.6 Using a “AA” Alkaline Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3 Managing Basic Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.1 Powering-up/LCD Screen Adjustment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.2 Using the Keypad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.2.1 Enter Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.2.2 Direct Access Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.3 Summarizing Keypad Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.3.1 Main Keypad Functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.3.2 Datalogger Keypad Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.4 Editable Parameters Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3.5 Color Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.6 Managing the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.6.1 Full Screen A-Scan Display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.6.2 Split Screen Display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.6.3 Display Flags and Markers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.7 Setting-up Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3.7.1 Language Selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.7.2 Units of Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.7.3 Analog Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.7.4 Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.7.5 Advanced User. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3.7.6 USB Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

EPOCH 4Plus
3.7.7 VGA Output On/Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.7.8 Beep On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.7.9 Grid On/Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.7.10 Keypad Lock Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.7.11 Filled Live . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3.7.12 Filled Peak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3.7.13 “AA” Alkaline Battery Selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
4 Adjusting the Pulser Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.1 Adjusting System Sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.2 Using AUTO-80%. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.3 Setting a Gain Reference Level and Adding Scanning Gain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
4.4 Using the Pulser Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4.4.1 Waveform Rectification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4.4.2 Pulser Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
4.4.3 Damping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
4.4.4 Test Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
4.4.5 Narrowband Filters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
4.4.6 Pulser Type Selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
4.4.7 Pulser Frequency Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
5 Managing Special Waveform Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
5.1 Reject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
5.2 Peak Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
5.3 Peak Hold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
5.4 Screen Freeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
6 Using the Gates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
6.1 Positioning Gate 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
6.2 Positioning Gate 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
6.3 Taking Thickness Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
6.4 Taking Echo-to-Echo Thickness Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
6.5 Locating Flaws with an Angle Beam Transducer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
6.6 Measuring Signal Amplitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
6.7 Operating Time-of-Flight (TOF) Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
6.8 Using the Zoom Feature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
6.9 Activating Gate Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
6.9.1 Threshold Alarms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
6.9.2 Minimum Depth Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
6.9.3 Minimum Depth Alarm with a Single Gate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
6.9.4 Minimum Depth Alarm in the Echo-to-Echo Measurement Mode . . . . 54
6.9.5 Alarm Condition Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Table of Contents
Part # 910-250C
7 Calibrating the EPOCH 4PLUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
7.1 Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
7.2 Calibrating with a Straight Beam Transducer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
7.3 Calibrating with a Delay Line Transducer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
7.4 Calibrating with a Dual Element Transducer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
7.5 Calibrating with an Angle Beam Transducer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
7.5.1 Locating the Beam Index Point (B.I.P.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
7.5.2 Verifying the Refracted Angle (Beta) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
7.5.3 Calibrating for Distance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
7.5.4 Calibrating for Sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
8 Managing the Datalogger and Data Communication Features . . . . . . . . . 71
8.1 Defining the Datalogger Storage Capacity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
8.2 Using the Memory Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
8.3 Using the Alphanumeric Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
8.4 Creating Files and Identifier (ID) Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
8.5 Saving Waveforms and Thickness Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
8.6 Incrementing ID Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
8.7 Recalling Transducer Calibrations and Waveforms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
8.8 Saving and Recalling Quick Recall Calibrations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
8.9 Creating Memos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
8.10 Editing a File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
9 Using Software Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
9.1 Defining Active/Inactive Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
9.2 Distance Amplitude Correction (DAC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
9.2.1 Drawing DAC Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
9.2.2 Special Considerations for JIS Z3060 DAC Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
9.2.3 Saving and Recalling DAC Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
9.2.4 Setting Alarms in DAC Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
9.2.5 Exiting DAC Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
9.3 Time Varied Gain (TVG). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
9.3.1 Activating and Calibrating TVG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
9.3.2 Saving and Recalling TVG Setups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
9.3.3 Exiting TVG Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
9.4 Advanced DAC/TVG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
9.4.1 Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
9.4.2 Option Activation and Reference Correct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
9.4.3 Gain Adjustment Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
9.4.4 ASME, ASME-3 and JIS Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
9.4.5 20%-80% DAC Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
9.4.6 Custom DAC Curves Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
9.4.7 TVG Table Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
9.4.8 TVG Table Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

EPOCH 4Plus
9.4.9 Advanced DAC/TVG and the EPOCH 4PLUS Datalogger. . . . . . . . . 102
9.5 Low Pulse Repetition Frequency (LPRF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
9.5.1 Activating LPRF Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
9.5.2 Exiting LPRF Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
9.6 High Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
9.6.1 Activating High PRF Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
9.6.2 Exiting High PRF Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
9.7 Spotweld Overlay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
9.7.1 Activating Spotweld Overlay Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
9.7.2 Defining Switchable Overlays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
9.7.3 Accessing Datalogger Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
9.8 Spotweld Assistant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
9.8.1 Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
9.8.2 Basic Spotweld Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
9.8.3 Option Activation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
9.8.4 Reference Weld Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
9.8.5 Inspection Mode (Basic) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
9.8.6 Inspection Mode (Advanced). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
9.8.7 Spotweld Assistant and the EPOCH 4PLUS Datalogger. . . . . . . . . . . 117
9.9 Interface Gate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
9.9.1 Activating the Interface Gate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
9.9.2 Operating in Standard Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
9.9.3 Operating in Echo-to-Echo Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
9.9.4 Managing Gate Positioning and Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
9.9.5 Defining Gate Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
9.10 Floating Gate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
9.10.1 Activating Floating Gate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
9.10.2 Operating in -6dB Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
9.10.3 Operating in -12db Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
9.10.4 Using Gate Alarms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
9.11 Curved Surface Correction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
9.12 Wave Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
9.12.1 Activating the Wave Analysis Software:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
9.12.2 Moving the Cursors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
9.13 Onboard DGS/AVG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
9.13.1 Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
9.13.2 Option Activation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
9.13.3 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
9.13.4 DGS/AVG and the EPOCH 4PLUS Datalogger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
9.13.5 Relative Attenuation Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
9.14 Backwall Echo Attenuator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
9.14.1 Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
9.14.2 Activating the Backwall Echo Attenuator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
9.14.3 Operating Backwall Echo Attenuator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Table of Contents
Part # 910-250C
9.14.4 BEA and the EPOCH 4PLUS Datalogger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
9.15 Auto-Freeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
9.16 AWS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
9.16.1 AWS and the EPOCH 4PLUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
9.16.2 Operating the AWS D1.1 Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
9.16.3 Adding Scanning Gain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
9.16.4 Calculating A and C Values. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
9.17 API 5UE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
9.17.1 Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
9.17.2 API 5UE and the EPOCH 4PLUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
9.17.3 Activating the API 5UE Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
9.17.4 Calibrating to a Reference Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
9.17.5 Crack Sizing With API 5UE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
9.17.6 API 5UE and the EPOCH 4PLUS Datalogger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Appendix A – Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Appendix B – Sound Velocities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Appendix C – Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Appendix D – Cable Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Appendix E – Parts List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Documentation Comments

EPOCH 4Plus

Preface
Part # 910-250C 1
1Preface
The preface provides the following introductory topics:
• Product Description
• About this Document
•Audience
• Typographic Conventions
• Related Documentation
• If You have Documentation Comments
• Revision History
• Technical Help
1.1 Product Description
The EPOCH 4PLUS is a lightweight, portable flaw detector offering ultrasonic
performance, resolution, and documentation capabilities with a color display that has
special advantages over basic, traditional displays. You can choose from eight (8) colors
for screen text, A-Scan waveform,gates,Peak Memory, DAC and TVG curve,and more.
Improvements over previous models include:
• CompatiblewithEMATtransducersusingafrequencyrangeof1to5MHz,resolving
echoes from parts as thin as 0.080 inches (2 mm) and as thick as 5 inches (125 mm).
• Capable of storing as many as 6,000 A-Scans or 120,000 thickness readings.
Calibration and test data can be labelled with a 16 character alphanumeric file name
with up to 500 files. In addition, the editing feature allows IDs to be deleted or cleared
for future use. A handy memo feature allows unlimited comment and data description
entries. A memory display screen makes it possible to review the contents of any file
by scrolling through the actual data prior to deleting or recalling the information. Any
stored data can be sent directly from the EPOCH 4PLUS to the optional EPOCH
4PLUS GageView PRO Interface Program, which makes it easy to save, view, send,
or move data from application to application.
Updated benefits of the EPOCH 4PLUS include the following:
• 25 MHz bandwidth, user selectable narrowband filters, optional low and high PRF
rates of 30 Hz and 1,000 Hz, and the option to select a tunable square wave pulser or
negative spike pulser. The EPOCH 4PLUS also has an automatic transducer
calibration function to determine material velocity and zero offset.
• The light weight of the EPOCH 4PLUS (5.7 lbs./2.6 Kg.) and the comfortable
ergonomic design make it ideal for field inspectors with demanding applications. The
compact Nickel Metal Hydridebattery pack providessix (6) hours ofoperation under
normal operating conditions and requires recharge times of less than three (3) hours.
• A large numeric display provides an instantaneous readout of material thickness,
soundpath, amplitude, or time of flight. When using an angle beam transducer, the

2
EPOCH 4PLUS
EPOCH 4PLUS provides the soundpath, surface distance, and depth to a flaw, and
displays which leg of the soundpath the reflector is in with a leg indicator.
• Spotweld Assistant option to aid in making decisions regarding weld integrity based
upon echo patterns/algorithms (optional software).
• Dynamic color change of waveforms based upon alarm conditions.
This manual is written in a functional format. The information contained within can be
read in modular format to answer questions about how to perform specific functions. We
suggest reading through the information completely at least once withyour EPOCH
4PLUSinhandsothatyoucancombinereadingthedescriptionsandexampleswithactual
use of the instrument.
1.2 About this Document
Thisdocumentisthe InstructionManualfortheEPOCH4PLUS.TheInstructionManual
describes routine tasks foroperating the EPOCH 4PLUS. These tasks include operating
the power supply, managing basic operations, adjustingthe pulser receiver, managing
special waveform functions, using the gates, calibrating the EPOCH 4PLUS, managing
the datalogger and data communication features, and using software options.
1.3 Audience
This document is intended for any operator using the EPOCH 4PLUS. Olympus NDTTM
recommends that all operators have a thorough understanding of the principles and
limitations of ultrasonic testing. We assume no responsibility for incorrect operational
procedureorinterpretationoftestresults.Werecommendthatanyoperatorseekadequate
training prior to using this equipment. Olympus NDT offers a full range oftraining
courses including Level I and Level II Ultrasonic Testing, Advanced Detection and
Sizing, and Ultrasonic Thickness Gaging. For further information regarding training
courses, contact Olympus NDT.
While the EPOCH 4PLUS is a continuously self-calibrating instrument, the user must
determineregulatoryrequirements.OlympusNDT offerscalibrationanddocumentation
services. Contact Olympus NDT or yourlocal representative with any special requests.
1.4 Typographic Conventions
The following notes and table describe typographic conventions that appear in this
document.
Warning: This information indicates danger and the possibility of personal
injury.

Preface
Part # 910-250C 3
Caution: This information indicates that equipment damage can occur.
Note: This information provides explanatory information.
Tip: This information provides helpful guidelines for easy operation.
1.5 If You have Documentation Comments
Olympus NDTTM is always interested in improving its documentation. We value your
comments about thismanual and other Olympus NDT documentation.
Completethesurveyatthebackofthismanualandsendyourdocumentationcommentsto
Olympus NDT by using one of the following methods:
• Send comments to Olympus NDT. Attention: Technical Publications
• Contact us at: [e-mail].
In all your correspondence, please include the title of the document, its part number,
release date, and the specific section upon which you are commenting.
Convention Description
Courier Font Usedforfilenames,lines ofcode,namesof
processes, and commands.
Heavy courier Used for command line user input.
Bold Used for textual parts of graphical user
interface, including menu items, buttons,
toolbar names, modes, options, and tabs.
Italics Used for screen/window names, dialog
boxes and document titles.
Bold Italics Used for emphasis.
[Bold] (Square Brackets with
Bold) Used for instrument keys on the keypad.
<Italics> (Angle Brackets) Withitalics text, used for variable data.
→Used for showing the nextsequential step.
Table 1 Typographic Conventions

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EPOCH 4PLUS
1.6 Revision History
This document may require updating because of corrections or changes to the product.
Publication dates are updated whena change ismade to this document. Inaddition, the
document number is also changed to reflect the revision.
The table below shows a list of all revisions for this document.
1.7 Technical Help
Call Olympus NDT and ask for a sales engineer to assist you.
Date Issue Release version
September 2003 910-250A First release
July 2005 910-250B Revision
December 2005 910-250C Revision
Table 2 Revision History

Operating the Power Supply
Part # 910-250C 5
2 Operating the Power Supply
This chapter describes how to operate the EPOCH 4PLUS using different power supply
options.
Topics are as follows:
• Using AC Line Power
• Using Battery Power
• Operating Time for the Battery
• Replacing the Battery
• Charging the Battery
• Using a “AA” Alkaline Battery
2.1 Using AC Line Power
AC line power is supplied via the Charger/Adapter (part number EP4/MCA). The EP4-
MCAhasauniversalACPOWERinput,soitoperateswithanylinevoltagefrom100-120
or 200-240 Volts AC, and with 50 to 60 Hz line frequency.
To use AC line power, follow these steps:
1. Connect the power cord to the Charger/Adapter unit and to an appropriate line power
source.
2. Connect the DC Output power cable from the Charger/Adapter unit to the Charger/
AC Adapter input jack on the right side of the EPOCH 4PLUS.
3. Turn the EPOCH 4PLUS on via the front keypad.
4. Proceed with normal operation.
2.2 Using Battery Power
TheEPOCH4PLUS uses a Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery pack. An optional AA
Alkaline battery pack is available.
Press [ON/OFF] to power up the unit after the initial status screen. The EPOCH 4PLUS
proceeds to the split screen display.
A battery symbol is always present at the bottom right corner of the display and indicates
the remaining battery charge. A completely filled battery symbol relates directly to the
charge remaining on the battery. A symbol that is half filled means that the battery is 50%
charged. All batteries show some rebound effects, so the initial reading appears higher
than the actual amount. This is temporary; a stable battery reading can be obtained after 1-
2 minutes of operation.

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EPOCH 4PLUS
2.3 Operating Time for the Battery
TheEPOCH4PLUSoperatingtimeonbatterypowervariesdependingonthedisplaytype
and useconditions.Usinga 360Hz measurement rateallowsa minimum of four(4)hours
operation, and a measurement rate of 30 Hz provides up to six (6) hours operation. The
pulser must beset to square waveat 5 MHz, high power settingsto achieve maximum
battery operating time. Instrument settings can also affect battery life.
Note: It may initially take several cycles of complete charging and discharging of
the battery to bring the battery to full capacity. This conditioning process is
normal for (NiMH) batteries.
2.4 Replacing the Battery
Warning: The EPOCH 4PLUS Charger/Adapter is designed to charge EPOCH
4PLUS batteries only. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CHARGE ANY
OTHERBATTERIES.Doingsomay causeanexplosionand injury!Do
not attempt to charge other electronic equipment. This will cause
permanentdamage.
To replace the battery, follow these steps:
1. Turn the unit over so that the display is face down.
2. Loosen thetwoscrewsonthebackoftheunitatthebottomthatsecurethebatterydoor
cover.
3. Remove the battery door cover exposing the battery.
4. Slide out the batteryfrom the bottom of the unit.
5. Install the replacement battery by reversing these steps.
Tip: The battery has a notch on one end and fits into the unit only one way.
2.5 Charging the Battery
Note: ChargeEPOCH4PLUSbatteries with the EP4/MCA Charger/Adapter only.
There is no on/off or line voltage selector switch. The Charger/Adapter automatically
turns on when AC power is applied. You can charge the EPOCH 4PLUS battery either
internally in the unit or externally using a stand-alone charging base.
To charge the battery internally, follow these steps:

Operating the Power Supply
Part # 910-250C 7
1. Plug the EP4-MCA Charger/Adapter into an AC main line.
2. Plug the output cable directly into the receptacle on the right sideof the EPOCH
4PLUS.
To ensure complete charging, charge batteries with the EPOCH 4PLUS turned off. If the
EPOCH4PLUSisturnedonwhile connectedtoanACline,thebatterychargesataslower
rate.
When the unit is powered on and connected to the charger, the battery symbol will
continuously cycle from empty to full to indicate the battery is charging. Once the battery
reaches approximately 85% capacity, the symbol will stop cycling and remain full.
Charge the unit for another hour in order to achieve full capacity.
You can also charge the EPOCH 4PLUS battery outside the instrument using an external
stand-alone charger. This accessory is available throughOlympus NDTTM (part number
EP4/EC) or found locally in electronic and retail stores. Contact Olympus NDT for more
information.
If the battery is used daily (or frequently), connect it to the Charger/Adapter when not in
use. Whenever possible, the battery should remain connected to the EP4-MCA Charger/
Adapter (overnight or over a weekend), so that it achieves 100% of full charge. The
battery must reach full charge on a regular basis for proper capacity and cycle life
maintenance.
Recharge discharged batteries as soon as possible after use. Give a full recharge, as
described above.
Note: Never place discharged batteries in storage without a full recharge.
Storebatteries in a cool, dry environment. Avoid long-term storage under sunlightor in
other excessivelyhot places such as an automobiletrunk.While instorage,fully recharge
batteries at least once every two (2) months.
2.6 Using an “AA” Alkaline Battery
An optional battery configuration forthe EPOCH 4PLUS isthe “AA” Alkaline pack
(Olympus NDT part number: EP4/BAT-AA). This battery style uses readily available
“AA” alkaline cells (10 cells total.) The battery pack provides a maximum EPOCH
4PLUS operating time of 2.5hours.
Note: The “AA” Alkaline battery pack cannot be recharged with the EPOCH
4PLUS charger/adapter.
The Alkaline Battery mode is located in the Options menu. This mode allows the
EPOCH4PLUSto fullydischargetheAA battery.EPOCH 4PLUS alwaysdefaultstothe
AA Battery Off mode.

8
EPOCH 4PLUS

Managing Basic Operations
Part # 910-250C 9
3 Managing Basic Operations
This chapter describes how to get started with basic EPOCH 4PLUS operations.
Topics are as follows:
• Powering-up
• Using the Keypad
• Summarizing Keypad Functions
• Managing the Display
• Setting-up Parameters
• Customizing Colors
3.1 Powering-up/LCD Screen Adjustment
Pressing [ON/OFF]causes an initial beep from the unit and then a series of relay clicks.
The display lights up and the unit goes through a self-test for five (5) seconds.
Note: You can do a Master Reset on the EPOCH 4PLUS during power-up. Press
and hold [EDIT] and then turn the unit on. Do not release [EDIT] until the
screen lights up with a Powerup Reset prompt box. Press [OPTION] to
cancel master reset, and the unit will proceed to the live screen. Otherwise,
press [ENTER] to continue. Use the slewing keys to move the highlight bar
over the desired selection:
Parameters- Resets the unit’s parameters to the factory settings
Database - Erases the EPOCH 4PLUS’s memory
Parameters + Database - Completes both above operations
Use the slewing keys to highlight your selection and press[ENTER]. An !
appears.Press[OPTION]tocompletetheMASTERRESETandproceedto
the live screen.
With LCD screen adjustment, you can adjust the screen for maximum viewing under the
harshest and most extreme lighting conditions.
Note: Brightness settings affect battery life. A minimum brightness setting results
in approximately seven (7) hours running time; a maximum brightness
results in approximately four (4) hours.
To adjust the screen, follow these steps:
1. Press [2nd F], [CALIBRATION] (BRIGHTNESS).
2. Use the slewing keys to adjust the setting. BRIGHTNESS: Depending on sunlight
conditions, you may need to adjust the brightness of the LCD to maximize the screen

10
EPOCH 4PLUS
visibility. You can slew through a wide range of the adjustment to optimize the
display.
3.2 Using the Keypad
The mostcommonly used keyson the keypad (Gain, Freeze, Save, Enter, and Slewing
Keys) are close to your left thumb.
The keypad is grouped and color-coded according to function. The outlined section of
yellow keys on the left side of the keypad is used primarily for calibrating. The separate
group of grey keys on top are the function keys, designed to provide easy access to preset
parametervalues.TheEPOCH4PLUSalso hasextensivedatastorage features controlled
by the datalogger keys at the right side of the keypad.
3.2.1 Enter Key
While you can access most functions directly via the instrument keypad, you can change
all essential ultrasonic controls by using of the [ENTER]key and one of the four green
slewing keys [],[],[],and []. This method provides control of virtually all
instrument settings with the thumb of the left hand. Multiple presses of [ENTER] will
toggle through each of the instrument parameters. The parameter highlights when
activated. Use the [],[],[],or []key to change an activated parameter value.
Pressthe[ENTER]keymultipletimestotogglethroughtheinstrumentsettings.Tomove
quickly through the sequence, press [ENTER] multiple times in succession or simply
hold down the key to reach the desired function.
3.2.2 Direct Access Operation
Most commonly used parametersalso havetheir own individual keys to providedirect
access to theparameter setting. To use theEPOCH 4PLUS in this manner, press the
appropriate key to changethe parameter and then either press one ofthe functionkeys
(F1-F5) to select preset values, or adjust the value using the [],[],[],and []
slewingkeys.Forexample tochangethegain,press [GAIN].Press [F1],[F2],[F3],[F4],
or [F5] to select one of the preset dB steps or use the slewing keys for fine adjustments.
In some cases the parameter appears as a second function above another key. To change
these parameters, press [2nd F] and then the appropriate key to access that parameter.
Whenever a function is opened in the full screen display, the EPOCH 4PLUS provides
prompts in the Abbreviated Status window directly above the A-Scan display on the left
side.
3.3 Summarizing Keypad Functions
The EPOCH 4PLUS has two keypads. The top keypad, located directly underneath the
display, is made up of five function keys: [F1], [F2], [F3], [F4], and [F5].