METHOD OF DETECTING SURFACE DEFECTS AND APPARATUS FOR REALISING SAID METHOD Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC G01N7/00 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: method of detecting surface defects through nondestructive inspection involves detection of surface defects with given probability. The surface defect information carrier is air or any gaseous mixture. The surface defect is a switching channel between to regions with different pressure levels. A pneumatic device with a vacuum seal consists of a set of same-type detecting elements which form a x × y detector array, each consisting of a housing in form of a block of two boards. The upper board has a vacuum channel, four openings on the end faces of the board, each opening to the vacuum channel, and there is an end-to-end square-shaped opening at the centre. In the lower board there is a closed channel and four end-to-end openings, lying in the closed channel, each opening to the vacuum channel of the upper board. There is an end-to-end square-shaped opening at the centre.

EFFECT: detecting surface defects, avoiding the use of a penetrant, simple surface quality control process, short duration of inspection and high reliability of operation of the device.

6 cl, 11 dwg