Over two decades of technological evolution has culminated in the OmniScan^™ X4 flaw detector, a powerful, portable multitechnology instrument. To make assessments with the utmost confidence, inspectors can validate indications using multiple techniques:

• Phased array (PA) and conventional ultrasonic testing (UT)
• Time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD)
• Total focusing method (TFM)
• Phase coherence imaging (PCI)
• Plane wave imaging (PWI)

Supporting peak efficiency, the OmniScan X4 unit’s multigroup capabilities and optimized layouts enable simultaneous acquisition and side-by-side comparison of different imaging techniques (twin TFM/PCI, for example). Equipped with a faster processor, expanded RAM, and advanced imaging tools, this OmniScan iteration is remarkably responsive and easy to operate, even for new users.

You can learn more about its key features and improvements here.

Introducing a New App to Optimize Your Workflow

Evident releases new capabilities and enhancements to the OmniScan X4 software in quarterly updates that you can download from our website for free.

Our innovative PCI, for example, was introduced with one such update, and now another update enables users to take advantage of the OmniScan Black Box app.

What Does the OmniScan Black Box App Do?

The OmniScan Black Box app (or OBB as we call it) expands OmniScan X4 users’ capabilities and functionalities even further, at no additional cost. Start by installing and activating the OBB app on your OmniScan X4 flaw detector to incorporate the acquisition unit into a computer-controlled configuration.

Before you can start remotely controlling your OmniScan X4 using your computer, there are a few things you need:

Requirements for a Computer-Controlled OmniScan X4 Setup

• Your OmniScan X4 unit must be a model with at least 128 receiving channels, these include our 64:128PR, 32:128PR, and 16:128PR configurations.
• You will need to install the free OmniScan Black Box app on your OmniScan X4 unit, which you can download directly here.
• Your PC or laptop has to have WeldSight Inspection software or AeroView^™ Inspection software installed. This is because both of these software are compatible with the NDT Device API that enables communication between the OmniScan Black Box app installed on the OmniScan X4 unit and your computer.

If you’d like more information about any of these components, reach out to your Evident representative or fill out our contact form.

How the OmniScan Black Box Works—in a Nutshell

To give you a rough idea of how it works, here is an example workflow in broad strokes:

1. Set Up: Start by assembling a setup (see the example above) with your OmniScan X4 unit connected to a laptop or PC and your probe or scanner assembly connected to the OmniScan X4 unit like you would usually do.
2. Inspection: With the OmniScan Black Box app running on the OmniScan X4, the unit functions as a “black box,” acquiring data and transferring it directly to the PC or laptop. You can operate the OmniScan X4 data acquisition using WeldSight Inspection software or AeroView Inspection software, and the data can be displayed in the layout of your choosing.
3. Analysis: With an Analysis license, you can use your WeldSight software or AeroView software to perform an in-depth analysis of your results to your specifications. Designed for advanced analysis, both WeldSight and AeroView software are equipped with tools to customize the layouts and readings, personalize the color palette, and examine your data in numerous ways.

Q: WeldSight or AeroView Software? Which One Is Right for Your Application?

A: If you’re working in the oil and gas or petrochemical industries, and you mainly perform weld and corrosion inspections, looking for complex damage mechanisms, then WeldSight software is the best choice, whereas AeroView software is our dedicated software for zero-degree inspections of aerospace and composite applications.

Reasons to Use WeldSight or AeroView Software to Run Your Acquisition

Using a PC to control the OmniScan X4 unit enables you to exploit its speed and portability, while leveraging the advanced analysis and customization capabilities of WeldSight or AeroView software.

In addition to gaining increased flexibility through customizable layouts, readings, and color palettes, you can also make sure your data analysis is thorough and complies with requirements such as manufacturer specifications, using the advanced tools, including:

Get more details about the features of WeldSight software or AeroView software.

Continue reading to learn more ways an OmniScan Black Box solution increases efficiency and expands capabilities.

Streamline Your Inspection Workflow for Big Jobs

When technicians inspect large components, every step of the job is more time consuming. Since the OmniScan Black Box app routes the data directly to the PC controlling the OmniScan X4 unit, there’s no need to transfer the data and you can start the analysis immediately.

To accelerate the analysis of large weld inspection or corrosion monitoring jobs, you can increase productivity using WeldSight software’s tools, including the data and file merge capabilities and custom layouts and color palettes. It also provides customizable easy-to-use, spreadsheet-based templates that enable you to generate professional reports, tailored to your needs.

In the case of AeroView software, there are similar productivity benefits for the analysis of composite aircraft components. AeroView software features an application-dedicated workflow, analysis tools, and customizable reports that ease the inspection of large volumes of composite and carbon fiber parts. Read this blog post to learn how Ruckus Space uses AeroView software to improve the efficiency of its data analysis for its aerospace clients.

Expand Your Data Storage Options

Since your OmniScan X4 acquired data is transferred directly to your computer, an OmniScan Black Box configuration gives you more data storage options. Depending on the network structure in place, it’s possible to configure your computer to save the data on your storage medium of choice:

• Internal hard drive, flash drive, or external hard drive
• Attached local area network (LAN) storage device, such as a server
• Cloud-based database

When your data is sent directly to a computer, the storage possibilities are only limited by its available storage space and your LAN network configuration.

Leverage Powerful Advanced Ultrasonic Inspection Techniques at a Distance

Advanced PAUT, TOFD, and TFM configurations often involve more beams and finer coverage, and the OmniScan X4 models with 128 receiving channels have the advanced focal law capabilities to meet these requirements.

Since these are models compatible with the OmniScan Black Box app, they can be used to improve the inspection performance and precision for applications that require the inspector to remain at a distance. Inspection targets that are in hazardous areas, such as radiation zones in nuclear power plants, are one example.

Footnote for Outside-the-Box Thinkers Requiring Raw FMC Data

This final point addresses NDT researchers and scientists who experiment with new data reconstruction methods to develop solutions for challenging applications. The OmniScan Black Box app also offers an opportunity for you.

With the app installed on the OmniScan X4 64:128PR model, it becomes possible to record and read its full matrix capture (FMC) data sets. In order to accomplish this, however, you’ll need some software development know-how to set up a program capable of processing raw FMC data.

Evident R&D has prepared some basic instructions on how to go about configuring your own custom application for this purpose. Learn more here and then contact our support team if you need further assistance.

Once you’ve got all the requirements, elementary A-scans from the OmniScan X4 unit’s FMC data can be used to reconstruct TFM imaging or any other image reconstruction pattern you can imagine. Think of all the possibilities that the 64:128PR model’s 128-element TFM capability provides for new application designs—we’re excited to see what advances you’ll make!

If you are interested in more details, reach out to your local Evident representative or contact us here .