Fast total focusing method for ultrasonic imaging

Synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT) and total focusing method (TFM) have become popular tools in the field of ultrasonic non destructive testing. In particular, they are employed for detection and characterization of flaws. From data acquired with a transducer array, those techniques aim at reconstructing an image of the inspected object from coherent summations. In this paper, we make a comparison between the standard technique and a migration approach. Using experimental data, we show that the developed approach is faster and offers a better signal to noise ratio than the standard total focusing method. Moreover, the migration is particularly effective for near-surface imaging where standard methods used to fail. On the other hand, the migration approach is only adapted to layered objects whereas the standard technique can fit complex geometries. The methods are tested on homogeneous pieces containing artificial flaws such as side drilled holes.