Material Characteristic Testing Method and Apparatus Using Interferometry to Detect Ultrasonic Signals in a Web

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a non-destructive and non-contact testing apparatus and method for determining various characteristics of a material, such as paper, and more particularly to a non-destructive and non-contact testing apparatus and method based upon optical interferometry in which lasers are used to detect ultrasonic signals in a web of material by detecting reflected beat frequencies from the web that are shifted due to the Doppler effect in the presence of an ultrasonic signal.

2. Description of the Prior Art

For many years paper manufacturers have utilized off-line testing methods to determine the various characteristics of a web of paper being manufactured. Because of the destructive nature of the testing, only random samples of the paper have been tested. Unfortunately, such random sampling can allow defective product to pass through undetected. As such, a significant amount of defective product may be made before the defect is detected and corrected, resulting in a significant amount of waste. Another disadvantage of such off-line testing is that it requires extra personnel and time, thereby adding to the cost to manufacture the web.

Because of the many disadvantages inherent in off-line testing techniques, instrumentation for on-line monitoring of various paper characteristics has received considerable interest during the last decade. However, many of the current on-line testing systems also have disadvantages. For example, such testing systems rely on physical contact between the transducers and the web for acoustic coupling, which although effective, is fairly complex and requires good and constant contact between the transducers and the web being tested.

In order to overcome the problems associated with such on-line testing systems, several non-contact on-line testing systems are known that obviate the above problems. In particular, hybrid systems are known whereby lasers are used to generate ultrasonic signals in a moving web, for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,361,638; 5,025,665; 4,674,332; and 4,622,853, hereby incorporated by reference. Such testing systems rely on measuring the time the ultrasonic signals take to pass a predetermined distance. Since the distance is known, the velocity of the ultrasonic signal can be determined. The problem with such systems is that the precise distance being monitored must be maintained, which is relatively difficult. Another disadvantage in such systems is that only the velocity of a wave traveling through the paper is detected, not the type of wave and its particular characteristics.

The technique of optical interferometry in which lasers are used has been described in the literature, as for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,963 by Primbsch and U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,832 by Gaynor, but such technique has not heretofore been known or developed for application to continuous webs in paper manufacture. In particular, the mentioned technique has never been utilized in continuous moving webs of paper, as in paper manufacturing machines commonly used in the paper manufacturing industry.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a non-destructive and non-contact testing apparatus and method that uses optical interferometry to determine various characteristics of a material.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a non-destructive and non-contact testing apparatus and method capable of testing continuously moving webs of various materials on-line without contacting the materials being tested.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a non-destructive and non-contact testing system which includes lasers for generating ultrasonic signals and detecting the resulting deformations in continuously moving webs of various materials by optical interferometry.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a non-destructive and non-contact testing apparatus which eliminates the need to maintain precise distances of the testing apparatus and which can accommodate fluctuations in distances experienced in paper manufacture.

Briefly, the present invention relates to a non-destructive, non-contact testing apparatus and method which generally includes an ultrasonic signal generator for inducing one or more ultrasonic signals in a material and an optical interferometer that includes a laser for illuminating a section of the material and for detecting beat frequencies resulting from reflected light from the material. Deformations in the material as a result of the ultrasonic signal cause the beat frequency to be shifted as a result of the Doppler effect. Such differences in the beat frequency are detected by the system and used as an indication of a characteristic, for example, specific stiffness, of the material on a continuous basis.

These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an out-of-plane asymmetric (A.sub.0) system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an in-plane symmetric (S.sub.0) system in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a graphical illustration of the exemplary output data of the system illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 but for the system illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a combined in-plane and out-of-plane system in accordance with another alternate embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a graph of laser-ultrasonics S.sub.0 mode velocity versus contact velocity for several different grades of paper.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a non-destructive, non-contact interferometric testing apparatus for determining various properties of a web in accordance with two embodiments of the present invention as shown. The s.embodiments are particularly adapted to paper webs moving through conventional paper manufacturing machines. Both embodiments include an optical interferometer that detects changes in the beat frequency as a result of the Doppler effect resulting from an ultrasonic signal, thus obviating the need to maintain intimate or close-proximity contact with the web in the test apparatus as is required in other optical interferometric-type systems. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 5, a third embodiment of the present invention is also contemplated, combining the first and second embodiments of the invention. Such combination allows efficiently measuring both symmetric and asymmetric waves simultaneously during the same test. The combined system allows for determining a broader range of paper characteristics than is possible using just a single testing system.

With specific reference to the first embodiment of an out-of-plane system, illustrated in FIG. 1, the apparatus 10 generally includes a device for inducing one or more ultrasonic signals in a moving web of paper, such as a time-varying laser 12 or acoustic ultrasonic signal inducing devices, such as a speaker or transducer, and an optical interferometer that includes a second laser 14.

The laser 12 may be either a CW or modulated laser, such as a Neodymium/Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet ("YAG") laser 12. The second laser 14 may be an Ar:Ion laser.

With reference to FIG. 1, the ultrasonic signal inducing device, shown as a YAG laser 12, delivers short pulses of light (i.e. 4 ns of approximately 10 mJ energy at a repetition rate of about 1 Hz to a web 16), which results in ultrasonic signals being induced in the web 16 that cause deformations of the web 16. These induced ultrasonic signals, when induced in paper, are generally known as plate waves or Lamb waves. The waves are elastic, and consist of two types: asymmetric waves in which particle motions or oscillations are perpendicular to the surface of the web 16 and symmetric waves in which particle motions or oscillations are parallel to the surface of the web 16. To ensure that the amount of signal generation is non-destructive, the amount of energy absorbed by the web 16 may be controlled by first passing the beam through a neutral density filter 15. The filtered beam is then reflected off of a mirror and strikes the web perpendicular to its surface. To detect the Lamb waves in the web, an interferometer, which includes the laser 14, is used. In order to provide a source of monochromatic light, the beam from the laser 14 may be passed through a notch filter, for example, a 514.5 nm cut-on filter 28, although other filters of various other frequencies may also be used. This monochromatic light beam, identified as .function..sub.-- laser, is then passed through an acousto-optic modulator, such as a 40 mHz Bragg cell 30, which shifts the frequency of the monochromatic light beam .function..sub.-- laser to a frequency equal to .function..sub.-- laser+.function..sub.-- Bragg 34, where .function..sub.-- Bragg is the Bragg-shifted frequency. The Bragg cell 30 also splits the beam, so that the first half of the beam 32 exits unchanged (i.e. at a frequency .function..sub.-- laser 32) and is used as a reference frequency. Other beams of higher Bragg frequency multiples are blocked. The output beams 32, 34 from the Bragg cell 30 are vertically polarized. For the purpose of discussion only, beams 32 and 34 are defined as reference beam and detection beam, respectively. However, the beams may be interchanged, but will produce similar results. As further shown in FIG. 1, the Bragg-shifted beam 34 is reflected from several mirrors 36, 38 and 40 and reflected to a polarized beam splitter 44, which reflects a vertically polarized beam to a quarter wave plate 46, which circularly polarizes the beam. The beam 34 is then passed through an objective lens 48 which focuses the beam onto the web 16.

The beam 34 strikes the web 16 generally perpendicular to the plane of surface and is then reflected therefrom. The reflected light from the surface of the web 16 is collected by the objective lens 48 and reflected back through the quarter wave plate 46, which horizontally polarizes the reflected beam, to allow the beam 34 to pass through a polarized beam splitter 44. The horizontally polarized beam is directed toward a second beam splitter 50 and is combined with the beam 32, which acts as a reference beam. The recombined beam is then collected by the photodetector 24, which detects the beat frequencies of the combined beams. The output of the photodetector 24 is applied to an FM discriminator 54 that outputs a voltage signal that is proportional to the instantaneous surface velocity of the moving web, which can be integrated to provide the position of the sample as a function of time.

The laser 12 may be used to create an ultrasonic signal in the web 16, which causes Lamb waves to propagate through the web 16. More specifically, a beam 13 from the laser 12 is filtered by a neutral density filter 15 and reflected from a mirror 42 to cause a beam 17 to be reflected toward the web 16 in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the web 16. The beam 17 is focused by a focusing lens 19 and directed toward the web 16, thereby causing Lamb waves to travel through the web 16. When the Lamb waves cross the spot illuminated by the laser beam 14, the frequency of the beam 34 is shifted by a frequency .function..sub.-- paper as a result of the Doppler effect caused from the passing wave. As such, the beam 34 will have a frequency equal to .function..sub.-- laser+.function..sub.-- Bragg+.function..sub.-- paper in the presence of a Lamb wave. If no wave is detected, the frequency of the beam 34 will be equal to .function..sub.-- laser+.function..sub.-- Bragg.

More particularly, after the beam 34 is reflected from the surface of the web 16 and combined with the reference beam 32 in the beam splitter 50, the difference in frequency between the two beams causes constructive and destructive interference (interferometry) to occur in the combined beam, which creates a beat frequency equal to the difference in the frequencies of the two beams. When no Lamb wave is present in the web 16, the beat frequency will be .function..sub.-- Bragg. When a Lamb wave is present in the web 16, the reflected beam, as discussed above, is shifted by the Doppler effect, which results in a beat frequency equal to .function..sub.-- Bragg+.function..sub.-- paper, where .function..sub.-- paper is the Doppler-shifted frequency caused by the motion or oscillation in the web 16 due to propagating Lamb waves.

The recombined beam is then collected by a photodetector 24 which measures the light intensity, and is also capable of measuring variations in intensity. The output of the photodetector 24 is applied to FM discriminator 54, set such that an input of .function..sub.-- Bragg gives an output of zero volts, as is the case when there is no detected Lamb wave in the web. Hence, when a signal enters the FM discriminator with the frequency of .function..sub.-- Bragg+.function..sub.-- paper, the output is a voltage signal proportional to .function..sub.-- paper. This voltage signal can be related to the perpendicular velocity of the web, in both the machine direction (MD) and cross-machine direction (CD), under the spot illuminated by the laser, which, in turn, can be integrated to provide the position of the web as a function of time. As shown in FIG. 3, which represents a graphical illustration of exemplary data collected by the data acquisition system 57 for plain white copy paper, the out-of-plane system is particularly sensitive to asymmetric waves A.sub.0, which are motions perpendicular to the surface of the web. Motions parallel to the surface of the web (i.e. symmetric waves) are detectable but relatively weak when compared to asymmetric waves.

The output voltage from the FM Discriminator 54 may be amplified by an amplifier 55 and applied to a data acquisition system 57.

Referring now to FIG. 2, directed to an in-plane system, an apparatus 100 in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown for an in-plane detector. As shown in FIG. 2, the ultrasonic signal inducing device, for example, a YAG laser 112, delivers short pulses of light as discussed above. To detect the ultrasonic signal 118, or Lamb waves, as mentioned above, of the web 116, an interferometer that includes an Ar:Ion laser 114 is used. The beam from the laser 114 is passed through a notch filter 128 to produce a monochromatic beam of light having a wavelength .function..sub.-- laser of, for example, a 514.5 nm. The monochromatic beam is then passed through an acousto-optic modulator, such as a Bragg cell that shifts the frequency of the beam and also splits the beam, so that the first half of the beam 132 exits unchanged and can be used to act as a reference frequency. The second half of the beam 134 exits the Bragg cell 130 at a frequency of the laser beam frequency .function..sub.-- laser plus the Bragg cell frequency .function..sub.-- Bragg. Other beams of higher Bragg frequency multiples are blocked. As shown in FIG. 2, both the Bragg shifted and the unmodulated beams are steered around by mirrors 132, 138, 140, 160 and then aimed at the same spot 122 on the web 116, such that they impact the web at an acute angle, for example, a 45.degree. angle, relative to the surface of the web and 180 degrees apart longitudinally. Objective lenses 156 and 162 are used to focus the incoming beams to the same spot on the surface of the web 116. The beams strike the web 116 and are recombined and collected by an objective lens 158. The recombined beam is then collected by the photodetector 124. The output of the photodetector 124 is applied to an FM discriminator (not shown) that outputs a voltage signal proportional to the frequency of the ultrasonic signal propagating in the tested material.

In operation, when an ultrasonic signal, or Lamb wave, travels through the web 116, it creates deformations in the web 116 which cross the spot illuminated by the laser beam 122, which, in turn, shifts the frequency of the beam by .function..sub.-- paper as a result of the Doppler shift from the passing deformation in the web caused by the Lamb waves. The interference between the reflections of the two lasers creates a beat pattern frequency equal to .function..sub.-- Bragg+.function..sub.-- paper. The beam, after reflecting off the web 116, is passed through a focusing lens 158 and then collected by the photodetector 124 which measures the beat frequency. The output of the photodetector 124 is applied to an FM discriminator (not shown), that is set such that an input of .function..sub.-- Bragg gives an output of zero volts, as is the case when there is no detected Lamb wave in the web. Hence, when a signal enters the FM discriminator with the frequency of .function..sub.-- Bragg+.function..sub.-- paper, the output is a voltage signal proportionate to .function..sub.-- paper. This voltage signal can be related to the velocity of the web, along both MD and CD, under the spot illuminated by the laser, which, in turn, can be integrated to provide position.

As discussed above, the output of the photodetector may be amplified and collected by a data acquisition system (not shown). Referring to FIG. 4, exemplary data for plain, white copy paper is illustrated. It must be emphasized, however, that white copy paper is used by way of example only. Other grades of papers may be used with similar results (FIG. 6). As shown, the in-plane system is most sensitive to motions parallel to the surface (i.e., symmetric waves S.sub.0), and displacements perpendicular to the surface (i.e., asymmetric waves), although detectable, are relatively weak when compared to symmetric waves.

Referring to FIG. 5, an apparatus 200 is shown in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the in-plane and the out-of-plane detection methods may be combined in a single apparatus to provide simultaneous measurements of both asymmetric and symmetric mode Lamb waves. By measuring the phase velocity and frequency of the Lamb waves propagating in the moving paper web, a determination can be made as to which of the possible modes, either A.sub.0 or S.sub.0, are detected. The velocity information from each mode may then be used to predict the values of the elastic stiffness constants of the web being sampled. In particular, it is known that approximated values of the specific stiffnesses ##EQU1## where .rho. is the density of the material, are obtained by S.sub.0 phase velocity along MD and CD, respectively. For example, ##EQU2## are the square of the S.sub.0 mode velocities along MD and CD, respectively. It is also believed that approximated values of the specific stiffnesses ##EQU3## may be obtained in a manner similar to that described above, using A.sub.0. phase velocity along MD and CD.

Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this invention has been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification and following claims.