What Is Guided Wave Ultrasonic Testing (GUL)?
Guided Wave Ultrasonic Testing (GUL) allows long sections of pipeline or tubing to be inspected from a single location. This makes it highly efficient for detecting corrosion, cracks, or weld defects without needing direct access to the full pipe length.
Key Benefits
- Inspects meters of piping from a single test point
- Reduces need for scaffolding or insulation removal
- Detects corrosion, cracks, weld flaws, and wall loss
- Works on above-ground and buried pipelines
How It Works
- Transducers are clamped around the pipe in a ring
- Low-frequency ultrasonic waves (20–100 kHz) are introduced
- Waves travel along the pipe wall in both directions, guided by the geometry
- Reflections occur at changes (welds, supports, corrosion, cracks)
- Signals are analyzed to locate and size defects
