Thin-sheet components are widely used in many industrial applications. Structural integrity of these components largely depends on the strength of the joints. Ensuring the durability of these joints is essential, and therefore, routine inspection is critical to maintain the safety and performance of these components. However, most traditional Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) techniques fall short for thin-sheet components due to the limitations imposed by minimum thickness requirements, which restrict their effectiveness. To this end, the present study investigates the potential of Lamb waves – a modern, advanced NDE technique suitable for thin-section components – to effectively evaluate the quality of welds in these thin sheets. We focus on thin aluminum sheets joined in a lap configuration, using Friction Stir Welding technique. The quality of weld is adjusted by varying welding process parameters. Our analysis reveals that certain parameter configurations maximize Lamb wave transmission across the lap weld, which serves as an indicator of weld quality. Additionally, we apply complementary NDE techniques such as CT and X-ray scanning to further assess these samples, drawing a correlation between the optimized Lamb wave transmission of fundamental mode across the lap joint and the overall weld integrity. To confirm the results, we conduct destructive testing on the weld cross-section, validating the effectiveness of Lamb wave transmission as a reliable measure of weld quality.

中文翻译：

---

基于 Lamb 波的无损检测薄板搅拌摩擦搭接接头的焊接质量


薄板组件广泛用于许多工业应用。这些组件的结构完整性在很大程度上取决于接头的强度。确保这些接头的耐用性至关重要，因此，日常检查对于保持这些组件的安全和性能至关重要。然而，由于最小厚度要求的限制，大多数传统的无损评估 （NDE） 技术都无法用于薄板组件，这限制了它们的有效性。为此，本研究调查了兰姆波（一种适用于薄片部件的现代、先进的无损检测技术）的潜力，以有效评估这些薄板的焊缝质量。我们专注于使用 Friction Stir Welding 技术以搭接配置连接的薄铝板。通过改变焊接工艺参数来调整焊接质量。我们的分析表明，某些参数配置最大限度地提高了搭接焊缝的 Lamb 波透射率，这是焊缝质量的指标。此外，我们应用互补的无损检测技术，如 CT 和 X 射线扫描来进一步评估这些样品，在搭接接头上基模的优化兰姆波传输与整体焊接完整性之间建立关联。为了确认结果，我们对焊缝横截面进行了破坏性测试，验证了兰姆波透射作为焊接质量可靠衡量标准的有效性。