While surveying installations and civil engineering structures, serious corrosion is regularly observed. In these cases, it makes sense to have wall thickness measurements performed. COATECT-PCN bv conducts wall thickness measurements if the client requires supplementary investigation.

Alongside all the possible coating inspections, in specific cases it is advisable to catalogue the condition of the substrate. This is because during the various forms of corrosion, the corroded material is subject to reduction. A properly performed coating inspection supplemented by ultrasound wall thickness measurements can ultimately result in a reliable coating repair recommendation.

Wall thickness measurements are performed using ultrasound techniques. A transducer emits a short ultrasonic sound wave. This sound wave is reflected when it encounters the first transition between materials, at the back of the metal. The time taken by the sound wave to return to the transducer is accurately recorded. Based on the speed of the sound wave, the thickness of the metal can be measured.

Wall thickness measurements made using ultrasound techniques are suitable for measuring materials with a thickness between 2.54 and 25.4 millimetres. We can even use the measurement equipment to calculate wall thicknesses on coated components, with the coating layer being generated to a coating layer of a maximum of two millimetres during measurement.