ASTM E1454-02(2008)

2013-06-20 /Withdrawn

The primary use of this guide is to provide a standardized approach for the data file to be used for the transfer of digital ultrasonic data from one user to another where the two users are working with dissimilar ultrasonic systems. This guide describes the contents, both required and optional, for an intermediate data file that can be created from the native format of the ultrasonic system on which the data was collected and that can be converted into the native format of the receiving ultrasonic or data analysis system. The development of translator software to accomplish these data format conversions is being addressed under a separate effort; this will include specific items needed for the data transfer, for example, language used, memory requirements and intermediate specification, including detailed data formats and structures. Ths guide will also be useful in the archival storage and retrieval of ultrasonic data as either a data format specifier or as a guide to the data elements that should be included in the archival file.

Although the recommended field listing includes more than 120 items, only about one third of those are regarded as essential and marked with Footnote C in Table 1. Fields so marked must be addressed in the data base. The other recommended fields provide additional information that a user will find helpful in understanding the ultrasonic examination result. These header field items will, in most cases, make up only a very small part of an ultrasonic examination file. The actual stream of ultrasonic data that make up the image will take up the largest part of the data base. Since an ultrasonic image file will normally be large, the concept of data compression will be considered in many cases. Compressed data should be noted, along with a description of the compression method, as indicated in Field No. 122.

This guide describes the structure of a data file for all of the ultrasonic information collected in a single scan. Some systems record multiple inspection results during a single scan. For example, through transmission attenuation data as well as pulse echo thickness data may be recorded at the same time. These data may be stored in separate image planes; see Field No. 102. In other systems, complete digitized waveforms may be recorded at each inspection point. It is recognized that the complete examination record may contain several files, for example, for the same examination method in different object areas, with or without image processing, for different examination methods (through-transmission, pulse-echo, radiologic, infrared, etc.) collected during the same or during different scan sessions, and for variations within a single method (frequency change, etc.). Information about the existence of other images/examination records for the examined object should be noted in the appropriate fields. A single image plane may be one created by overlaying or processing results for multiple examination approaches, for example data fusion. For such images, the notes sections must clearly state how the image for this file was created.

TABLE 1 Field Listing

Field NumberA		Field Name and Description	Data Type/UnitsB
Header Information:
	1C	Intermediate file name	Alphanumeric stringD
	2C	Format revision code	Alphanumeric string
	3C	Format revision date	yyyy/mm/ddD
	4C	Source file name	Alphanumeric string
	5	Examination file description notes	Alphanumeric string
	6C	Examining company and location	Alphanumeric stringD
	7C	Examination date	yyyy/mm/dd
	8C	Examination time	hh:mm:ss
	9C	Type of examination	Alphanumeric stringD
	10C	Other examinations performed	Alphanumeric stringD
	11	Operator Name	Alphanumeric string
	12C	Operator identification code	Alphanumeric string
	13C	ASTM, ISO, or other applicable standard inspection specification	Alphanumeric string
	14	Date of applicable standard	yyyy/mm/dd
	15C	Acceptance criteria	Alphanumeric string
	16C	System of units	Alphanumeric stringD
	17	Notes	Alphanumeric string
Examination System Description:
	18	Examination system manufacturer(s)	Alphanumeric stringD
	19C	Examination system model	Alphanumeric string
	20	Examination system serial number	Alphanumeric string
Pulser Description:
	21	Pulser electronics manufacturer	Alphanumeric string
	22	Pulser electronics model number	Alphanumeric string
	23	Pulser type	Alphanumeric stringD
	24	Pulse repetition frequency	Real number, kiloHertz
	25	Pulse height	Alphanumeric stringD
	26	Pulse width	Real number, nsec
	27	Last calibration date	yyyy/mm/dd
	28	Notes on pulser section	Alphanumeric string
Receiver Description:
	29	Receiver electronics manufacturer	Alphanumeric string
	30	Receiver electronics model	Alphanumeric string
	31	Receiver electronics response center frequency	Real number, MHzD
	32	Receiver bandwidth	Real number, MHzD
	33	Fixed receiver gain	Real number, dB
	34	User selected receiver gain	Real number, dB
	35	Last calibration date	yyyy/mm/dd
		Notes on receiver section	Alphanumeric string
Gate Description:
	37	Number of gates	Integer
	38	Gate type	Alphanumeric stringD
	39	Gate synchronization	Alphanumeric string
	40	Gate start delay	Alphanumeric string
	41	Gate width	Alphanumeric string
	42	Gate threshold level	Alphanumeric string
	43	Notes on gate section	Alphanumeric string
Search Unit Description:
	44	Transmit search unit manufacturer	Alphanumeric string
	45	Transmit search unit model	Alphanumeric string
	46	Transmit search unit serial number	Alphanumeric string
	47	Transmit search unit element diameter	Real number
	48	Measured beam diameter of the Transmit search unit at the examination surface	Real number
	49	Location of measurement of beam diameter of the transmit search unit	Alphanumeric stringD
	50	Transmit search unit focal length	Real numberD
	51	Transmit search unit nominal frequency	Real number, MHz
	52	Transmit search unit response center frequency	Real number, MHz
	53	Transmit search unit response bandwidth	Real number, MHz
	54	Transmit search unit cable type	Alphanumeric string
	55	Transmit search unit cable length	Real number
	56	Number of values for Transmit search unit digitized waveform	IntegerD
	57	Transmit search unit waveform values	Real number
	58	Notes on Transmit search unit waveform	Alphanumeric string
	59	Transmit search unit coupling technique and medium	Alphanumeric string
	60	Receive search unit manufacturer	Alphanumeric string
	61	Receive search unit model number	Alphanumeric string
	62	Receive search unit serial number	Alphanumeric string
	63	Receive search unit element diameter	Real number
	64	Measured beam diameter of the “receive” search unit at the examination surface	Real number
	65	Location of measurement of beam diameter of the receive search unit	Alphanumeric stringD
	66	Receive search unit focal length	Real numberD
	67	Receive search unit nominal frequency	Real number, MHz
	68	Receive search unit response center frequency	Real number, MHz
	69	Receive search unit response bandwidth	Real number, MHz
	70	Receive search unit cable type	Alphanumeric string
	71	Receive search unit cable length	Real number
	72	Number of values for “receive” search unit digitized waveform	IntegerD
	73	Receive search unit waveform values	Real number
	74	Notes on Receive search unit waveform	Alphanumeric string
	75	Receive search unit coupling technique and medium	Alphanumeric string
Examined Sample Description:
	76C	Examined sample identification	Alphanumeric string
	77C	Examined sample name	Alphanumeric string
	78	Examined sample description	Alphanumeric string
	79C	Examined sample material	Alphanumeric string
	80	Examined sample notes (history, use, etc.)	Alphanumeric stringD
	81C	Number of scan segments for this part	Integer
	82	Reference sample identification	Alphanumeric string
	83	Reference sample description	Alphanumeric string
	84	Reference sample file name/location	Alphanumeric string
	85	Reference sample notes (use, etc.)	Alphanumeric stringD
Coordinate System and Scan Description Machine Coordinate System:
	86	Machine scan axis	Alphanumeric stringD
	87	Machine index axis	Alphanumeric string
	88	Machine third axis	Alphanumeric string
	89	Reference for machine coordinate system	Alphanumeric string
Part Coordinate System:
	90	First part axis	Alphanumeric stringD
	91	Second part axis	Alphanumeric string
	92	Third part axis	Alphanumeric string
	93	Reference for part coordinate system	Alphanumeric string
Object Target Points:
	94C	Number of target points	Integer
	95C	Description of target point	Alphanumeric string
	96C	Coordinate of target point in first part axis	Real number
	97C	Coordinate of target point in second part axis	Real number
	98	Coordinate of target point in third part axis	Real number
Data Plane:
	99	Description of the plane onto which data will be projected	Alphanumeric string
	100	Coordinate system notes	Alphanumeric string
Examination Parameters:
	101C	Coordinate location number	Integer
	102C	Number of data values per coordinate location	IntegerD
	103C	Minimum value of test data range or resolution	IntegerD
	104C	Maximum value of test data range or resolution	IntegerD
	105C	Engineering units for minimum legal data value	Alphanumeric stringD
	106C	Engineering units for maximum legal data value	Alphanumeric stringD
	107C	Number of bits to which the original data was digitized	Integer
	108C	Type of data scale	Alphanumeric stringD
	109C	Size of data step	Real numberD
	110C	Format of data recording	Alphanumeric stringD
	111C	Number of colors or gray levels used	Integer
	112C	Distribution of colors or gray levels	Alphanumeric string
Examination Results:
	113C	Scan segment number	IntegerD
	114C	Scan segment description	Alphanumeric string
	115	Scan segment location on part	Alphanumeric string
	116	Scan segment orientation	Alphanumeric string
	117C	Scan pattern description	Alphanumeric string
	118	Annotation	Alphanumeric stringD
	119C	Distance between data sample points	Real number
	120C	Interval between data locations in index direction	Real number
	121	Notes on data intervals	Alphanumeric string
	122	Notes on data format including notes on any compression techniques used	Alphanumeric string
	123C	Total number of data points	IntegerD
	124C	Actual stream of ultrasonic data	Real numbersD

^A Field numbers are for reference only. They do not imply a necessity to include all those fields in any specific database nor do they imply a requirement that fields be used in this particular order.

^B Units listed first are SI; secondary units are inch-pound (English); see Field No. 16.

^C Denotes essential field for computerization of test results.

^D See Section 5 for further explanation.

1.1 This guide provides a listing and description of the fields that are recommended for inclusion in a digital ultrasonic examination data base to facilitate the transfer of such data. This guide is prepared for use particularly with digital image data obtained from ultrasonic scanning systems. The field listing includes those fields regarded as necessary for inclusion in the data base (as indicated by Footnote C in Table 1); these fields, so marked, are regarded as the minimum information necessary for a transfer recipient to understand the data. In addition, other optional fields are listed as a remainder of the types of information that may be useful for additional understanding of the data, or applicable to a limited number of applications.

1.2 It is recognized that organizations may have in place an internal format for the storage and retrieval of ultrasonic examination data. This guide should not impede the use of such formats since it is probable that the necessary fields are already included in such internal data bases, or that the few additions can be made. The numerical listing indicated in this guide is only for convenience; the specific numbers carry no inherent significance and are not a part of the data file.

1.3 The types of ultrasonic examination systems that appear useful in relation to this guide include those described in Practices E 114, E 214 and E 1001. Many of the terms used are defined in Terminology E 1013 and E 1316. The search unit parameters used in this guide follow from those used in Guide E 1065.

1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

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