Ultra CE for Composite Manufacturing – Detect leaks on vacuum bags

Speed up vacuum leak inspection

Composite manufacturing requires a perfect vacuum, as any leak in a bag can compromise the final product quality and will require additional time for repair. The traditional leak detection methods are tedious, time-consuming and heavily user-dependent.

Including a software dedicated to specific needs of composite manufacturers, the hand-held Ultra CE detects leaks at a distance and with unmatched speed. Ultra CE excels in finding leaks in noisy areas.

Ultra CE’s 124 microphones detect ultrasounds and reconstruct the location of the sound source, i.e. the leak. Combining the acoustic information with the wide-angle optical camera, the precise location of the leak is shown on the screen on the back of the ultrasound camera.

The real-time visualization enables staff to fix leaks efficiently. The recorded images and videos can easily be used for reporting purposes.

Detects leaks in seconds at a distance, even in folds:

Detection distance

30 cm to 50 m

or 1 to 165 ft

Angle of view

180°

Accuracy

 1°

Battery life

5 hours

Ultrasonic Vacuum Leak Detection

Pinpoint vacuum leaks without scanning each single square centimetre

Acoustic Leak Imaging is a technique that allows you to analyse the sound emitted by leaks, determine their exact location, and display them on the camera’s screen.

Ultrasonic Vacuum Leak Detection

Pinpoint vacuum leaks without scanning each single square centimetre

Acoustic Leak Imaging is a technique that allows you to analyse the sound emitted by leaks and display it as an image.

Benefits

Why use Ultra CE?

10 times faster than traditional methods

Traditionnal methods to detect vacuum leaks, such as human hearing or ultrasonic detectors with headphones, require the operator to thoroughly check every potential leak point with the risk of missing leaks. With ultrasound imaging, detection is performed at a distance, much faster and leak locations are clearly visible on screen.

Uncover leaks in bag folds

As sound propagates, hidden leaks in folds that are hardly found with other techniques can be detected with ultrasound imaging.

Repeatable and efficient method

Ultra CE is an easy-to-use device, so anyone can find leaks reliably, even at a distance. Survey images are self-explanatory.

Robust to surrounding noise

Ultra CE actively filters background noises and detects leaks even in noisy areas such as production halls.

Inspection reports with Audalytics

Ensure traceability through digital reporting

Images say more than a thousand words when it comes to finding leaks. To keep track of these findings, Distran offers an integrated reporting tool ; Audalytics. It enables the operator to create a report embedding pictures, videos, and notes within minutes after the inspection.

Operators can then share their findings with their team, directly in the browser where videos are embedded seamlessly (without requiring an additional software). Special software features allow data-trending, dashboard functions and recording of voice notes.

Inspection reports with Audalytics

Ensure traceability through digital reporting

Images say more than a thousand words when it comes to finding leaks. To keep track of these findings, Distran offers an integrated reporting tool ; Audalytics. It enables the operator to create a report embedding pictures, videos, and notes within minutes after the inspection.

Operators can then share their findings with their team, directly in the browser where videos are embedded seamlessly (without requiring an additional software). Special software features allow data-trending, dashboard functions and recording of voice notes.

Production hall Distran camera compartment

Enable a permanent availability of your camera with Ultra Ready: wall mounted box with dual charger

Ultra Ready is a protective wall-mounted box, compatible with Ultra CE. It holds 2 built-in battery chargers.

Placed in a production hall, Ultra Ready makes the Distran’s camera accessible to any operator when a leak is suspected or when every part has to be checked.

Two batteries can be charged in parallel at full charging speed, away from dust.

ULTRA CE DATA

Technical specifications

–

Working distance

From: 0.3 - 50 m (1 - 165 ft)
Typical: 0.3 - 3 m (1 - 10 ft)

Lower limit of detection

Quiet environment 2 L/h (0.1 ft³/h)
Industrial environment 10 L/h (0.4 ft³/h)

Angle of view

180°

Angular detection accuracy

< 1°

Battery life

5 hours (2.5h x 2 batteries)

Charging duration

70% after 1 hour, 99% after 3 hours

Weight

1.5 kg (3.3 lb)

Temperature range

-10°C to 50°C (10°F to 122°F)

Integrated LED lights

1400 lumens

Pictures & videos export

Audalytics or SD card

File formats

Pictures (JPEG) and videos (MP4)

Input methods

Button and touchscreen

Wireless modules

Wifi 802.11 b/g/n

Accessories

Compatible with Distran Ultra Ready

Certification

CE, RoHS and WEEE compliant

Frequently Asked Questions

From which distance can a vacuum bag be inspected by Ultra CE?

Depending on the flow rate of the leak, from 30 centimetres (1 foot) up to 50 or even 100 meters (150-300 feet). Large leaks (thousands of litres per hour) can be detected up to 100 meters.

However, to make sure that the vacuum bag is leak tight, the typical leak search is performed between 30 centimetres (1 foot) and 1 metre (3,3 feet).

Can Ultra CE also detect leaks on the connectors below the mould?

Ultra CE detects the ultrasound that leaks generate when air is entering into a vacuum system. Therefore, the camera can detect leaks on adaptors, connectors to the pump, etc.

What is the accuracy of Ultra CE?

Like an optical camera, the accuracy is determined as an angle (the closer you are to a leak, the smaller is the linear accuracy). The accuracy depends on the acoustic imaging algorithm, the imaging frequency and how good the optical camera and the microphone array match.

The typical accuracy is about 1°.

Is it possible to operate Ultra CE in noisy production halls close to vacuum pumps, compressors, cranes…?

Ultra CE filters all noises outside the ultrasound detection window, in particular low frequency in the audible range. Leakages have been detected within noisy environments as production halls.

Ultra CE estimates the sensitivity in real-time, allowing the user to know if the inspection is performed in optimal conditions. This is typically useful when acceptance criterion is used.

Can Ultra CE detect leaks below curing blankets or insulation?
Direct sight is not required for leak detection, but the sound must propagate from the leak to the surface of Ultra CE, where the microphones are located. This is typically not the case if a curing blanket is placed on top of the vacuum bag. For insulated systems it depends on how tight the insulation is.
Does Distran supply a tool to generate digital reports?
Yes. With every device, Distran includes free access to its reporting tool Audalytics. Pictures and videos can be embedded in reports along with notes and comments. Later easily shared between stakeholders.

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