The Ultrasound Packaging Research Facility

By Paul Rooney.

The acoustic imaging of food packages is the primary purpose of the facility. The positioning system has the capability of imaging food package samples in a such way that can model an industry application. The positioning system (Parker Hannifin) allows for movement along three linear axes and one rotational axis with accuracies of 5 micrometers and 0.01 degrees respectively. The experiments are performed with the food package samples placed into a tank filled with degassed and distilled water.

In order to perform experiments useful to the development of food package inspection, both the sample and the transducer move together. The system models a scanning procedure with the sample moving underneath a transducer as it scans the sample. The distance and velocity of both the transducer and sample can be controlled independently of one another. This allows for a full range of scanning scenarios to determine limitations of scanning food packages.

Scott Morris and Bill O'Brien (left to right) at the controls.
Photo reproduced with permission from the ACES-ITCS site.