At the ASNT 2025 Conference, Sonatest unveiled its Total Focusing Method with Multiple Modes (TFMI), a groundbreaking advancement in ultrasonic non-destructive testing (NDT). This innovation integrates up to four propagation modes into a single composite image, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of defect detection, especially in complex geometries where traditional methods may fall short.

Renato Nogueira, Sonatest’s applications specialist, emphasized that TFMI shifts the evaluation focus from amplitude-based analysis to image interpretation. This approach reduces human error and increases result reliability, facilitating more intuitive diagnoses and decreasing dependence on individual expertise.

In addition to TFMI, Sonatest introduced enhancements to its WAVE portable ultrasonic device. The new integration API allows users to extract raw A-scan data and deploy it in external applications, enabling seamless connectivity with robotic arms, reporting software, or custom automation systems. This open-platform approach supports automated inspection workflows while maintaining the precision expected in NDT.

Sonatest is also exploring the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in NDT data analysis. While still in the developmental phase, the company aims to create AI-enabled assistants that can suggest defect interpretations, flag anomalies, and reduce subjectivity in inspection results. Nogueira noted that AI is intended to complement, not replace, human expertise, reflecting Sonatest’s commitment to enhancing decision-making through intelligent assistance and data-driven accuracy.

On the hardware front, Sonatest introduced the Wheel Probe 2, a 128-element transducer optimized for corrosion mapping and the inspection of composite materials. Its larger coverage area enables faster scanning without sacrificing detail. The company also unveiled a magnetic roller transducer tailored for carbon steel inspection, designed to adhere directly to curved surfaces such as pipes, enhancing operator convenience and inspection speed while maintaining high signal integrity.

With TFMI, advanced data integration, and AI-driven development, Sonatest continues to set benchmarks in ultrasonic NDT technology, aligning precision engineering with the evolving needs of the inspection industry.