Detailed Operation Procedures for PE Material Measurement

I.Device Preparation and Parameters Calibration

(1) Equipment Inspection

Before using the PM5 GEN2 ultrasonic thickness gauge, it's necessary to confirm that the probe(low-frequency probe is recommended when the material is thick, and for 80mm PE measurement, we select 0.5Mhz contact probe. If the material is thin, we will choose higher frequency probes.), display screen and button functions are normal.Check if the battery is fully charged and prepare engine oil as the couplant.

(2)Parameter Settings

Press the "MODE" button, select the probe type as "contact type", the probe frequency as "0.5MHz", and the measurement mode as "P-E".

(3)Sound Velocity Calibration

Press the "CAL" button,select "BLOCK" for the zero calibration probe, prepare two PE material samples with different thicknesses and the same material,select "two-point calibration".Then measure the 2 PE standard test blocks with different thicknesses using the probe according to the prompts. After the readings stablize,adjust the measurement value to the standard thickness using the directional keys, and calibrate the sound velocity and probe zero simultaneously.

II.On-site Measurement Procedure

(1) Surface Treatment

Clean the surface debris and floating ash of the PE pipes/sheets to ensure that the coupling agent can fully fill the gaps.

(2)Coupling agent application
Apply evenly on the contact surface of the probe, with a thickness that covers the surface of the probe to avoid excessive waste.

(3)Thickness measurement
Press the probe vertically onto the surface of the PE material, and read the value after the number on the display screen changes from green to white.
For plates with a thickness exceeding 50mm, it is recommended to enable the "A-scan mode" and move the probe to find the correct thickness value based on the correct waveform.
 

(4) Data recording
Measure the same position three times and take the average. If the error exceeds ± 0.5mm, re-calibration is required.

Use the device's built-in storage function (supporting 20 sets of files) or manually record parameters such as ambient temperature and coupling agent type.

Key Points That Need To Know

I.Environmental Factor Control
Temperature effect: The sound velocity of PE material decreases nonlinearly with increasing temperature (the sound velocity decreases by about 1.2% for every 10 ℃ increase). It is recommended to measure in an environment of 20 ± 5 ℃ and indicate the actual temperature in the record.
 

Humidity management: High humidity environments may cause condensation inside the probe. After use, it is necessary to wipe it with a dry cloth and store it in a dryer.

II.Selection of Coupling Agent
Glycerol (with high acoustic impedance matching) is used for routine measurements, silicon-based coupling agents are used for low-temperature environments (below -10 ℃), and specialized high-temperature resistant coupling agents (such as the Yushi HUC-1 high-temperature coupling agent) are required for high-temperature scenarios (>60 ℃).

III. Special Material Handling
Multi layer composite PE: It is necessary to identify the layer thickness through the reflection of ultrasonic waves at the interface of each layer, and to select a suitable probe based on the actual workpiece

Ⅳ.Equipment maintenance
1. Clean the residual coupling agent on the surface of the probe after daily use.
2. Remove the battery during long-term storage to prevent leakage and damage to the circuit.