SAUTER TN 80-0.1US Ultrasonic Material Thickness Gauge, external sensor, 80 mm

Wave mechanics and acoustic time-of-flight analysis

In industrial quality assurance (QA), the monitoring of high-pressure pipelines and non-destructive testing (NDT), the detection of minimal corrosion and material fatigue is critical to safety. The SAUTER TN 80-0.1US quantifies wall thicknesses using the physical pulse-echo method. The instrument emits mechanical longitudinal waves into the workpiece. When these high-frequency sound waves strike the interface between the solid and the surrounding air (back wall), the massive impedance jump results in an almost complete reflection of the sound. An integrated DSP microcontroller measures the exact time-of-flight of the echo to the nearest microsecond. Taking into account the material-specific speed of sound, the processor uses this to calculate the absolute material thickness with a high metrological resolution of 0.1 millimetres, without compromising the structural integrity of the component.

High-frequency transduction for thin-walled isotropic materials

An outstanding physical feature of the TN 80-0.1US model is its specialised external measuring head. Unlike standard probes (usually 5 MHz), this piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer operates at an increased frequency of 7 MHz. The physical consequence of this increase in frequency is a significantly shorter wavelength within the medium. This enables a vastly improved axial near-field resolution. As a result, the instrument is capable of detecting extremely thin wall thicknesses from 0.75 millimetres in steel with high precision. The instrument is therefore ideally suited for testing thin sheets, thin-walled tanks, glass plates or homogeneous plastics, where low-frequency sound waves would fail due to near-field interference.

Thermodynamic drift compensation and acoustic coupling

The speed of sound in a solid is not an absolute constant, but is subject to thermodynamic fluctuations and material-specific differences in alloy composition. The measurement system allows for variable, stepless adjustment of the sound velocity (between 1000 and 9999 m/s). To compensate for temperature-induced measurement deviations in the piezo crystals, the robust housing features an integrated zero-plate reference block (calibration block). This enables immediate system calibration under real-world conditions. To eliminate the physical total internal reflection of sound at microscopic air pockets between the sensor and the workpiece, the use of an acoustic coupling gel is mandatory, as this guarantees loss-free wave transmission.

Digital data acquisition in harsh industrial environments

The SAUTER TN 80-0.1US is not only a precise measuring instrument but also a self-contained data logger. For inspection laboratories carrying out comprehensive ISO documentation, the device features an internal memory for extensive measurement series (20 files, each containing up to 100 individual values). These data sets can be transferred via the integrated USB interface to peripheral devices for long-term analysis of corrosion rates, in a tamper-proof manner. The compact design and battery operation ensure unrestricted mobility when inspecting hard-to-reach industrial installations.

Technical details

• Non-destructive pulse-echo ultrasonic method
• Measurement range in steel from 0.75 to 80 mm
• Metrological resolution of exactly 0.1 mm
• External piezoelectric transducer operating at 7 MHz
• Shorter wavelength for precise close-range resolution
• Infinitely adjustable sound velocity (1000–9999 m/s)
• Integrated zero-plate reference block for field calibration
• Internal data memory for up to 2000 measured values
• USB data interface for digital PC analysis
• High-contrast LCD display for direct visualisation
• Automatic power-off to extend battery life

Contents of the pack

• 1 x SAUTER TN 80-0.1US ultrasonic material thickness gauge
• 1 x external ultrasonic sensor (7 MHz)
• 1 x bottle of ultrasonic coupling gel
• 1 x Sturdy carrying case
• 2 x 1.5 V AA batteries
• 1 x USB data cable
• 1 x Detailed operating instructions

Individual requirements & accessories

Seamless physical coupling of the ultrasonic waves is the foundation of every NDT measurement. We therefore recommend stocking up on sufficient coupling gel (e.g. SAUTER ATB-US03) in advance for large-scale industrial inspections. Do you require an official calibration certificate for your quality management audits, guaranteeing the metrological traceability of the measured values in accordance with ISO 9001? Our certified procurement service will be happy to arrange the issuance of the necessary calibration certificates ex works on your behalf.