GE Launches Light Weight Ultrasonic Flaw Detector for Harsh Environments

The USM Go is the most portable flaw detector from GE for use in the oil & gas, power, aerospace and automotive industries

Weighing only 2.2 pounds, the USM Go is the lightest and most portable ultrasonic flaw detector available from GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies. The USM Go is designed for ease of prolonged operation in the harshest inspection environments in the oil and gas, aerospace, power generation and automotive industries. It is the first instrument of its kind with pressure-responsive, joystick control, ergonomic design and features data display resolution on a screen with the largest pixel count of any instrument in its category.

"This USM Go is designed to meet the market’s need for a truly portable and reliable flaw detector," says Patrik Rooman, Product General Manager of Ultrasound at GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies. "We leveraged the joystick feature from our remote visual inspection product line giving the USM Go an ease-of-use capability."

The USM Go is dust- and water-proof to IP67 certification standards and proven to withstand shock and vibration. With its unique flip facility, the USM Go can be operated with both the left-hand and the right-hand using the navigation joystick and the familiar function keys. The instrument’s 800x480 pixel display affords extremely high resolution while the optimized aspect ratio ensures better echo separation. The display screen can be easily viewed in hand-held or mounted position and has been sized for optimal ergonomic use.

Inspection data can be downloaded easily through the USM Go’s USB connectivity and the 2GB memory card, which can be expanded by the addition of a 2GB standard SD card. Reports are in jpeg or BMP format eliminating the need for special reading software.

The USM Go is available in customized models to meet specific inspection codes or applications. This includes an optional square wave pulser for applications involving the inspection of highly attenuative materials, such as castings and forgings.