Dakota Ultrasonics Ultrasonic Corrosion Thickness Gauges
F.A.Q.
Why use a dual-element corrosion thickness gauge instead of a single-element precision gauge?
Dual-element transducers contain two separate piezoelectric crystals (one transmitter and one receiver) mounted at a slight roof angle on an acoustic delay line inside a single housing. This V-path "pitch-catch" geometry focuses ultrasonic energy just beneath the front surface and is far more effective at capturing scattered echoes reflected from irregular, rough, or pitted internal pipe and tank walls than a single-element precision probe.
How does Echo-Echo (Thru-Paint) mode eliminate paint and epoxy coating errors?
In standard Pulse-Echo (P-E) mode, the gauge measures the transit time from the initial probe pulse to the first back-wall echo—which includes both the coating and the metal wall. Because sound velocity in paint (~0.095 in/µs) is roughly one-third the velocity in carbon steel (~0.233 in/µs), every 0.010" of paint adds roughly 0.025"–0.030" of false thickness to a steel reading. In Echo-Echo (E-E / Thru-Paint) mode (available on the Checkline TI-25MXT, Dakota ZX-6 / ZX-6DL, ElektroPhysik MiniTest 440, and all CMX / MMX / MVX models), the gauge measures the time interval between two consecutive back-wall echoes reverberating strictly inside the metal substrate, completely canceling out the paint layer without scraping or sandblasting.
When do I need an A-Scan or B-Scan display on a corrosion thickness gauge?
- Digital-Only Gauges (ZX Series, TI-25MX / TI-25MXT): Ideal for routine thickness surveys on homogeneous carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and plastic pipes or tanks.
- B-Scan Cross-Section Gauges (TI-MMX-SDL, Dakota MX1-DL, TI-CMXDLP, Dakota CMX2-DL): Recommended when you want to visually map and record the contour of the bottom wall surface as you drag the probe across a corroded pipe or tank plate.
- A-Scan + B-Scan Waveform Gauges (Checkline TI-MVX, Dakota MX2-DL / MVX): Essential for severe internal pitting, mid-wall laminations, coarse-grain castings, and high-temperature inspections where the operator needs to view the actual RF/rectified ultrasonic echo and adjust threshold gates, blanking, and gain manually.
Can these ultrasonic gauges measure cast iron, aluminum, and non-metallic materials like plastic or glass?
Yes. All Dakota Ultrasonics, Checkline, and ElektroPhysik MiniTest 440 gauges feature adjustable sound velocity (0.0120 to 0.7300 in/µs or 305 to 18,542 m/s on ZX/TI-25MX series) plus preprogrammed material velocities to measure carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, cast/ductile iron, glass, ceramics, and rigid plastics (such as PVC, PE, and nylon). For thick cast iron or attenuative plastics/composites, pairing the gauge with a lower-frequency 1.0 MHz or 2.25 MHz transducer ensures deeper acoustic penetration.
Dakota Ultrasonics MX-1 Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge
Discontinued Product
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- Perfect choice when only one material is being tested day after day
- Resolution: .001" (0.01mm)
- Datalogging: NO
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Dakota Ultrasonics MX-2 Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge
Discontinued Product
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- More flexible for users that have a need to measure more than one material type
- Resolution: .001" (0.01 mm)
- Datalogging: NO
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Dakota Ultrasonics MX-3 Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge
Discontinued Product
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- General purpose gauge measures a variety of materials
- Resolution: .001" (0.01 mm)
- Datalogging: NO
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Dakota Ultrasonics MX-3-ATRR Acrylic Thickness Gauge
Discontinued Product
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- Dakota Ultrasonics MX-3-ATRR Acrylic Thickness Gauge Velocity Gauge
Range: 0.025 - 19.99 inches - 0.63 - 500 mm
- Resolution: .001" (0.01 mm)
- Datalogging: NO
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Dakota Ultrasonics MX-5 Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge
Discontinued Product
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- Advanced Ultrasonic Gauge measures a variety of materials
- Resolution: 0.001" (0.01 mm)
- Alarm mode, Differential mode, high speed scanning, and data send
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