Mission statement

The aim of this project is to share NDT data between multiple stakeholders. Data are stored using HDF5 file format combined to a JSON text format to describe the metadata associated.

Scenarios concept

Set of predefined conventions to keep simple things simple. Scenarios available are General Weld and General Mapping.

File structure

Internal file hierarchy view.

├── Domain
│   ├── Setup  [JSON Metadata]
│   └── DataGroups
│       └── 0
│           └── Datasets
│               └── 0
│                   ├── DataType A [N Dimensions]
│                   └── DataType B [N Dimensions]
├── Applications 
│   └── AppName
│       └── Custom Datasets

Metadata

Interpretation of the data can be achieved by reading a JSON structure which can be accessed at the following dataset path: /Domain/Setup.

Data

Any shared data types can be read or write from /Domain/DataGroups path.
Datasets can be associated with a confguration but his basic interpretation is independent.
Standard JSON objects are defined to describe dataset properties.

Graph representation of the JSON.

graph LR;
    group---dataset;
    group---config;
    probes-->acquisitionUnits;
    config-->probes-->wedge-->specimen;
    config-->dataEncoding;
    dataEncoding-->motionDevices;
    dataEncoding-->specimen;

Dataset are grouped by configuration and thiers dimensions are described into the JSON.

JSON Group object example containing dataset and a phased array configuration.

{
  "groups": [
    {
      "id": 0,
      "name": "Gr-1",
      "dataset": {
        "storageMode": "Paintbrush",
        "ascan": {
          "velocity": 5890,
          "skewAngle": 0.0,
          "refractedAngle": 0.0,
          "amplitude": {
            "path": "/Domain/DataGroups/0/Datasets/0/Amplitude",
            "dimensions": [...],
            "dataValue": {...},
            "dataSampling": {...}
          },
          "status": {
            "path": "/Domain/DataGroups/0/Datasets/0/Status",
            "dimensions": [...],
            "dataValue": {...}
          }
        },
        "gateCscans": [
          {
            "gateId": 1,
            "path": "/Domain/DataGroups/0/Datasets/1/CScan",
            "dimensions": [...]
      }
      "paut": {    <----- phased array configuration
        "beams": [
          ...  
        ]
        ...
      }
    }
  ]
}

Standard objects

Root objects	Descriptions
$schema	Schema associated with the JSON
version	File format version
scenario	Conventions used
groups	Datasets metadata and configuration
dataEncodings	Representation of the data vs the specimen
specimens
probes
wedges
acquisitionUnits
motionDevices

group objects	Descriptions
dataset	…
ut	…
paut	…
fmc	…

| dataset objects | Descriptions | | ——– | ———– | | ascan | … | | gateCscan | … | | firingSource | … | | elementaryAscan | … | | tfm | … | | pci | … | —

Documentation

Plate and weld general conventions (short documentation)

General conventions

Universal File Format

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Versioning

Versioning…

Validation

Validation…

Compatibility

Compatibility…

Security

Integrity, authenticity, confidentiality…

Examples

Minimum required

How to create a simple .nde file. TODO

Changelog

All notable changes to the format will be documented in this file. It is based on Keep a Changelog, and adheres to Semantic Versioning.

[Unreleased]

[3.0.0-Beta] - 2022-12-01

Added

[EAB] Schema version 3.0.0-Beta + compatibility code to upgrade from previous version.
[1] New dataset object including an uniform description of each axes.
[1] linearPitchCatch, sectorialPitchCatch, compoundPitchCatch specialization.
[1] boxGate in fmc/tfm/analysis object.
[1] analysis object in ut, paut and fmc/tfm to include modifications to be applied on original data.
[1] mapGain object in fmc/tfmConfig.
[1] beams/gain in ut/analysis and paut/analysis object.
[1] angle propertie to focusing object.
[1] Unfocused and Projection choices added to focusing/mode propertie.
[1] conventionalSquare probe object.
[2] paut/custom object to support .law file configuration.
[2] Custom overlay…
[2] Thickness parameters…
[2] clicker motiondevice…
[EAB] Reuse tcg object in ut/analysis and paut/analysis object.
[EAB] Reuse gates and beams/gates in ut/analysis and paut/analysis object.

Changed

[1] dataGroups list renamed to groups.
[1] ascanStart and ascanLength properties moved outside of ultrasoundAxis.
[1] Move acquisition unit properties out of omniScanX3 and focusPX object.
[MSL] Move specific parameters from ultrasound/conventionalPulseEcho to ut/pulseEcho object.
[MSL] Move specific parameters from ultrasound/conventionalPitchCatch to ut/pitchCatch object.
[MSL] Move specific parameters from ultrasound/tofd to ut/tofd object.
[MSL] ut replace ultrasound/conventionalPulseEcho, ultrasound/conventionalPitchCatch and ultrasound/tofd.
[MSL] Move specific parameters from ultrasound/sectorialPulseEcho to paut/sectorialPulseEcho object.
[MSL] Move specific parameters from ultrasound/linearPulseEcho to paut/linearPulseEcho object.
[MSL] Move specific parameters from ultrasound/compoundPulseEcho to paut/compoundPulseEcho object.
[MSL] paut replace ultrasound/sectorialPulseEcho, ultrasound/linearPulseEcho and ultrasound/compoundPulseEcho.
[MSL] fullMatrixCapture object renamed to fmc.
[MSL] fullMatrixCapture/tfmDescription renamed fmc/tfmConfig.
[EAB] Code examples updated.

Removed

[1] datasets list from any configuration specialization.
[1] ultrasoundAxis including ascanResolution from beam object.
[1] amplitudePercentAxis from any configuration specialization.
[1] analysisBeamGain from processes list.

[2.2.13] - 2022-10-01

Added

TODO

Changed

TODO

Removed

TODO

[2.2.12] - 2022-09-01

Initial version supported.