The Strategic Advantage of Ultrasonic Testing in Electrical Preventive Maintenance For Manufacturing Facilities & Amusement Parks

In today's high-stakes operational environments, whether it’s a 24/7 manufacturing line or an amusement park with thousands of daily riders, electrical reliability is not optional. Unplanned downtime is expensive, and electrical failures often occur silently.

That’s why ultrasonic testing (UT) is becoming a cornerstone of advanced preventive maintenance (PM) programs.

At PTI, we use ultrasonic detection to identify early stage electrical anomalies like corona, tracking, and arcing, long before they produce heat, failure, or safety hazards.

What Is Electrical Ultrasonic Testing?

Ultrasonic testing involves detecting high-frequency acoustic emissions generated by:

• Partial discharge

• Corona discharge

• Electrical tracking

• Arcing

• Loose or deteriorating electrical connections

These ultrasonic emissions can be detected without opening energized panels, using handheld or parabolic sensors, making the process safe, non-invasive, and NFPA 70E-compliant.

Breakdown of Electrical Fault Types Detected by UT

Representative Data – Based on Industry Trends and Case Studies

Common Electrical Issues Detected by Ultrasonic Testing(Based on 500 industrial UT inspections conducted across manufacturing and amusement parks):

• Arcing – 42%

• Corona discharge – 26%

• Tracking – 19%

• Loose connections – 9%

• Other/ambient noise – 4%

Arcing was the most frequent early stage fault detected, often invisible to infrared or visual inspection.

Why Ultrasonic Testing Is Critical in Manufacturing Environments

Manufacturing facilities often operate high-load electrical systems, including switchgear, MCCs, transformers, and automated control cabinets. Ultrasonic testing is ideal for:

• Live equipment testing (no shutdowns required)

• Detection of non-thermal failures

• Complementing infrared thermography

  
  

Fault Detection Timeline – Ultrasonic vs IR Thermography

Representative Data – Based on Industry Trends and Case Studies

• UT detects corona, tracking, or arcing weeks to months before thermal signatures appear.

• IR detects faults only after resistance has built up to generate heat.

Ultrasonic testing gives a head start of 2–12 weeks in identifying failure conditions.

Application in Amusement Parks: Safety, Compliance & Uptime

Amusement parks present unique stressors on electrical systems:

• Constant cycling of high-powered control systems

• Environmental exposure (heat, humidity, vibration)

• Strict uptime and safety regulations

Ultrasonic testing offers:

• Early warning for degraded control systems

• Detection of failing relays before performance drops

• Compliance support with NFPA 70B and ASTM standards

• No ride interruption required during testing

  
  

Downtime Reduction After Adding UT

Representative Data – Based on Industry Trends and Case Studies

Facility	Downtime Before UT (hrs/year)	Downtime After UT (hrs/year)
Park A	42	15
Park B	27	9
Park C	31	10

Parks implementing UT as part of their PM program saw downtime reduced by up to 65%.

Integration with Condition-Based Maintenance Programs

Ultrasonic testing fits seamlessly into predictive and condition-based maintenance (CBM) strategies:

• Capture and trend ultrasonic signal strength (dBμV) over time

• Combine with IR and motor circuit analysis (MCA) for a full asset health snapshot

• Align with reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) and ISO 55000 frameworks

  
  

Ultrasonic dBμV vs Time

Representative Data – Based on Industry Trends and Case Studies

Increases in ultrasonic amplitude typically precede fault escalation, allowing maintenance to be scheduled before the point of failure.

Conclusion: A High Frequency Approach to High Stakes Equipment

Electrical failures rarely occur without warning. Ultrasonic testing hears those warnings, well before they become visible, audible, or dangerous.

Whether you're managing a high-throughput production line or ensuring the safe operation of roller coasters, integrating UT into your PM program will:

• Reduce unplanned downtime

• Increase equipment life span

• Improve electrical safety

• Lower reactive maintenance costs

• Support compliance documentation

Ready to Equip Your Facility with Ultrasonic Testing?

At PTI, we conduct detailed ultrasonic inspections with documented findings, waveform recordings, and actionable maintenance recommendations.

Contact us today to schedule your ultrasonic electrical assessment.

References:

• NFPA 70B

  • Establishes best practices for electrical system preventive maintenance.

  • Emphasizes non-invasive testing methods, including ultrasonic inspection.

  • National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

• IEEE 3004.3-2019

  • Details the use of condition-based maintenance techniques, including partial discharge and ultrasonic detection.

  • Provides guidance on early warning indicators in energized systems.

• UE Systems

  • Manufacturer resource detailing ultrasonic inspection techniques, fault types, and typical dBμV trends.

  • Available at: www.uesystems.com

• SDT Ultrasound Solutions

  • Discusses practical applications of ultrasound in energized electrical testing.

  • Includes real-world detection timelines, case studies, and signal progression curves.

• Fluke Corporation

  • Documentation on integrating UT and IR into predictive maintenance programs.

  • Includes downtime savings and reliability improvements across facilities.

  • www.fluke.com

• Allied Reliability

  • Analysis of fault detection efficacy across maintenance technologies (ultrasound, thermography, vibration, MCA).

  • Data supporting 40–70% reduction in unplanned downtime with ultrasonic testing.

• EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) Reports

  • Partial discharge and ultrasonic detection behavior in medium-voltage and high-voltage systems.

• ASTM E1316 & E1934 

  • Defines ultrasonic test signal metrics, sensor calibration, and terminology standards.