Using PWI instead of FMC to save on speed and file size?

A lot of technicians are being pushed to use plane‑wave imaging (PWI) TFM instead of full matrix capture (FMC) TFM in situations where FMC is the best choice because the system they use cannot cope with the data load and still perform scans at a usable speed.

This feels like settling for “good enough” rather than using the TFM to its fullest capability. Everyone knows FMC gives you the richest, most complete dataset—but it also creates large file sizes that can drag scan speeds down to a crawl. When your system can’t keep up, you compromise on quality for scanning speed.

That’s where the frustration really kicks in. Instead of choosing the best method for the inspection, you’re choosing the method your hardware can survive. PWI might run faster, but it doesn’t always give you the same confidence in complex welds, and technicians feel that trade‑off. It’s not that PWI is bad—it’s that no one wants to compromise because their system chokes on FMC data. When the equipment becomes the limiting factor, the job gets slower, the results feel constrained, and the technician ends up working around the instrument instead of letting it work for them. 

XEO with multiple TFM modes

With the Sonatest XEO That’s exactly the frustration we set out to eliminate. We know technicians shouldn’t have to choose between speed and image quality, or feel pressured into using PWI just because their system can’t keep up with full matrix capture. So we built a platform that delivers the best of both worlds—true FMC‑level detail at scanning speeds that feel like PWI.

With our system, you’re no longer forced into compromises. You can run the method that gives you the clearest, most reliable results without worrying about file sizes slowing you down. The hardware handles the data load effortlessly, the software keeps everything responsive, and you get the freedom to use FMC as your everyday tool rather than a “only when absolutely necessary” option. In short, we’ve taken the performance ceiling off TFM so you can inspect the way you want, not the way your equipment limits you.

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