Thin-skin analysis technique for interaction of arbitrary-shape inducer field with long cracks in ferromagnetic metals

In using the AC field measurement (ACFM) technique for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of metals, a current-carrying wire structure is used to induce eddy current within a thin layer of the metal and a magnetic field sensor to measure the field perturbations in the vicinity of the metal. The sensitivity of ACFM crack detection and sizing relies on an appropriate design of the wire structure geometry together with a dully placement of the sensor. This paper presents an analytical modeling technique for evaluating the electromagnetic field interaction of an ACFM probe with a long uniform crack in a ferromagnetic metallic slab. The probe in the proposed model can have an arbitrary-shape wire inducer with no restrictions on its relative sensor position. The technique is accurate and very efficient computationally. It first uses the two-dimensional Fourier transform to obtain the field distribution at the metal surface. The Laplacian field distribution above the metal is then determined by satisfying the so-obtained boundary condition at air–metal interface. To demonstrate the accuracy of the model, we consider the special case of a rhombic wire inducer. The comparison of our results with those obtained using the conventional algorithm in the literature validates the accuracy of the model introduced in this paper. To show the generality of the model, we also present theoretical and experimental results associated with a solenoid inducer with a three-dimensional geometry for which no analytical solution is available in the literature. The theoretical prediction of crack signal supported by experimental results is used to develop a model-based method for inverting crack signal into crack depth.     

2D surface defect images applying Tikhonov regularized inversion and ECT

This paper presents an inversion problem solution to obtain the geometrical profile of defects in a 2D surface view using an eddy current method with sinusoidal excitation. The inversion model deals with the perturbation of the eddy currents when a spatially uniform excitation magnetic field distribution is imposed in the vicinity of a metal surface. An adequate experimental setup was used to measure the magnetic field around a crack region. A planar excitation coil was used to generate the uniform magnetic field distribution around the points under measurement, and a giant magneto-resistance (GMR) was used as a sensing element. Tikhonov regularization was applied to the inversion problem algorithm. Five different geometric defects machined in an aluminum plate were tested experimentally using the inversion algorithm. Finite element simulations are provided to validate the 2D eddy current density images obtained by the regularized inversion process.     

小径管周向裂纹脉冲涡流检测仿真和试验研究

针对小径管周向裂纹缺陷,通过有限元仿真及试验,研究了利用磁导体环形激励脉冲涡流检测技术检测小径管周向裂纹缺陷的问题。仿真给出了管道在有缺陷和无缺陷状态下磁场分布、涡流分布以及接收线圈的电压值。从仿真结果可以观察出,周向裂纹端头处的磁场分布以及涡流分布会发生明显变化,产生沿管壁法向的磁场,检测线圈位于裂纹端头处正上方时检测灵敏度最高。实际检测结果与仿真结果一致,表明磁导体环形激励轴向涡流对小径管周向缺陷具有显著的检测效果。     

Using a wavelet network for reconstruction of fatigue crack depth profile from AC field measurement signals

This paper presents a wavelet-network-based technique for reconstructing the crack depth profile of a fatigue crack in a metal from the output signal of an alternating current field measurement (ACFM) probe. The main feature of this technique is that it requires only the ACFM probe output signals along the crack opening. The database for training the network is established by developing a random crack-depth generator, using a fast pseudo-analytic ACFM probe output simulator. The validity of the proposed technique is demonstrated by comparing the actual and reconstructed depth profiles of several simulated and machine-made cracks with no predetermined geometries.     

基于Levenberg-Marquardt算法的无人机多传感器校正方法研究

四旋翼无人机上搭载的低成本MEMS传感器易受安装、测量、信号传输等误差的影响,导致姿态输出精度不足。为此,提出一种基于Levenberg-Marquardt (L-M)算法的三轴加速度计18个位置和三轴陀螺仪联合校正方法。在考虑传感器误差的基础上,采集并筛取3种传感器有效的输出数据,利用L-M算法对各传感器误差模型的待求参数进行最优估计。实验结果表明：校正补偿后,加速度计校正指标相比下降了98.96%,陀螺仪校正指标下降了74.33%,磁力计数据模值相比校正前与当地磁场强度差值大幅减小。此校正方法能够实现四旋翼机载MEMS传感器误差的有效补偿,具有良好的工程应用价值。     

基于ACFM技术的焊缝跟踪传感器设计与实现

根据交变磁场测量法（ACFM）的基本原理，设计了一种由激励线圈和感应线圈组成的交变磁场传感器，可对空间“点”磁场进行测量。通过大量实验，研究了传感器位置和不同焊缝宽度对传感信号的影响规律。根据传感信号的变化规律，提出了相应的信号处理的方法，为ACFM方法用于焊缝跟踪奠定了良好的基础。     

交流电磁场检测技术中传感器的设计和信号的小波降噪

传感器的设计和信号降噪分析是交流电磁场测量系统中必须解决的关键问题。通过给激励线圈施加磁芯,缩小传感器的结构尺寸,对交流电磁场传感器的检测信号部分采用差分式串联结构,并采用多级放大、滤波和检波电路,增强对小缺陷信号的检测能力。选取适当的小波,对采集信号进行小波降噪,分析由缺陷引起的扰动磁场与缺陷的关系。试验可得,采用差分式串联结构探头采集的信号峰一峰值较强,噪声较小,能够更好地提取微弱的扰动磁场信号;采用小波降噪后的信号特征能够更明显地定量反映出缺陷特征。     

Using AC field measurement data at an arbitrary liftoff distance to size long surface-breaking cracks in ferrous metals

We propose a model-based inversion method to size long surface-breaking cracks in ferrous metals using alternative current field measurement (ACFM) data at an arbitrary liftoff distance. This method employs conjugate gradients optimization to invert measured surface ACFM signal to crack depth. To alleviate the adverse effect of sensor liftoff uncertainty on crack sizing, we propose a blind de-convolution algorithm for reconstructing respective surface ACFM crack signal. In this algorithm, the partially known filter function associated with the sensor liftoff is estimated from which the surface crack signal can be restored. The validity of the proposed inversion method is demonstrated by comparing the actual and predicted depths of several simulated and machine-made long cracks in mild steel test blocks.     

ON THE ERROR OF MEASUREMENT OF FEEBLY MAGNETIC MATERIAL IN REGARD TO DEMAGNETIZING FIELD

现有的一些弱磁材料标准测磁方法,忽视了退磁场对冲击法磁化强度测量的重要影响,因而给出了过于乐观的精度估计。本文分析了退磁场对弱磁测量的影响,计算了无磁圆柱样品关于样品和线圈的冲击退磁因子,给出了退磁场引起的磁场、磁化强度测量误差及其修正办法,对弱磁测置的标准尺寸提出了建议。     

交流电磁场检测中裂纹形状反演研究

针对交流电磁场检测（ACFM）智能可视化虚拟样机开发的需要，考虑到感应线圈测量精度和电磁场的分布特性，选取了裂纹反演的特征信号，确定了描述裂纹外形信息的样本特征向量，分析了裂纹尺寸反演的计算方法，采用数值模拟方法弥补了由于试验条件限制而无法对大量任意形状裂纹进行试验研究的不足，对多种不规则裂纹上方的磁场分布情况进行了仿真计算，分析了缺陷外形对于检测信号的影响，在此基础上提出了磁场信号与裂纹形状之间的相似性，研究了相似性内在机理并利用相似性建立了裂纹外形反演算法，经试验证明该算法是有效的。     

Analysis technique for interaction of rectangular open-ended waveguides with surface cracks of arbitrary shape in metals

The use of microwave technique has proved to be a viable means for crack detection and sizing surface cracks in metals. In this technique, the surface of the specimen is interrogated with a radiating open-ended waveguide probe and a crack is assumed to be a simple short-circuited rectangular waveguide, causing peturbations in the probe reflection coefficient. Since the growth of fatigue in metals is a stochastic process, the cracks do not have a constant predetermined shape. We describe a new formulation to model the problem of an open-ended waveguide probe radiating into a conducting metal with a surface-breaking crack of arbitrary shape. In this formulation, the crack is first modeled by an appropriate number of short rectangular waveguides. The generalized scattering matrix technique is then used to calculate the scattering matrix of the new segmented waveguide structure. The probe reflection coefficient of the dominant mode, TE₁₀, is finally calculated for various positions of the crack in order to predict the probe output signal. To demonstrate the accuracy of the model, we consider two special cases of a long and an elliptical-shape cracks. The comparison of our results with those available in the literature substantiates the model introduced in this paper. To further validate the model, we present results associated with a fatigue crack of complex geometry which are compared with those obtained using a finite element code.     

Magnetic field shielding technique for pulsed remote field eddy current inspection of planar conductors

Pulsed remote field eddy current (PRFEC) can be used for detection of deeply buried flaws in non-magnetic flat plates. However, detection sensitivity for buried defect is low due to the great depth and the weak detecting signal. To improve the defect detection sensitivity, the PRFEC probe is optimized with the magnetic field shielding techniques in this work. On one hand, the exciting coil with shielding structure can focus the indirect magnetic field to penetrate through the plate. On the other hand, the detecting coil and the region between these two coils with shielding material can block and minimize the magnetic field energy diffusion along the direct coupling path. In order to investigate the shielding technique which blocks the direct coupling magnetic field, simulation studies using finite element method (FEM) has been first conducted, where three different PRFEC probes have been simulated and compared. Both detection abilities to defects in different directions and to thickness variation have been analyzed by using the second probe with shielding structure. The conclusions derived from the simulation study have been validated through experimental studies. Both simulation and experimental studies have indicated that the shielding technique can improve the detection sensitivity of subsurface defects.     

Output signal prediction of an open-ended rectangular waveguide probe when scanning cracks at a non-zero lift-off

The paper proposes a modeling technique for output signal prediction of a rectangular waveguide probe with finite flange when scanning a surface long crack in a metal at a finite lift-off. The modeling technique approximates the crack–probe interaction with a two-dimensional problem. In this problem, a parallel-plate waveguide with finite flange scans a long crack in a perfect conductor. The method of moments is employed to solve the governing electric field integral equation. The solution provides the reflection coefficient in the parallel-plate waveguide from which the probe output signal is obtained. The main feature of the model is solving the three-dimensional problem in a two-dimensional frame work, thus reducing the degree of complexity and computation time. To validate the accuracy of the model, several simulation results are presented at an operating frequency in the X-band and are compared with their experimental counterparts. To demonstrate the efficiency of the model, we compare our results with those obtained using the well-known HP-HFSS finite element code. It is shown that the proposed model requires less than half of the time taken to solve the same problem running on the same computer.     

基于霍尔阵列传感器的钢丝绳缺陷定量检测技术的研究

传统的钢丝绳无损检测装置采用感应线圈作为传感器,但由于线圈传感器的输出与钢丝绳的运动速度相关,使用霍尔传感器可有效地克服钢丝绳运动速度的影响。设计了一种基于霍尔阵列传感器的钢丝绳无损检测系统,系统不仅可实现缺陷在钢丝绳轴向的准确定位,且可实现对不同周向位置的缺陷的检测,提高了钢丝绳缺陷检测的维度,并通过二值化漏磁图像的局部像素和来实现缺陷大小的定量,取得了良好的检测效果。     

软接触电磁连铸结晶器内磁场分布与弯月面行为

通过实验测试和数值模拟的方法研究两段式软接触电磁连铸无缝结晶器结构、线圈位置、电源功率以及弯月面位置等因素对结晶器内高频磁场分布的影响。并采用Sn作为钢液的模拟工质测量了不同实验条件下两段式结晶器内的弯月面高度。研究结果表明:两段式结晶器的透磁效果随着结晶器上半段厚度的减薄而提高;增加电源功率时,可以增大高频磁场在铸坯初始凝固区域的强度及作用范围,有利于弯月面的形成;线圈位置越靠上,越有利于磁感应强度透过结晶器,有助于弯月面高度的增大;当金属液面位于感应线圈高度中心与线圈顶端位置之间时,高频磁场作用于初始凝固区域的有效作用较强,可产生较大的电磁压力,有助于获得高表面质量的铸坯。     

航空发动机涡轮叶片缺陷弱磁检测方法研究

针对航空发动机涡轮叶片边缘裂纹缺陷难以进行检测的难题,提出了一种基于弱磁检测技术缺陷判定方法的新算法.首先从理论上分析了弱磁检测技术对涡轮叶片边缘裂纹缺陷检测的可行性,其次,为减少检测提离高度设计了扫查工装并在地磁场环境下对人工刻伤的涡轮叶片进行弱磁检测,最后通过磁梯度法与极值法相结合的方法对原始信号进行数据处理,提取...     

Experimental and analytical study for detectability of the back-side flaws of flat ferromagnetic plates by RFECT

In the present study, two types of ferrite core probes were prepared with different pick-up coil positions for remote field eddy current testing. One probe has a pick-up coil on the beam of the U-type ferrite core, and the other probe has a pick-up coil on the pole of the U-type ferrite core. The two types of probes were examined for their capability to create an effective remote field to detect a back-side defect. The results showed that the pick-up coil at the pole of the U-type ferrite core can detect an effective remote field phenomenon. In addition a time harmonic analysis was carried out, and the flow of the magnetic flux of the direct field was used to analyze the difference in the results with the two probes.The detectability for back-side flaws was confirmed with the proposed probes. Compared to a previous study, the signal measured from back-side flaws with the type II probe was large. However, the signal-to-noise (SN) ratio for the detection of back-side flaws did not improve because of the different background signal before and after the back-side flaw.     

蒸汽发生器管道涡流检测Benchmark模型的数值计算

应用理想裂纹模型可以把三维的裂纹探伤涡流场问题简化为求解一个二维积分方程,从而大大减少计算量。利用该方法对蒸汽发生器管道涡流检测Ｂｅｎｃｈｍａｒｋ问题进行了数值模拟,计算值与实验值吻合良好,给出了扰动涡流场的分布图象,研究了线圈阻抗增量曲线与裂纹长度变化的关系。通过这些分析可以建立扰动涡流场的直观图象,帮助理解缺陷与涡流的作用机理,寻找合适的求解方法以及作为探头优化设计和缺陷识别的参考依据。     

Development of SDT sensor based eddy current probe for detection of deep fatigue cracks in multi-layer structure

The detection and characterization of deeply buried fatigue damage in thick, multi-layer airframe components pose significant technical challenges to the aviation safety community. Currently, no nondestructive evaluation technique is available to reliably detect such potential damage from the exterior of the airframe, which is highly desirable in light of inspection cost as well as avoidance of structure damage. Recent technological advances in high-sensitivity magnetic sensors, i.e., spin-dependent tunneling (SDT) sensors, make it feasible to employ electromagnetic inspection techniques for deep fatigue crack inspection. In this work, we report on the development and fabrication of a low frequency eddy current probe based on a magnetically shielded SDT pickup sensor concentrically located in the interior of an induction drive coil to enable localized deep diffusion of the electromagnetic field into the part under test. Simulation studies were conducted to demonstrate the deep penetration capability of this probe configuration and to understand inspection sensitivity based on magnetic field perturbation due to subsurface cracking. Experimental results obtained using this SDT sensor on samples with induced flaws demonstrate its potential for practical application.     

电磁连铸用高频磁场内磁感应强度的分布

用小线圈法测定了等幅高频磁场和调幅高频磁场内的磁感应强度,两种磁场的磁感应强度在空间分布的规律基本相同,即同一高度平面上沿径向从线圈中心至边缘其磁感应强度依次增加,在线圈高度方向上,磁感应强度在线圈高度的二分之一附近达到最大值。等幅高频磁场的磁感应强度随高频电源输出电流的增加而增加,磁场调幅处理能提高磁场内的磁感应强度,提高调幅波信号的幅值电压,可有效提高磁场内的磁感应强度。