Structural analysis of CFRP using eddy current methods

Nondestructive inspection of carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRP) using eddy current methods is not only based on the conductivity of the fibres. High frequencies (up to 10 MHz) enable the exploitation of capacitive effects reflecting the properties of the matrix. The paper presents a method using rotating eddy current probes to measure the anisotropic electrical properties. Potential applications of the method are structural identification of laminates and estimation of their degradation. For example, the strength properties of constructions based on unidirectional CFRP are very sensitive to small differences in fibre direction angle. Best detection of these angles could be obtained above 7.5 MHz. In addition, a signal perpendicular to the fibre orientation was found and termed the plateau effect. It is a result of capacitive connections between the fibres and presents new opportunities for the characterization of matrix properties.     

基于多频涡流信号处理的结构识别方法

提出了一种基于多频涡流信号处理的结构识别方法,该方法首先采用多频涡流仪获得低频绝对通道信号,通过旋转变换得到多组信号对,确定振幅最小的那一对,接着运用中值滤波技术获得整体信号幅度摆动趋势线,从而消除信号摆动影响,凸显结构信号;然后,根据结构幅度阈值和最小间距确定结构中心位置及其数量;最后,根据弯管和支撑信号特征,识别并显示这些结构。运用多组来自不同核电站的实测数据进行识别,结果显示了该方法的有效性。     

涡流检测技术在宝钢热轧轧辊上的应用

介绍了轧辊涡流检测仪的工作要求、设备组成和使用方法,指出对轧辊进行涡流检测可防止爆辊,减少轧辊磨削量。     

A practical hole testing technique using a meter display eddy current instrument

A practical technique for the detection of cracks emanating from holes was investigated for non-ferrous materials using the eddy current method. This technique is suggested when more appropriate test equipment is not available. An unshielded absolute pencil probe and a meter display instrument were utilized in the study. It was determined that holes with a minimum diameter of 6.5 mm can be tested efficiently for the detection of cracks at least 0.15 mm deep. For the equipment used, the hole depth that can be tested is limited about 11 mm if access from the other side is not possible. The detection capability was confirmed by an impedance plane display instrument using rotary differential probes.     

The application of uniform field theory to horizontal axis eddy current coils

This paper considers the application of the uniform field theory to the study of horizontal axis coils for eddy current testing. Both the 2D and 3D theories have been investigated, the theoretical results in both cases comparing quite well with the experimental results obtained. The reasons for the discrepancies between theory and experiment are discussed, but the overall conclusion is that the uniform field theory can be applied with a certain degree of success to the study of horizontal axis coils.     

Reduction of lift-off effects for pulsed eddy current NDT

The lift-off effect is commonly known to be one of the main obstacles for effective eddy current NDT testing as it can easily mask defect signals. Pulsed eddy current techniques, which are believed to be potentially rich of information, are also sensitive to the effect. An approach using normalisation and two reference signals to reduce the lift-off problem with pulsed eddy current techniques is proposed. Experimental testing on the proposed technique and results are presented in this report. Results show that significant reduction in the effect has been achieved mainly in metal loss and sub-surface slot inspection. The technique can also be applied for measurement of metal thickness beneath non-conductive coatings, microstructure, strain/stress measurement, where the output is sensitive to the lift-off effect.     

焊接逆变电源与涡流检测融合设计及可行性分析

根据逆变焊接电源和涡流检测的原理,将涡流检测模块添加到逆变焊接电源中,实现了焊接加工和质量检测的成功融合。通过融合系统的焊接与检测实验,证明了系统不仅可以正常焊接加工,还能准确检测试样缺陷,实现了焊接与检测分时工作且互不干扰,大大提高了数字处理的利用率。     

Remote field eddy current technique applied to non-magnetic steam generator tubes

Unlike the impedance plane analysis form of common eddy current testing (ECT), the remote field eddy current (RFEC) technique is a through-transmission effect that reduces problems such as lift-off normally associated with ECT. In the inspection of steam generator (SG) tubes, the real issue is to detect the minute cracks growing up from the outside. However, using ECT, it is considered infeasible to accurately find them from the inside because of the limitations of penetration of eddy currents. This paper describes a finite-element approach to the solution of time-harmonic electromagnetic fields for the RFEC technique based on a magnetic vector potential and an electric scalar potential. A comparison is made of experimental and finite-element predictions of electromagnetic phenomena under the inspection of non-magnetic tubes. For the cracks outside demanding high sensitive and precise measurements in the SG tube inspection, numerical results are given for parameters to design a RFEC probe.     

Bonded Terfenol-D composites with low eddy current loss and high magnetostriction

Bonded Terfenol-D composites,with high electrical resistivity and low eddy current loss,can be used in an alternating magnetic field with high frequency.However,the nonmagnetic binder impairs the magnetostriction of the composites.To achieve high magnetostriction and low eddy current loss,the mixture of the alloy powder and binder was compressed at low pressure in an oriented magnetic field.After this,the aligned samples were recompressed by cold isostatic pressing(CIP).Besides,the effect of particle size on the magnetostriction of the bonded Terfenol-D composites was also studied.The results showed that the bonded Terfenol-D composites had excellent magnetostriction when the particle size was 50-80 μm.The oriented magnetic field and CIP could improve the magnetostriction of the bonded composites,which reaches 1020×10-6.The bonded Terfenol-D composites had good compact structure and high density(7.24 g/cm3).The magnetic loss of the bonded Terfenol-D composites was 192 mW/cm3 at a frequency of 100 kHz in a magnetic field of 960 A/m,which was about one third of that of casting Terfenol-D alloys.     

国产涡流检测设备在轧辊磨削及检查中的应用

简述为提高轧辊使用寿命 ,降低生产成本 ,对在役轧辊实施自动检测的重要意义。介绍了上海宝钢益昌薄板有限公司采用的国产涡流自动检测设备的组成和功能。该厂采用该技术后 ,减少了轧辊磨削量 ,避免了爆辊事故 ,取得了较好效果。     

Impedance inversion in eddy current testing of layered planar structures via neural networks

The inversion of eddy current probe impedance measurements is widely recognized as a complex theoretical problem whose solution is likely to have a significant impact on the characterization of materials. In this paper the evaluation of the conductivity profile of a layered planar structure is performed after inverting the impedance of a circular air-cored probe coil, of rectangular cross-section, using multilayer perceptron neural networks, trained via the back propagation learning algorithm. The merits of the method are illustrated in the light of two engineering examples.     

发电机风扇叶片的柔性阵列涡流检测

以火电机组发电机风扇叶片为对象进行阵列涡流试验,通过研究检测频率、提离效应、扫查方向等变量对检测信号的影响,寻找合适的检测工艺,以替代传统的渗透检测。试验结果表明:火电机组发电机风扇叶片有效检测频率为300kHz～1 400kHz,与计算值吻合;风扇叶片上提离效应导致的信号降低可以通过增加增益补偿来解决;扫查方向对缺陷信号强度基本无影响。最后对发电机风扇叶片的阵列涡流现场检测应用提出了建议。     

A multi-frequency eddy current inversion method for characterizing conductivity gradients on water jet peened components

This paper describes a multi-frequency eddy current inversion procedure for characterizing specimens that are water jet peened. Multi-frequency inductance data was obtained by using well-characterized eddy current probes. The inversion uses a multi-layer axisymmetric finite element model as the forward model and the conductivity of each layer is found through interpolation of the inductance–conductivity data generated by the forward model. Skin depth approximation was used to isolate the integral effects of the conductivity variation on the inductance signal. Inverted conductivity profiles of the water jet peened specimens was found to resemble the predicted profiles. Information regarding the shape of residual stress gradients and relative intensities of peening were inferred from the conductivity profiles.     

Numerical modelling and implementation of ferrite cored eddy current probes

This paper focuses on the development of a magnetic moment method of calculating vector field quantities for a highly permeable ferrite cored eddy current probe. Basis functions are used in this method to replace the scattered field caused by the probe core in accordance with the surface equivalence theorem. These functions are further developed and tested for accuracy and convergence. An efficient material profile equation, independent of probe coil and basis function properties, is also designed and verified. Collocation point selection and optimisation is finally undertaken leading to the accurate determination of probe source coil impedance. The accuracy of calculation is verified using an industry standard finite element solver.     

Feature extraction and selection for defect classification of pulsed eddy current NDT

Pulsed eddy current (PEC) is a new emerging nondestructive testing (NDT) technique using a broadband pulse excitation with rich frequency information and has wide application potentials. This technique mainly uses feature points and response signal shapes for defect detection and characterization, including peak point, frequency analysis, and statistical methods such as principal component analysis (PCA). This paper introduces the application of Hilbert transform to extract a new descending feature point and use the point as a cutoff point of sampling data for detection and feature estimation. The response signal is then divided by the conventional rising, peak, and the new descending points. Some shape features of the rising part and descending part are extracted. The characters of shape features are also discussed and compared. Various feature selection and integrations are proposed for defect classification. Experimental studies, including blind tests, show the validation of the new features and combination of selected features in defect classification. The robustness of the features and further work are also discussed.     

Pulsed eddy current thickness measurement using phase features immune to liftoff effect

Conventionally, peak value and peak time are extracted from pulsed eddy current (PEC) response as features for thickness measurement. However, they suffer from liftoff variations. In this work, the phase of spectral PEC response from a Hall sensor are proposed to serve as robust features for thickness evaluation. The presented novel features are immune to liftoff effect, because phase signals remain nearly constant against liftoff variations. An analytical model was formulated, and simulations were performed to uncover the physics of the characteristics of the phase feature and establish the relationship between the phase feature and sample thickness. Experiments were carried out to validate the proposed phase feature. Eventually, the proposed phase feature was evaluated for accurate thickness measurement and some key factors were discussed.     

铝合金结构件焊缝质量涡流及X射线检测对比研究

涡流检测方法具有设备简单、检测速度快、灵敏度高、非接触式检测等优点,能及时检测焊缝质量情况,有效检测焊缝是否存在未焊透、焊接裂纹等缺陷,以分析确定焊缝内的潜在风险,现已成为铝合金结构件焊缝的有效检测手段。采用多频涡流检测技术,配合新型无方向性电扰动涡流传感器及X射线探伤仪,并制作铝合金结构件焊缝人工缺陷,通过对比试验两种不同的检测方法,分析两种方法的优劣。试验结果表明,多频涡流检测技术配合新型无方向性电扰动涡流传感器能够满足检测要求,减小焊缝表面焊道的凹凸不平产生的干扰影响,并且全面地发现缺陷;相比之下,虽然X射线检测结果更为直观,但检测速度较慢,不适合现场应用及缺陷快速定位。     

Research on edge identification of a defect using pulsed eddy current based on principal component analysis

It is difficult to identify the edge of a defect in nondestructive testing (NDT), which affects the result of a C-scan image acquired by arrays of pulsed eddy current sensors (APECS). To overcome the problem of low accuracy in identification of the edge of a defect using the conventional eddy current techniques, which only extract features in time domain, features from pulsed eddy current that has a broadband frequency are extracted both in time and frequency domains. A method based on principal component analysis (PCA) is proposed to enhance the accuracy in identification of the edge of a defect, the agreement between theory and experiment shows that the proposed method is applicable and preferable to APECS.