Eddy Current Testing Research Articles

Analytical Approach of three-dimensional Flawed Multilayered Structure for EC Inspection

This article is devoted to the development of two current source models for the analysis of 3D electromagnetic phenomena in a conductive part of spherical geometry based on the second-order magnetic vector potential method for eddy current nondestructive testing (ECNDT). The first model, for a homogeneous single-layer sphere, allows the analytical calculation of all electromagnetic quantities in the charge. The second allows to treat in addition to the three-dimensional aspect of the problem, the heterogeneity of the charge (with several layers of different conductivities). An investigations using a multifrequency system have shown better results in detection of small cracks. The observations take about the calculation of normalized impedance based on dissipate energy and Joule losses in conductive material.

Multi-frequency eddy current control of structural steel sheets

The results of the study of the effect on the results of eddy current testing of the thickness of structural steel sheets of such a parameter as the force of pressing the eddy current sensor to the surface of the object of control are presented. To isolate the controlled parameter, experimental values of the introduced resistances of an eddy current converter obtained using multi-frequency measurements were used. The dependences of these resistances for the overhead eddy current transducer sensor on the clamping force and thickness of the steel sheet are revealed. A method for processing the results of eddy current measurements is proposed, which ensures the elimination of interfering parameters and reliable isolation of the controlled parameter.

Robotized Mobile Platform for Non-Destructive Inspection of Aircraft Structures

The robotization of the non-destructive inspection of aircraft is essential for improving the accuracy and duration of performed inspections, being an integral part of inspection and data management systems within the currently developed NDT 4.0 concept. In this paper, the authors presented the design and testing of a universal mobile platform with interchangeable sensing systems for the non-destructive inspection of aircraft structures with various angles of inclination. As a result of the performed studies, a low-cost approach of automation of existing measurement devices used for inspection was proposed. The constructed prototype of the mobile platform was equipped with eddy current testing probe and successfully passed both laboratory and environmental tests, demonstrating its performance in various conditions. The presented approach confirms the effectiveness of the automation of the inspection process using climbing robots and defining the directions of possible development of automation in non-destructive testing in aviation.

Wall thinning quantification with a lift-off distance for ferromagnetic structures using pulsed ECT equipped with ICA-Gauss filter and Hough Transform

Determining the thickness of ferromagnetic materials with a lift-off distance poses a significant challenge for current non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques. Pulsed eddy current (PEC) testing is deemed as a powerful candidate to evaluate this type of defect. However, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the PEC response signal obtained with large lift-off distance is very poor, so that the signal feature can hardly be extracted. To improve the SNR of PEC response signals and capture the signal feature adaptively, this paper proposed a novel PEC signal processing algorithm based on ICA-Gauss filter and Hough Transform (HT). Firstly, the principle of the proposed method was introduced. Then, two case studies, a comparison experiment and an application experiment were conducted to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of this method. Results from these experiments show that (a) the ICA-Gauss filter can effectively suppress the power-line noises and random noises in PEC signals, (b) the ICA-Gauss filter outperforms traditional filters in feature robustness and computing efficiency, including double-logarithmic median filter and Savitzky-Golay filter, and (c) HT is an adaptive and accurate method to extract the PEC signal feature, thus achieving a small detection error.

How to use eddy current technology to test ferrous and non-ferrous wire

Eddy Current inspection is a technique used for detecting surface seams, cracks, pits, slivers and internal discontinuities in ferrous and non-ferrous wire. Different test sensor configurations including encircling coil and rotary probes can be used. When using encircling coil eddy current testing, the wire passes through the coil excited by an alternating current with one or more Drive signals. Rotary probe inspection can reliably detect surface seams and cracks using eddy currents which are induced by one or more probes traversing the surface of the material under test. Wire sizes can range from ultra-fine below .002” (.051mm), fine wire .002” (.051mm) to .005” (.127mm), standard wire .006” (.152mm) to .725” (18.42mm). Encircling coil testing can be used for the whole range whereas Rotary probe inspection can only be used above .200” (5.08mm).

Identification of crack orientation in electrically conductive materials using eddy current testing powered by rotational directive filter

Identification of crack orientation in electrically conductive materials using eddy current testing powered by rotational directive filter

Development of an Open-Source Robotic NDT Solution for Automated Composite Repair Testing

Abstract Non-destructive testing (NDT) plays an important role in aircraft maintenance and repair processes, ensuring the structural integrity necessary for safe operation. The paper presents the design and evaluation of an animated, low-cost robotic NDT system tailored for inspecting composite bonding agents. The system integrates commercially available components, including a three-degree-of-freedom robotic arm and a Raspberry Pi 4B, managed by custom Python software with a user-friendly graphical interface. Mechanical Impedance Analysis (MIA) and Eddy Current Testing (ET) methods were employed to assess the system’s performance on representative test specimens. Results indicate that the system delivers reliable and accurate measurements comparable to commercial tools like the MAUS V, while offering simplicity and modularity. Limitations such as scanning speed and handling of complex geometries are acknowledged, with potential solutions proposed for future enhancement. The system provides an affordable and customizable alternative for NDT automation in the aerospace industry.

Nondestructive differential eddy current testing for corrosion detection on coated aluminium alloys

PurposeThe objective of this study is to use non-destructive testing of corrosion on coated aluminium alloys using differential eddy current detection (DECD), with the aim of elucidating the relationship between the characteristics of corrosion defects and the detection signal.Design/methodology/approachPitting corrosion defects of varying geometrical dimensions were fabricated on the surface of aluminium alloy plates, and their impedance signals were detected using DECD to investigate the influence of defect diameter, depth, corrosion products and coating thickness on the detection signals. Furthermore, finite element analysis was used to ascertain the eddy current distributions and detection signals under different parameters.FindingsThe size of the defect is positively correlated with the strength of the detection signal, with the defect affecting the latter by modifying the distribution and magnitude of the eddy current. An increase in the diameter and depth of corrosion defects will enhance the eddy current detection (ECD) signal. The presence of corrosion products in the corrosion defects has no significant effect on the eddy current signal. The presence of a coating results in a decrease in the ECD signal, with the magnitude of this decrease increasing with the thickness of the coating.Originality/valueThe objective is to provide experimental and theoretical references for the design of eddy current non-destructive testing equipment and eddy current testing applications.

Online Quality Control of Powder Bed Fusion with High-Resolution Eddy Current Testing Inductive Sensor Arrays

Online Quality Control of Powder Bed Fusion with High-Resolution Eddy Current Testing Inductive Sensor Arrays

Development of differential hall sensors for Pulsed Eddy Current Testing using Gaussian pulse excitation

This study presents the use of differential Hall sensors in Pulsed Eddy Current Testing with Gaussian pulse excitation. This method was selected for its ability to effectively distribute energy across the frequency spectrum, thereby enhancing inspection depth and precision compared to the conventional rectangular pulses. The design of the differential Hall sensors, which includes two Hall sensors, greatly minimizes interference from the primary magnetic field, resulting in improved accuracy in detecting defects, particularly corrosion, across varying lift-off distances. 3D-FEM simulations and experimental results demonstrate that differential Hall sensors outperform traditional single Hall sensors in reducing noise and maintaining corrosion signal. Compared to traditional single Hall sensors, the differential Hall sensors exhibit a significantly improved signal-to-noise ratio, particularly at larger lift-off distances. Additionally, the study employs the Full Width at Half Maximum method to accurately estimate the size of corrosion, offering a precise and non-invasive approach to assessing structural integrity.

A Mobius transformation-based liftoff effect reduction method for crack classification and prediction in eddy current testing

In eddy current (EC) defect evaluation, accurate determination of the crack depth is crucial. The lift-off signal on the complex impedance plane is not necessarily horizontal and mostly arc-shaped, which makes it difficult to separate from crack signals, which can have various orientations depending on probe characteristics and frequencies. Phase rotation is normally used to align the lift-off signal to the real axis and defect signal is read from the imaginary axis. However, this approach proves challenging to separate lift-off and defect signals within the complex plane in many cases.To address this issue, this study proposes and implements a Mobius transformation that linearizes the arc-shaped lift-off signals on the complex plane, enabling more accurate extraction of crack signals unaffected by lift-off signal height. Furthermore, it is demonstrated through k-nearest neighbors (kNN) that the transformed crack signals can still be effectively quantified.

Classification, Localization and Quantization of Eddy Current Detection Defects in CFRP Based on EDC-YOLO.

The accurate detection and quantification of defects is vital for the effectiveness of the eddy current nondestructive testing (ECNDT) of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) materials. This study investigates the identification and measurement of three common CFRP defects-cracks, delamination, and low-velocity impact damage-by employing the You Only Look Once (YOLO) model and an improved Eddy Current YOLO (EDC-YOLO) model. YOLO's limitations in detecting multi-scale features are addressed through the integration of Transformer-based self-attention mechanisms and deformable convolutional sub-modules, with additional global feature extraction via CBAM. By leveraging the Wise-IoU loss function, the model performance is further enhanced, leading to a 4.4% increase in the mAP50 for defect detection. EDC-YOLO proves to be effective for defect identification and quantification in industrial inspections, providing detailed insights, such as the correlation between the impact damage size and energy levels.

Towards Advancing Real-Time Railroad Inspection Using a Directional Eddy Current Probe

In the field of railroad safety, the effective detection of surface cracks is critical, necessitating reliable, high-speed, non-destructive testing (NDT) methods. This study introduces a hybrid Eddy Current Testing (ECT) probe, specifically engineered for railroad inspection, to address the common issue of “lift-off noise” due to varying distances between the probe and the test material. Unlike traditional ECT methods, this probe integrates transmit and differential receiver (Tx-dRx) coils, aiming to enhance detection sensitivity and minimise the lift-off impact. The study optimises ECT probes employing different transmitter coils, emphasising three main objectives: (a) quantitatively evaluating each probe using signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and outlining a real-time data-processing algorithm based on SNR methodology; (b) exploring the frequency range proximal to the electrical resonance of the receiver coil; and (c) examining sensitivity variations across varying lift-off distances. The experimental outcomes indicate that the newly designed probe with a figure-8 shaped transmitter coil significantly improves sensitivity in detecting surface cracks on railroads. It achieves an impressive SNR exceeding 100 for defects with minimal dimensions of 1 mm in width and depth. The simulation results closely align with experimental findings, validating the investigation of the optimal operational frequency and lift-off distance for selected probe performance, which are determined to be 0.3 MHz and 1 mm, respectively. The realisation of this project would lead to notable advancements in enhancing railroad safety by improving the efficiency of crack detection.

Circumferential Crack Detection in Ultra-High-Pressure Tubular Reactors with Pulsed Eddy Current Testing.

Ultra-high-pressure tubular reactors are crucial pieces of equipment for polyethylene production. Long-term operation under high temperature, high pressure, and other extremely harsh conditions can lead to various defects, with circumferential cracks posing a major safety risk. Detecting cracks is challenging, particularly when they are under a protective layer of a certain thickness. This study designed a pulsed eddy current differential probe to detect circumferential cracks in ultra-high-pressure tubular reactors, with the lift-off distance acting as a protective layer. Detection models for traditional cylindrical and semi-circular excitation differential probes were established using finite element simulations. Corresponding experiments under different lift-off conditions were carried out, and the model's accuracy was verified by the consistency between the simulation results and experimental data. The distribution of the eddy current field under different conditions and the disturbances caused by cracks at various positions to the detection signal were then calculated in the simulations. The simulation results showed that the cracks significantly disturbed the eddy current field of the semi-circular excitation differential probe compared with that of the traditional cylindrical probe. The designed differential probe effectively detected circumferential cracks of specific lengths and depths using the difference in the voltage signals. The experimental results were in agreement with the simulation results, showing that the designed probe could effectively detect 20 mm-long circumferential cracks at a lift-off of 60 mm. The experimental results also show that the probe's detection coverage area in the axial direction varied with the lift-off height. The probe design and findings are valuable for detecting cracks in ultra-high-pressure tubular reactors with protective layers.

Degradation Modeling and RUL Prediction of Hot Rolling Work Rolls Based on Improved Wiener Process.

Hot rolling work rolls are essential components in the hot rolling process. However, they are subjected to high temperatures, alternating stress, and wear under prolonged and complex working conditions. Due to these factors, the surface of the work rolls gradually degrades, which significantly impacts the quality of the final product. This paper presents an improved degradation model based on the Wiener process for predicting the remaining useful life (RUL) of hot rolling work rolls, addressing the critical need for accurate and reliable RUL estimation to optimize maintenance strategies and ensure operational efficiency in industrial settings. The proposed model integrates pulsed eddy current testing with VMD-Hilbert feature extraction and incorporates a Gaussian kernel into the standard Wiener process to effectively capture complex degradation paths. A Bayesian framework is employed for parameter estimation, enhancing the model's adaptability in real-time prediction scenarios. The experimental results validate the superiority of the proposed method, demonstrating reductions in RMSE by approximately 85.47% and 41.20% compared to the exponential Wiener process and the RVM model based on a Gaussian kernel, respectively, along with improvements in the coefficient of determination (CD) by 121% and 19.76%. Additionally, the model achieves reductions in MAE by 85.66% and 42.61%, confirming its enhanced predictive accuracy and robustness. Compared to other algorithms from the related literature, the proposed model consistently delivers higher prediction accuracy, with most RUL predictions falling within the 20% confidence interval. These findings highlight the model's potential as a reliable tool for real-time RUL prediction in industrial applications.

Eddy Current Testing in the Quantitive Assessment of Degradation State in MAR247 Nickel Superalloy with Aluminide Coatings

In this paper, the effectiveness of the eddy current methodology for crack detection in MAR 247 nickel-based superalloy with aluminide coatings subjected to cyclic loading was investigated. The specimens were subjected to force-controlled fatigue tests under zero mean level, constant stress amplitude from 300 MPa to 600 MPa and a frequency of 20 Hz. During the fatigue, a particular level of damage was introduced into the material leading to the formation of microcracks. Subsequently, a new design of probe with a pot core was developed to limit magnetic flux leakage and directed it towards the surface under examination. The suitability of the new methodology was further confirmed as the specimens containing defects were successfully identified. The changes in probe resistance values registered for damaged specimens ranged approximately from 8 to 14%.

EddyBot: A multichannel FPGA-based Eddy Current Testing mobile robot

We introduce EddyBot, a novel integration of a multi-channel FPGA-based Eddy Current Testing (ECT) scanner within a mobile robot designed for autonomous non-destructive testing (NDT). EddyBot distinguishes itself by leveraging advanced signal processing, real-time robotics control, and efficient data synchronization to significantly enhance inspection accuracy and efficiency. Our contributions are (i) the deployment of a Zynq-7020 FPGA for fast data acquisition and processing, (ii) alongside the Robot Operating System (ROS) for precise and real-time control with Kalman filtering (KF) sensor fusion for pose estimation. (iii) We further optimize defect detection and localization through a novel data synchronization approach, correlating the robot’s pose with ECT signals to a mean synchronization delay of only 11.77 ms. This allows for precise localization of defects within 0.18 cm, improving the overall reliability. The robot’s performance was evaluated on aluminum and ferromagnetic specimens, highlighting the system’s capability to detect defects with high accuracy.

Analyzing the permeability distribution of multilayered specimens using pulsed eddy-current testing with multi-scale 1D-ResNet

The mechanical properties of steel are determined by its microstructure, which is closely related to its permeability profile. In thermal processing, layered structures are formed in steel and different layers have different mechanical and magnetic properties. Therefore, it is crucial to propose a practical method to monitor the change of permeability profile along the depth, which can indicate the evolution of the microstructure of steel during thermal processing, such as hot rolling. This paper presents a method for determining the layered structure and permeability profile of the steel by using pulsed eddy current testing (PECT), which offers better penetration ability. An analytical model has been deduced for calculating the time-domain pulsed eddy current (PEC) response from a Hall sensor of a triple-layer conductor system based on the inverse Laplace transform. It is found the Tau (τ) curve is closely related to the permeability profile of the conductor. For the inverse solution, the Simultaneous Iterative Reconstruction Technique (SIRT) is utilized to determine the permeability profile of the multilayered specimens from the measured response. The approximate Jacobian matrix (sensitivity matrix) is obtained by the perturbation method based on the Tau curve. However, the permeability profile suffers from smoothing effect and sharp features are lost. Deep learning (DL) algorithm based on the Multi-Scale 1D-ResNet model is therefore introduced to address this issue. Numerical simulations and experiments have been performed to evaluate the proposed method for permeability profile estimation with various materials and thicknesses. The DL method can achieve an accurate estimation of the plate permeability profile with a relative error under 5%.

A differential low frequency eddy current test method for detecting moisture content of high voltage cable water-blocking tape

ABSTRACT The excessive moisture content in the water-blocking tape has been one of the main causes of high voltage cable erosion failures in recent years. However, the 2–4 mm thick aluminium sheath wrapped around the water-blocking tape makes it challenging to detect the moisture content. This study introduces a method for detecting the moisture content of high voltage cable water-blocking tapes based on low-frequency eddy currents. Initially, longitudinal and transverse impedance measurement experiments of the water-blocking tape were conducted to establish the relationship between impedance and moisture content. Since the impedance of the water-blocking tape is significantly higher compared to the aluminium sheath, the eddy current signal was obtained using a differential detection method. An excitation frequency of 10 Hz was chosen to achieve a deeper skin depth. Additionally, an eddy current finite element analysis model was developed, showing that moisture content has an almost linear relationship with the amplitude and phase of the eddy current signal. Finally, an experiment was conducted on an equivalent high voltage cable structure, and the experimental results aligned well with the simulation results.

Normalization and Processing of Rotational Eddy Current Scans for Layup Characterization of CFRP Laminates

ABSTRACT The verification of fiber orientation and layup in carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite laminates is essential to guarantee the performance of the material. This work reports the background, methodology, and results of a rotational eddy current testing (ECT) system for determining fiber orientation and ply layup of unidirectional CFRP components. The system presented mechanically rotates a 15 MHz directional transmit-receive ECT probe, which poses several speed and consistency advantages. The paper presents a theoretical discussion of how these scans are produced, a unique preprocessing normalization method, and an optimization process for determining the layup from the captured datasets. Results show a high level of accuracy for identifying the unique directions present in a laminate, and the theory-supported model enables the extraction of layup order information of multilayer parts, even where repeated lamina are present within the laminate.