Eddy Current Method Research Articles

Unconventional coil shape design of eddy current sensors and the effect of shape parameters on the micro/nano-scale metal film thickness measurement performance

Abstract The thickness of metal film is a critical parameter, especially in micro/nano-manufacturing, where high-precision measurement is essential. The eddy current method, a non-destructive testing technique, is well-suited for in-situ measurement of micro/nano-scale metal film thickness due to its superior performance. However, enhancing the measurement capabilities of eddy current sensors remains a significant challenge. In practical applications, thickness sensitivity and spatial resolution are two key performance indicators of eddy current sensors, and improving both simultaneously is difficult. While the sensitive element (coil) of an eddy current sensor has a substantial impact on thickness sensitivity, its effect on spatial resolution has received less attention.
This study establishes an eddy current coil model based on electromagnetic field theory, defining both thickness sensitivity and spatial resolution in the context of micro/nano-scale metal film thickness measurement. Two unconventional coil shapes are introduced, contrasting with the traditional cylindrical design, to investigate the influence of coil shape parameters, specifically the spatial distribution of the coil turns, on the key performance indicators. Simulation results are corroborated through experimental validation. Based on a series of calculations and analyses, an optimization method for coil shape parameters is proposed using a defined comparison factor that balances both thickness sensitivity and spatial resolution, which offers a promising approach for improving coil shape design.

Research on Magnetic Field of Permanent Magnet Rolls Arranged Periodically in Circumferential—Axial Direction

The separation of non-magnetic non-ferrous metals such as copper and aluminum from scrapped automobiles is a critical area of research due to the increasing number of end-of-life vehicles. Traditional eddy current separation methods have limitations, particularly in handling large-sized broken copper and aluminum parts. This paper proposes a novel magnetic roller model featuring a circumferential–axial periodic arrangement of permanent magnets. This study explores the external magnetic field distribution of this new roller design by constructing an equivalent current model, solving magnetic scalar potential equations, and employing simulation tools. The findings indicate that the new magnet array enhances both the magnetic field strength and the range of the external magnetic field, leading to improved separation efficiency of large-sized metal fragments. The results provide a theoretical basis for advancing the separation technology of large-sized broken copper and aluminum parts in scrapped automobiles, offering potential improvements in the recycling of non-ferrous metals from end-of-life vehicles.

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.

Non-Contact Eddy Current Conductivity Measurements as an Effective Tool for Evaluating Aluminum Alloys in Aircraft

ABSTRACT Aluminum alloys (AAs) are pivotal materials in modern aircraft due to their superior mechanical properties and low weight. The structural integrity of these alloys, crucial for aircraft safety, heavily depends on heat treatment processes that alter their mechanical characteristics. Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques, such as eddy current (EC) conductivity measurements, play a vital role in assessing these alloys throughout their lifecycle. EC methods enable the measurement of electrical conductivity, a structure-sensitive parameter that correlates with mechanical properties affected by heat treatments and operational stresses. This paper reviews the application of EC conductivity measurements in the aerospace industry, focusing on their role in assessing AA structural integrity. It discusses how EC methods can penetrate non-conductive coatings, crucial for in-service measurements without surface removal. Recent developments include a novel small-size EC probe and signal processing algorithms aimed at enhancing sensitivity to conductivity changes through dielectric coatings, up to 0.5 mm thick, commonly found in aircraft structures. Key findings include analyses of specific electrical conductivity (SEC) changes in AAs due to heat treatment deviations and long-term operational stresses, crucial for predicting residual life and maintaining safety standards. Case studies on aircraft wing skins and helicopter rotor blades demonstrate the practical application of EC conductivity meters in identifying critical damage zones. The methodology proves effective in evaluating localized degradation based on SEC distributions, thereby enhancing maintenance efficiency and aircraft safety. Overall, this research underscores the significance of EC conductivity measurements in advancing NDE practices for AAs in aircraft applications. The methodologies and findings presented aim to improve safety, durability assessment, and maintenance efficiency in the aerospace industry.

Using Poisson’s ratio and acoustic anisotropy parameter to assess damage and accumulated plastic strain during fatigue loading of austenitic steel

The work investigated the effect of fatigue failure on the elastic characteristics of metastable austenitic steel AISI 321: Poisson’s ratio and acoustic anisotropy parameter. The elastic characteristics were calculated using ultrasonic measurements of the propagation time of longitudinal and shear elastic waves. The volume fraction of strain-induced martensite was determined by the eddy current method. Theoretical studies have shown that the main factors influencing Poisson’s ratio are the accumulation of microdamages and changes in phase composition. The change in the acoustic anisotropy parameter is associated with the influence of cyclic deformation on the crystallographic texture of the material matrix and the formation of oriented crystals of strain-induced martensite. Based on the analysis of experimental results, expressions were obtained for calculating damage and relative accumulated plastic deformation based on acoustic measurement data, which are widely used in engineering practice to determine the fatigue life of structural materials.

Применение машинного обучения и интеллектуального анализа данных в автоматизированной системе неразрушающего вихретокового контроля поверхностного слоя деталей подшипников

Changing the properties of the material during physical and mechanical processing can significantly reduce the working life of the manufactured product, therefore it is important to control the quality of the surface layer of the parts. To solve this problem, non-destructive testing techniques such as etching, visual, capillary, magnetic powder, ultrasonic, vibration, eddy current methods are used at bearing enterprises. The article discusses the physical foundations of the presented techniques and provides their comparative analysis. Machine vision and digital signal processing approaches can be used to automate the processing of the results of non-destructive testing of the surface layer of bearing parts within the framework of the Industry 4.0 concept. From the point of view of productivity and the possibility of integration into the production system, the eddy current method is the most promising, the result of surface control in this way is an array of digital values. The development of modern methods of information analysis makes it possible to efficiently process a large amount of data, and machine learning makes it possible to solve problems of classification, regression, etc. This article provides methodological support for the development and application of an automated eddy current control system using machine learning and data mining methods. The works of scientists devoted to the processing of the results of the shock control of various objects, including bearing parts, are considered, it is noted that previously attention had not been paid to the issue of a reasonable choice of a machine learning model for recognizing defects on the surface of parts. The possibility of using the median polishing method to transform the eddy current signal is shown. The development and implementation of a bearing defect recognition system based on the methodological support presented in this paper can significantly improve the efficiency of product quality control and optimize the technological process.

Виявлення втомних тріщин у зоні галтельних переходів сталевих лопаток промислових газових турбін вихрострумовим методом

Виявлення втомних тріщин у зоні галтельних переходів сталевих лопаток промислових газових турбін вихрострумовим методом

An eddy current sensor for end-point detection in chemical mechanical planarization using composition signal filtration and a digital potentiometer

End-point detection (EPD) is important for controlling the chemical mechanical polishing process to prevent underpolishing and overpolishing. One EPD method using the relative current density on a Cu wafer involves an eddy current, which has advantages of noncontact and a fast response speed. However, the eddy current method has a large mean error at a low relative current density. To overcome the disadvantage, composition signal filtration uses a high mean error and long delay time using a moving average and 1-D Kalman filtration. After applying composition filtration, the mean error improved by approximately 94.7 %. Still, it is difficult to measure a thickness of 4000 Å or less with existing systems. A digital potentiometer was developed that changed the resistance in real time and improved the detection range. The step number for changing the resistance was 120 steps in the resistance range of 100–5000 Ω at approximately 40 Ω/step. When a digital potentiometer was applied, the EPD detection range improved by 85.8 % over the existing system. In other words, the developed system could measure a Cu wafer thickness of 586 Å.

A Review of the Electrical Conductivity Test Methods for Conductive Fabrics

With the substantial growth of the smart textiles market, electrical properties are becoming a basic requirement for most of the advanced textiles used in the development of wearable solutions and other textile-based smart applications. Depending on the textile substrate, the test method to determine the electrical properties can be different. Unlike smart fibers and yarns, the characterization of the electrical properties of fabrics cannot be tested between two connection points because the result would not represent the behavior of the entire fabric, so the electrical properties must be related to an area. The parameters used to characterize the electrical properties of the fabrics include resistance, resistivity, and conductivity. Although all of them can be used to indicate electrical performance, there are significant differences between them and different methods available for their determination, whose suitability will depend on the function and the textile substrate. This paper revises the main parameters used to characterize the electrical properties of conductive fabrics and summarizes the most common methods used to test them. It also discusses the suitability of each method according to several intervening factors, such as the type of conductive fabric (intrinsically or extrinsically conductive), its conductivity range, other fabric parameters, or the final intended application. For intrinsically conductive woven fabrics, all the methods are suitable, but depending on the requirements of conductivity accuracy, the contact resistance from the measuring system should be determined. For intrinsically conductive knitted fabrics, two-point probe, Van der Pauw, and eddy current methods are the most suitable. And for intrinsically conductive nonwoven fabrics, two-point probe and four-point probe methods are the most appropriate. In the case of extrinsically conductive fabrics, the applied method should depend on the substrate and the properties of the conductive layer.

Detecting and Estimating Local Corrosion Damages in Long-Service Aircraft Structures by the Eddy Current Method with Double-Differential Probes

ABSTRACT Monitoring corrosion in aircraft structures through nondestructive testing is crucial for maintaining long-term aircraft serviceability. Corrosion monitoring is particularly challenging when corrosion damage is situated on internal surfaces of multilayer aircraft structures. The eddy current method is one of the most promising techniques for detecting and measuring such subsurface corrosion damage without direct contact or disassembly. However, due to their low sensitivity traditional eddy current probes with coaxial coils are not well suited for detecting corrosion damages of the local type, such as pitting or corrosion pits, in multilayer aircraft structures. This study tested the use of low-frequency eddy current probes of the double-differential type, characterized by 8 and 10 mm operational diameters, in detecting and measuring hidden corrosion damages of this local type. Such corrosion damages were simulated by means of flat-bottomed drilled holes of differing diameters and depths (or different diameters and residual thicknesses of the inspected sheet in the damaged area). The signals from the eddy current probes were evaluated in the complex plane using a universal eddy current flaw detector. The correlations between the amplitude and phase of the eddy current signal and depth of location of the local corrosion damages were analyzed. Results indicate that it is possible to estimate the residual thickness of the skin in locally corroded areas by measuring the eddy current signal phase, independently of the local corrosion damage diameter (size), providing useful information for residual service life determination.

Research and application of low-frequency eddy current detection technology for heating surface tube of power plant boiler

Abstract In this paper, an ultra-low frequency magnetic detection method for the shedding of oxide layer on the inner wall of austenitic stainless steel heating surface tubes in power plant boilers and a far-field eddy current automatic detection method for water-cooled wall tubes are introduced. The probe selection, comparison sample making, detection voltage, detection current, signal phase and amplitude of ultra-low frequency magnetic detection, and far-field eddy current automatic detection methods are tested and studied, which provide reference detection parameters for practical detection applications. According to on-site practical application verification, this detection method can quickly, intuitively, and accurately detect the oxide layer peeling off the inner wall of austenitic stainless steel pipes and the defects on the inner and outer walls of water-cooled wall pipes, providing a feasible and effective means for the quality supervision and safe operation of the power plant boilers.

EDDY CURRENT QUALITY CONTROL OF THIN-WALLED REFRACTORY ALLOY PIPES

The experience of non-destructive quality control of thin-walled pipes of small diameter from a refractory non-magnetic alloy based on eddy current and X-ray television methods is considered. An analysis of the signal of an eddy current differential transducer during scanning of defects of various types was performed. The possibility of detecting and classifying such pipe defects as cracks, pores, local wall thinning, and ferromagnetic inclusions is shown.

AUTOMATED CONTROL OFTHE THIN FILMS ELECTRICALCONDUCTIVITY BY THE EDDY CURRENT METHOD

The article considers the possibility of using the eddy current method of non-destructive testing for the problems of measuring the electrical conductivity of thin metal films. As the object of measurement, we used copper films of various thicknesses obtained by vacuum vapor deposition. A review of current trends in the use of copper films in modern industry and science is presented, and an analysis is made of current methods of non-destructive testing suitable for studying thin copper films. A brief description of the deposition method and the hardware-software complex for measuring the electrical conductivity of the film is presented. A calibration curve is presented, which makes it possible to restore the values of the electrical conductivity of the film from the value of the signal of the eddy current transducer. GaAs samples were selected to construct a calibration curve. The decision is explained by the proximity of the values of the electrical conductivity of this chemical compound to the calculated indicators of the obtained thin films. The results of testing films with different characteristics are presented and the distribution of the electrical conductivity of the films depending on the batch is shown. A series of practical measurements of thin films demonstrated the existence of a relationship between the mass of the initial substance that was subjected to deposition and the characteristics of the resulting films. According to different values of electrical conductivity within the same batch, it was concluded that there is a difference in the quality of deposition of different films.

Methods of determining internal damage in power transformers

Due to the variety of defects that arise in electrical machines, it is necessary to use more effective methods for monitoring their condition. All over the world research and development of new means and methods for monitoring powerful electrical machines during their operation is underway. Some examples of recent advances are vibration diagnostic methods for assessing the compaction of components inside a transformer, acoustic and electrical systems for monitoring partial discharges, data processing using digital methods, and new sensors for continuous monitoring of gases and moisture in oil, as well as hot spot temperatures. Additionally, thermal imaging testing of power equipment is also an important tool to ensure reliable operation. It is believed that the most effective method is gas chromatographic oil analysis, which can identify most defects in oil-filled equipment. During the operation of powerful electrical machines, the use of existing non-destructive testing methods does not allow a complete assessment of the condition of the main parts of the equipment, as an analysis of damage locations shows, 25% are damage to the core and windings. Effective monitoring of the condition and determination of the performance of transformers is of particular importance, since they are key elements in the operation of nuclear power plants. The paper considers the possibility of using the eddy current testing method; determining a defect in magnetic core steel is based on fixing the unevenness of the magnetic field on the horizontal or vertical planes of a yoke or rod consisting of electrical steel plates. Monitoring and evaluating the functioning of existing equipment, detecting deficiencies in the early stages of their development, when repair costs are still minimal, and preventing emergency failures become a priority. In accordance with the growth rate of detected deficiencies, monitoring is carried out from time to time or continuously, the maximum number of monitored characteristics is achieved when the transformer is fully tested to determine its functionality.

Surrogate methods for determining profiles of material properties of planar test objects with accumulation of apriori information about them

New methods for identifying the material properties of planar objects as a result of measurements by the eddy current method are proposed. The methods are based on the latest surrogate strategies and advanced optimization techniques that improve efficiency and reduce resource consumption of problem solutions, and balance computational complexity with the accuracy of the results. High-performance metamodels for global surrogate optimization are based on deep truly meaningful fully connected neural networks, serving as an additional function of accumulating apriori information about objects. High accuracy of the approximation of the multidimensional response surface, which is determined by the “exact” electrodynamic model of the testing process, is ensured by performing calculations according to the computer design of a homogeneous experiment with a low weighted symmetric centered discrepancy. The results of numerical experiments performed for full and reduced dimensional search spaces, which can be obtained by linear transformations using the principal component method, are presented. The verification of the methods proved their sufficiently high accuracy and computational performance.

Nondestructive material characterization and component identification in sheet metal processing with electromagnetic methods

Electromagnetic methods for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) are presented, with which sheet metal components can be identified and their material properties can be characterized. The latter is possible with 3MA, the Micromagnetic Multiparametric Microstructure and stress Analyser. This is a combination of several micromagnetic NDE methods that make it possible to analyse the microstructure in a ferromagnetic material and to determine quantitative values of the mechanical material properties or the stress state. In the case of cold forming, the 3MA application for pre-process testing of sheet metal is discussed. Based on the 3MA information, the formability of the sheets can be predicted. To apply 3MA in-line, the influence of the relative speed and the relative distance between the 3MA probe head and the sheet was investigated. In a second study, a spatially resolved eddy current (EC) method was used to create an image of the intrinsic material microstructure of a component for its identification and traceability. It turned out, that these intrinsic fingerprint images can still be recognized even after subsequent plastic deformation or coating of the surface. This enabled the development of a marker-free traceability method for sheet metal processing. It is based on a low-cost array sensor and a specimen identification using robust and partly redundant features of the fingerprint images processed by machine learning (ML).

Study on influencing factors and regularity analysis of eddy current method applied to detection of reinforcement corrosion

Abstract Rebar corrosion is one of the main reasons for the deterioration of concrete structures. In order to ensure the safe operation of reinforced concrete structures, it is necessary to detect the corrosion rate of rebars in time. This article adopts the eddy current method based on electromagnetic induction to detect steel corrosion, studies the mechanism of alternating current (AC) impedance change induced by steel corrosion in coils, and establishes a mathematical model between steel corrosion and coil AC impedance. Meanwhile, the quantitative relationship between excitation signal frequency, concrete thickness, coil parameters, and coil impedance is studied. Through experiments, it was found that in the early stages of steel corrosion, there is a linear relationship between the scanning peak value of the coil impedance and the mass loss rate of the steel bars, and the slope of the fitting curve decays exponentially with the increase of the concrete thickness. The method used in this paper has an absolute error of less than 0.01 and a relative error of less than 8 % in detecting the mass loss rate of rebars at the initial stage of steel corrosion. When the concrete thickness is less than 20 mm, the relative error is lower than 4 %.

A decoupling calculation method of separating temperature component from the nano-scale metal film thickness measurement output by the eddy current sensor

The eddy current method has been widely applied in the field of nano-scale metal film thickness detection. The output signal of an eddy current sensor is generally tiny in practice, and it is easily affected by the ambient temperature variation, which results in a decrease in the measurement accuracy. How to separate the temperature effect on film thickness measurement for achieving a high precision is a major problem. Therefore, a coupling model of an eddy current sensor with an electromagnetic field and a temperature field is established in this study, and the influence of the film thickness and temperature on coil impedance is calculated. It is found that the inductance and resistance of the coil vary monotonically as thickness and temperature with a measure of linearity in a certain range, as well as the real part and imaginary part of the output voltage by using an AC bridge. Then a film thickness-temperature decoupling calculation method is proposed, and a group of linear calibration intervals are further divided considering the linearity and measurement accuracy. According to the calculation results, it is confirmed that the method can decouple the two, and accomplish a higher accuracy. In addition, the method is verified by a series of experiments, and the variation trend of real and imaginary parts of output voltage with thickness and temperature is consistent with simulation results. At the same time, it is feasible to realize a synchronous detection of metal film thickness and ambient temperature in a certain range.

Broadband Eddy Current Measurement of the Sheet Resistance of GaN Semiconductors.

Although the classical four-point probe method usually provides adequate results, it is in many cases inappropriate for the measurement of thin sheet resistance, especially in the case of a buried conductive layer or if the surface contacts are oxidized/degraded. The surface concentration of dislocation defects in GaN samples is known to challenge this kind of measurement. For the GaN sample presented in this study, it even totally impaired the ability of this method to even provide results without a prior deposition of gold metallic contact pads. In this paper, we demonstrate the benefits of using a new broadband multifrequency noncontact eddy current method to accurately measure the sheet resistance of a complicated-to-measure epitaxy-grown GaN-doped sample. The benefits of the eddy current method compared to the traditional four-point method are demonstrated. The multilayer-doped GaN sample is perfectly evaluated, which will allow further development applications in this field. The point spread function of the probe used for this noncontact method was also evaluated using a 3D finite element model using CST-Studio Suite simulation software 2020 and experimental measurements.

Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation of Cold Spray Manufactured Aluminum Alloy 6061 and Copper Samples

Cold spray (CS) is a solid-state process for depositing thick layers of material via the successive high-velocity impact of powder particles onto a solid surface, which leads to high rates of deformation, interparticle bonding, and coating build-up. Although CS is finding commercial utilization in non-load-bearing repair and coating applications, clear nondestructive characterization procedures are necessary to realize its potential in load-bearing structural applications. In this study, the viability of electrical conductivity and through thickness ultrasound wave velocity measurement methods was studied to serve as a means for nondestructive quantitative measurement for quality control in CS and potentially other additive manufacturing (AM) methods. Eddy current, ultrasound, porosity, hardness, and uniaxial tensile strength tests were conducted on CS deposited layers of aluminum alloy 6061 and copper on aluminum alloy 6061 and commercially pure copper substrates, respectively. CS gas dynamic parameters were intentionally and systematically varied to result in corresponding discrete differences in mechanical properties of deposits. Ultrasound measurements of longitudinal wave velocity and eddy current electrical conductivity measurements showed good correlation with process conditions, microstructural characterization results, and destructive mechanical tests (hardness, tensile). The results of this work show that ultrasound wave velocity and electrical conductivity correlate well with increased particle impact velocity in CS deposited aluminum and copper blocks, which evidently show an incremental decrease in porosity, increase in hardness, and increase in tensile strength. The outlined ultrasound and eddy current nondestructive testing methods present effective means for quantitative assessment of cold spray deposited structures while intact with the substrate.