EDDY CURRENT TESTING
A NEW BEGINNING
By: Jabran Younas
Applications
Metal thickness Alloy sorting Heat treat condition Heat damage Plating thickness Cladding Thickness Insulation Thickness Nonmetallic coating thickness vibration Diameter of tubing or bar stock Cracks Seams Porosity Corrosion Erosion Segregation Inclusion
Resistance
Inductive Reactance
Impedance
XL
Ohm's Law
R=L/A Resistivity (Ohm-cm) Conductivity (mho or % IACS)
Ohm's Law Faraday Law
Ohm's Law Faraday Law
emf=Nt
emf=Induced emf N= Number of Turns = Change in Flux
Ohm's Law Faraday Law
Lenzs Law
The direction of induced current is such as to oppose the cause producing it.
Ohm's Law
B=o/2 x I/r
Faraday Law
Lenzs Law Biot Savarts Law
Coils AC
Coils
Coils Magnetic Field Coils
Coils Coils Magnetic Field
Coils
Coils Magnetic Field Eddy Currents Magnetic Field Eddy Currents
Conducting Material
Conducting Material
Crack Detection
Magnetic Field From Test Coil Magnetic Field From Eddy Currents
Crack
Eddy Currents
Depth of Penetration & Skin Effect
Eddy current density is greatest at surface
Reduces exponentially with depth
At standard D of P = 1/e (37%) of surface value
= 50
r f
Effect Of Frequency
Effect of conductivity
Effect of Permeability
Depth
(Skin Depth) 1/e or 37 % of surface density
Eddy Current Density High Frequency High Conductivity High Permeability
Eddy Current Density Low Frequency Low Conductivity Low Permeability
Depth
Standard Depth of Penetration
Discontinuities
Crack parallel to eddy Currents - not detected Crack interrupts eddy Currents - detected
Edge effect
Edges produce signals just like cracks and mislead inspector
Different techniques can be used to avoid edge effect
Inductive Coupling
Lift Off and Fill Factor
Usually, 70-90% "fill-factor" is targeted for reliable inspection
Phase Lag
Eddy Current Variables Comparison
A Typical ECT Instrument
Types of Probes
Surface Probe External Probe
Internal Probe
Mode of 0peration
Absolute
Sensitive to both sudden and gradual changes in properties. Easy to interpret Show total length of long flaws Sensitive to drift due to temperature changes Sensitive to probe wobble Single Coil Absolute value of impedance and induced voltage is measured
Differential
Not Sensitive gradual changes in properties Difficult to interpret Detect only ends of long flaws Less Sensitive to drift due to temperature changes Less Sensitive to probe wobble Pair of coils Changes in impedance or induced voltage is mesured
Eddy Current Probes
Eddy Current Test Equipments
Digital Meter
Analogue Meter
Multi-Freq Equipments
Calibration Standards
Testing Procedure
Balance on sound portion Set Sensitivity (Drive Level & Gain) Set Frequencies Draw Calibration Curve Take signal with constant speed Note Phase lag and amplitude for each indication
Effect of frequency on signal
Effect of Frequency
44khz
22khz
5khz
Wobble
Dent
High Speed
Correct Speed
Signal Filtering
Signal+ Noise
Correct Filter is used
Incorrect Filter is used
Stripper
Thickness Monitoring Methodology
Stripper Tube Signal
Selection of Frequency
Selection of Probe
Defect Sizing
10% OD shown 36% OD
Defect Sizing
80% OD 60% OD 60% changed to 78% near support
Support
60% OD
80% OD
Defect Sizing
Wrong Indications
RFT Theory
RFT Zones
RFT Signals
Effect of Support plate
Tube Inspection
Depth Curve
Shielding Effect
Magnet
Non Magnetic Strip
Card Board
Magnetic Strip