EDDY CURRENT SENSOR

Introduction
• Eddy current sensor based inspection is one of a
prominent NDT {Non Destructive Testing} method.

• Eddy current inspection is one of several methods

that use the principal of “electromagnetism” as the
basis for conducting examinations.
 Electromagnetic Induction
• Eddy currents are created through a process called
electromagnetic induction.
• When alternating current is applied to the conductor, such
as copper wire, a magnetic field develops in and around the
conductor.
• This magnetic field expands as the alternating current rises
to maximum and collapses as the current is reduced to zero.
 Electromagnetic Induction (cont.)
 If another electrical conductor is brought into the proximity
of this changing magnetic field, the reverse effect will occur.
 Magnetic field cutting through the second conductor will
cause an “induced” current to flow in this second conductor.
Eddy currents are a form of induced currents!

Current Flow
 Generation of Eddy Currents
 Eddy currents are induced electrical currents that flow in a
circular path.
 They get their name from “eddies” that are formed when a
liquid or gas flows in a circular path around obstacles when
conditions are right.

Test Probe

Eddy Currents
 Generation of Eddy Currents (cont.)
In order to generate eddy currents for an inspection a “probe”
is used. Inside the probe is a length of electrical conductor
which is formed into a coil.
 Generation of Eddy Currents (cont.)
Alternating current is allowed to flow in the coil at a frequency
chosen by the technician for the type of test involved.
 Generation of Eddy Currents (cont.)
A dynamic expanding and collapsing magnetic field forms in
and around the coil as the alternating current flows through
the coil.
 Generation of Eddy Currents (cont.)
When an electrically conductive material is placed in the
coil’s dynamic magnetic field electromagnetic, induction will
occur and eddy currents will be induced in the material.
 Generation of Eddy Currents (cont.)

Eddy currents flowing in the material will generate their

own “secondary” magnetic field which will oppose the coil’s
“primary” magnetic field.
 Generation of Eddy Currents (cont.)
This entire electromagnetic induction process to produce
eddy currents may occur from several hundred to several
million times each second depending upon inspection
frequency.
 Generation of Eddy Currents (cont.)
Eddy currents are strongest at the surface of the material
and decrease in strength below the surface. The depth
that the eddy currents are only 37% as strong as they are
on the surface is known as the standard depth of
penetration or skin depth. This depth changes with
probe frequency, material conductivity and permeability.

Standard Depth
of
Depth

Depth
Penetration
(Skin Depth)

1/e or 37 %
of surface density
Eddy Current Density Eddy Current Density
High Frequency Low Frequency
High Conductivity Low Conductivity
High Permeability Low Permeability
 Inspection Data
• There are three characteristics of the specimen that affect
the strength of the induced eddy currents.
– The electrical conductivity of the material
– The magnetic permeability of the material
– The amount of solid material in the vicinity of the test
coil.
• Information about the strength of the eddy currents within
the specimen is determined by monitoring changes in
voltage and/or current that occur in the coil.
• The strength of the eddy currents changes the electrical
impedance (Z) of the coil.
 Inspection Applications
One of the major advantages of eddy current as an NDT tool is
the variety of inspections that can be performed. The following
slides depict some of the these capabilities.
 Eddy Current Transducers
Principle of Eddy current:

• An eddy current is caused by a moving magnetic

field intersecting a conductor or vice-versa.

• The relative motion causes a circulating flow of

electrons, or current, within the conductor.

• These circulating eddies of current create

electromagnets with magnetic fields that
oppose the change in the external magnetic
field.

• The stronger the magnetic field, or greater the

electrical conductivity of the conductor, the
greater the currents developed and the greater
the opposing force.

• This principle is used in eddy current proximity

sensor
 Eddy current proximity sensor
• The Eddy Current Transducer uses the
effect of eddy (circular) currents to
sense the proximity of non-magnetic
but conductive materials.

• A typical eddy current transducer

contains two coils: an active coil (main
coil) and a balance coil as shown in
figure

• The active coil senses the presence of a

nearby conductive object, and balance
coil is used to balance the output bridge
circuit and for temperature
compensation.
Schematic diagram of eddy current proximity
sensor

•Active coil and compensating coil forms arms of inductance bridge.

•When a measurand brought to near to active coil, due to eddy current which
produces eddy current magnetic field that opposes active coil field causes
change in inductance and thus creates imbalance in inductance bridge.
•This change is noted in calibrated unit.
 Material Thickness Measurement
• Thickness measurements are possible with eddy current
inspection within certain limitations.
• Only a certain amount of eddy currents can form in a
given volume of material.
• Therefore, thicker materials will support more eddy
currents than thinner materials.
• The strength (amount) of eddy currents can be measured
and related to the material thickness.
Magnetic Field
From Probe

Test
Material

Eddy Currents
 Material Thickness Measurement (cont.)

Eddy current inspection is often used in the aviation

industries to detect material loss due to corrosion and
erosion.
Material Thickness Measurement (cont.)
Eddy current inspection is used extensively to inspect
tubing at power generation and petrochemical facilities for
corrosion and erosion.
 Crack Detection
Crack detection is one of the primary uses of eddy current
inspection. Cracks cause a disruption in the circular flow
patterns of the eddy currents and weaken their strength. This
change in strength at the crack location can be detected.

Magnetic Field
From Test Coil

Magnetic Field
From
Eddy Currents

Crack
Eddy Currents
 Crack Detection (cont.)
Eddy current inspection is exceptionally well suited for the
detection of cracks, with an especially high sensitivity to
detection of surface breaking cracks.
 Crack Detection (cont.)
Eddy current inspection of “bead seat” area on aircraft wheel
for cracks using special probe that conforms to the shape of the
rim.
Nonconductive Coating Measurement
Nonconductive coatings on electrically conductive substrates
can be measured very accurately with eddy current
inspection. (Accuracy of less that one mil is not uncommon.)
 The coating displaces the eddy current probe from the conductive
base material and this weaken the strength of the eddy currents.
 This reduction in strength can be measured and related to coating
thickness.

Nonconductive
Coating

Conductive
Base Metal

Eddy Currents
 Nonconductive Coating Measurement
(cont.)
The photo to the left shows an aircraft panel paint thickness
inspection. On the right, the display of a digital eddy current
inspection instrument shows the different signals obtained
by measuring eight different thicknesses of paint on
aluminum.

Increasing paint
thickness
Monitoring Conductivity and Permeability
Variations
Eddy current inspection is sensitive to changes in a material’s
electrical conductivity and magnetic permeability. This
“sensitivity” allows the inspection method to be used for such
inspection procedures as:
• Material Identification
• Material Sorting
• Determination of heat damage
• Cladding and plating thickness measurement
• Heat treatment monitoring
 Conductivity Measurements
Boeing employees in Philadelphia were given the privilege
of evaluating the Liberty Bell for damage using NDT
techniques. Eddy current methods were used to measure
the electrical conductivity of the Bell's bronze casing at a
various points to evaluate its uniformity.
 Equipment
• Equipment for eddy current inspection is very diversified.
Proper equipment selection is important if accurate
inspection data is desired for a particular application.
• As a minimum, at least three basic pieces of equipment are
needed for any eddy current examination:
– Instrumentation
– Probes
– Reference Standards
 Instrumentation - Meters

Meters are typically the

simplest form of eddy
current instrumentation.

The two general

categories of meters are
digital and analog.
 Digital Meters
Digital meters are typically designed to examine one specific
attribute of a test component such as conductivity or
nonconductive coating thickness. These meters tend to have
slightly higher accuracy than analog devices.
 Analog Meters
Analog meters can be used for
many different inspection
applications such as crack
detection, material thickness
measurements, nonconductive
coating measurements or
conductive coating
measurements.
 Analog Meters (cont.)
The display read-out found on most analog instruments is
typically either a calibrated or uncalibrated display.

• Calibrated displays have an inherent scaling

factor which correlates to the property the
instrument is designed to measure such as
conductivity.

• Uncalibrated displays are typically more

flexible in the variety of different tests
they can perform. These types of
instruments, however, require the use of
data extrapolation techniques if
quantitative data is desired.
Portable Eddy Scopes
 Portable Eddy Scopes (cont.)
Portable eddy scopes are another category of
instrumentation and they present the inspection data in the
form of an impedance plane diagram.
• On the impedance diagram,
the total impedance is
displayed by plotting its
resistance component and
inductive reactance
component at 90 degrees to
each other.
• This is beneficial for both
separation and identification
of test variables that can
effect inspection results.
 Portable Eddy Scopes (cont.)
Modern eddy scopes are usually digital based instruments
which can often be purchased as either a single or dual
frequency tester. Dual frequency instruments are capable of
sequentially driving a probe at two different inspection
frequencies.
 Portable Eddy Scopes (cont.)
Digital scopes often have an RS232 (serial) connection for
interfacing with a serial printer or computer as well as
provisions for output of signals to recording devices such as a
strip-chart recorder. In addition, these instruments contain a
small amount of RAM so that equipment settings as well as
screen presentations can be stored for later reference.
Multi-Frequency Eddy
Current Instruments
 Multi-Frequency Eddy
Current Instruments (cont.)
• Multi-Frequency instruments usually refer to equipment
that can drive inspection coils at more than two
frequencies either sequentially (multiplexing) or
simultaneously.
• This type of instrumentation is used extensively for tubing
inspection in the power generation, chemical and
petrochemical industries.
• These instruments are often capable of being computer
networked and may have as many as four probes attached
to them at one time.
 Multi-Frequency Eddy
Current Instruments (cont.)
Advantages of Multi-frequency inspections:
 Allows increased inspection information to be collected from one
probe pulling.
 Provides for comparison of same discontinuity signal at different
frequencies.
 Allows mixing of frequencies which helps to reduce or eliminate
sources of noise.
 Often improves detection, interpretation and sizing capabilities of
discontinuities.
 Multi-Frequency Eddy
Current Instruments (cont.)
Screen of multi-frequency instrument during inspection.
Eddy Current Probes
 Eddy Current Probes (cont.)
• Probes selection is critical to acquiring adequate inspection
data.
• Several factors to consider include:
– Material penetration requirements (surface vs.
subsurface)
– Sensitivity requirements
– Type of probe connections on eddy current instrument
(many variations)
– Probe and instrument impedance matching (will probe
work with instrument)
– Probe size (smaller probes penetrate less)
– Probe type (absolute, differential, reflection or hybrid)
 Eddy Current Probes (cont.)
• Due the the large variety of probes in eddy current testing
there are many different systems of classification.
• Three of the most common classifications are:
– Surface probes
– Inside Diameter (I.D.) or Bobbin Probes
– Outside Diameter (O.D.) or Encircling probes
 Eddy Current Probes (cont.)
Surface probes are coils that are typically mounted close to one
end of a plastic housing. As the name implies, the technician
moves the coil end of the probe over the surface of the test
component.
 Eddy Current Probes (cont.)
Some surface probes are specifically designed for crack
detection of fastener holes. These include sliding probes, ring
probes and hole probes.
 Eddy Current Probes (cont.)
Surface probes can be
very small in size to allow
accessibility to confined
areas.

Finger Probe
 Eddy Current Probes (cont.)
Inside Diameter (I.D.) probes, also known as bobbin probes,
are coils that are usually wound circumferentially around a
plastic housing. These probes are primarily designed for
inspection inside of tubular materials.
 Eddy Current Probes (cont.)
Outside Diameter (O.D.) probes are coils that are wound the
circumference of a hollow fixture. The coil is designed such that
the test part is ran through the middle of the coil. These probes
can be used to inspect bars, rods as well as tubes.
Reference Standards
 Reference Standards (cont.)
• In order to give the eddy current inspector useful data while
conducting an inspection, signals generated from the test
specimen must be compared with known values.
• Reference standards are typically manufactured from the
same or very similar material as the test specimen.
• Many different types of standards exist for due to the variety
of eddy current inspections performed.
• The following slides provide examples of specific types of
standards.
 Reference Standards (cont.)
Material thickness standards used to help determine such
things as material thinning caused by corrosion or erosion.
 Reference Standards (cont.)
Crack Standards:
 Reference Standards (cont.)
ASME Tubing Pit Standard:
 Reference Standards (cont.)
Nonconductive coating (paint) standard with various thickness
of paint on aluminum substrate.
 Advantages of Eddy Current Inspection
• Sensitive to small cracks and other defects
• Detects surface and near surface defects
• Inspection gives immediate results
• Equipment is very portable
• Method can be used for much more than flaw detection
• Minimum part preparation is required
• Test probe does not need to contact the part
• Inspects complex shapes and sizes of conductive materials
 Limitations of Eddy Current Inspection
• Only conductive materials can be inspected
• Surface must be accessible to the probe
• Skill and training required is more extensive than other
techniques
• Surface finish and and roughness may interfere
• Reference standards needed for setup
• Depth of penetration is limited
• Flaws such as delaminations that lie parallel to the probe coil
winding and probe scan direction are undetectable
 Glossary of Terms
• Alternating Current: electrical current that regularly reverses
direction.
• Analog: being or relating to a mechanism in which data is
represented by continuously variable physical quantities such
as a watch with hour and minute hands.
• ASME: acronym for American Society of Mechanical
Engineers. This society is highly involved in establishing and
maintaining industrial standards.
 Glossary of Terms
• CRT: acronym for Cathode Ray Tube. Vacuum tube that uses
one or more electron guns for generating an image.
• Calibration: adjustment of a test systems response using
known values so that unknown quantities may be derived.
• Conductor: material capable of allowing electrical current to
flow through it.
• Discontinuity: an interruption in the physical structure of a
part. Cracks are examples of discontinuities.
• EDM: acronym for Electrical Discharge Machine.
 Glossary of Terms
• EDM: acronym for Electrical Discharge Machine. Machining
technique which uses an electrode and electrical current to
remove metal. Sometimes used to prepare calibration
standards for eddy current testing.
• Electromagnetic Induction: process which creates electrical
current flow when a dynamic magnetic field is brought into
close proximity with an electrical conductor.
• Extrapolation: to project or predict unknown values from
know quantities.
 Glossary of Terms
• I.A.C.S.: acronym for International Annealed Copper
Standard. Standard unit of measurement of electrical
conductivity in eddy current testing with pure annealed
copper as the standard, measuring 100% at 20 degrees
Celsius.
• Impedance Plane Diagram: A diagram that depicts the
changes in electrical impedance that occur in an eddy
current coil as test variables change.
• Multiplexing: use of a time sharing system in which a coil
is stimulated at several different frequencies one after
another for a certain amount of time. Results from each
stimulation can then be processed and displayed.
 Glossary of Terms
• Permeability: the ease with which a material can be
magnetized.
• Probe: common term used in eddy current inspection that
refers to the test coil.
• RAM: acronym for Random Access Memory. Most modern
eddy current instruments have some form of memory used as
a data buffer to store information.