09.04.2015 Views

Electromagnetic Testing Chapter 3- Electromagnetic Testing

Electromagnetic Testing Chapter 3- Electromagnetic Testing

Electromagnetic Testing Chapter 3- Electromagnetic Testing

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

3.9 COUPLING<br />

In eddy current testing, the test piece is coupled to the test coil by the coil’s<br />

magnetic field, which is quite similar to transformer action. Coupling efficiency<br />

is intimately related to lift-off; coupling efficiency is 100% when lift-off is zero.<br />

Lift-off describes the change in electromagnetic coupling as a function of<br />

probe clearance. As lift-off or probe clearance increases from the test surface,<br />

coupling efficiency and eddy current probe output decreases. Lift-off changes<br />

both the amplitude and phase of the eddy current signal. Impedance changes<br />

produced by small lift-off variations are greatest when the coil is in contact<br />

with the test material. For this reason, spring-loaded probes and self<br />

comparison coil or differential coil arrangements are frequently used. With<br />

eddy current testing, lift-off is a complex variable that can be detected and<br />

compensated for through frequency selection to achieve a desirable<br />

operating point on the complex impedance plane.<br />

Charlie Chong/ Fion Zhang

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!