Midas installs automated eddy current inspection system
13/05/2010
Midas-NDT engineers have installed an automated eddy current inspection system at a United Kingdom service inspection company. The system is capable of the simultaneous inspection of both the exterior surface and the interior bore of a 2000 mm metallic shaft.Components and separate calibration pieces can be located on the bed of the system where a set of rollers rotates to create a helical inspection of the components. The automated system is capable of generating an inspection pattern that allows inspection of the calibration piece and inspection of the actual component without operator intervention.
Inspection of the external surface is carried out using an eddy current probe mounted in a probe holder on an automated gantry. The system locates the gantry to the necessary start position, lowers the probe holder onto the surface of the component and then commences a helical scan.
Inspection of the internal bore is carried out using an eddy current probe mounted in a probe holder on an automated arm. The system locates the arm to the necessary start position, lowers the probe holder onto the surface of the component and then commences a helical scan.
A GE Inspection Technologies XL Vu borescope is connected to the arm to allow an operator to visually monitor the position of the eddy current probe at all times.
The system utilises two GE Inspection Technologies Vector 2D eddy current instruments to simultaneously acquire data from both the external surface and internal bore of a component whilst carrying out a computer controlled helical scan of the component.
Data from the eddy current instruments is plotted as a set of C-scans, allowing the operator to easily identify 0.030" x 0.015" defects and carry out all necessary evaluation using all the tools available in the Midas-NDT Zeus v3 data evaluation software package.
www.midas-ndt.co.uk
