[6B4] Automatic testing of welds of resistive elements of switching equipment of the superconducting magnetic system of the thermonuclear reactor ITER
V Syasko¹, G A Filippov² and P Solomenchuk¹
¹Constanta Ltd, Russia
²Intek Ltd, Russia
In the design of the elements of the switching equipment for power supply and protection of the superconducting magnetic system of the ITER thermonuclear reactor, powerful resistor assemblies are used, the end welded joints of which must undergo mandatory 100% automatic inspection after manufacture.
The testing of end welds involves automatic scanning with a non-contact eddy current measuring probe and determination of the penetration depth. Scanning is performed using a six-axis manipulator. Before performing eddy current control, a group of welds is automatically scanned with a laser scanner and the actual position and profile of each weld is determined, after which a scanning map is built using a neural network. Then, the welds are scanned by an eddy current probe along the calculated trajectory in compliance with the specified control parameters.
Setting up the system, its adjustment, setting of acceptance levels, as well as checking the correctness of operation in automatic mode, is carried out using a special reference block with artificial defects.
The report describes in detail the model ‘eddy current probe – object of testing’, the structure and configuration of an automatic non-destructive testing system, algorithms for the formation of a scanning map using a laser scanner, procedures for obtaining and processing measurement information, as well as presenting the control results. Metrological characteristics and examples of the formation of scanning maps and real protocols of eddy current testing of welds of resistive elements are given.
The testing of end welds involves automatic scanning with a non-contact eddy current measuring probe and determination of the penetration depth. Scanning is performed using a six-axis manipulator. Before performing eddy current control, a group of welds is automatically scanned with a laser scanner and the actual position and profile of each weld is determined, after which a scanning map is built using a neural network. Then, the welds are scanned by an eddy current probe along the calculated trajectory in compliance with the specified control parameters.
Setting up the system, its adjustment, setting of acceptance levels, as well as checking the correctness of operation in automatic mode, is carried out using a special reference block with artificial defects.
The report describes in detail the model ‘eddy current probe – object of testing’, the structure and configuration of an automatic non-destructive testing system, algorithms for the formation of a scanning map using a laser scanner, procedures for obtaining and processing measurement information, as well as presenting the control results. Metrological characteristics and examples of the formation of scanning maps and real protocols of eddy current testing of welds of resistive elements are given.
