Surface flaw detection system to facilitate nondestructive inspection of a component and methods of assembling the same
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsWilliam Stewart McKnight, Ui Suh, Yuri Plotnikov, Changting Wang, Ralph Gerald Isaacs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of assembling an eddy current array probe to facilitate nondestructive testing of a sample is provided. The method includes positioning a plurality of differential side mount coils at least partially within a flexible material. The method also includes coupling the flexible material within a tip portion of the eddy current array probe, such that the flexible material has a contour that substantially conforms to a portion of a surface of the sample to be tested.
Claims11
A method of assembling an eddy current array probe to facilitate nondestructive testing of a sample, said method comprises:
- winding a plurality of differential side mount coils about flexible fibers such that each of the differential side mount coils encircles a flexible fiber;
- coupling the plurality of differential side mount coils and flexible fibers to a compressible tip portion of the eddy current array probe, such that the compressible tip portion has a contour that substantially conforms to a portion of a surface of the sample to be tested.
An eddy current testing device comprising:
- an eddy current array probe comprising a tip portion;
- and
- a plurality of differential side mount coils positioned at least partially within said tip portion of said eddy current array probe, said plurality of differential side mount coils flexibly coupled together to form an array of coils wherein said plurality of differential side mount coils are wound about one or more flexible fibers such that each of the differential side mount coils encircles a flexible fiber, wherein at least two coils of the plurality of differential side mount coils are wound about a same flexible fiber, the at least two coils spaced along the same flexible fiber, the at least two coils of the plurality of differential side mount coils flexibly coupled together using the same flexible fiber.
A surface flaw detection system to facilitate nondestructive inspection of a component, said system comprising:
- a control system;
- and
- at least one eddy current array probe communicatively coupled to said control system, said eddy current array probe comprising:
- a compressible assembly coupled to said eddy current array probe, said compressible assembly configured to substantially conform to a portion of a surface being tested when forced against the portion of the surface being tested;
- and
- a plurality of differential side mount coils wound about one or more flexible fibers, such that each of the differential side mount coils encircles a flexible fiber, and oriented in an array at least two coils of said plurality of coils wound about a same flexible fiber, said at least two coils spaced along the same flexible fiber, said at least two coils flexibly coupled together using the same flexible fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.