Title: Defect characterisation in ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic aircraft plate materials using an electromagnetic acoustic transducer

Authors: Sadiq Thomas; Evans Chinemezu Ashigwuike

Addresses: Air Force Institute of Technology, School of Air Engineering, Nigerian Airforce Base, PMB 2104, Kaduna ' Centre for Electronic System Research, Brunel University, London, Middlesex UB8 3PH, UK

Abstract: Non-destructive testing (NDT) is useful in aerospace industries for the maintenance of aircraft parts, such as thickness measurements, corrosion and defect detection in materials. The most common form of NDT is visual inspection and condition monitoring; however, in many situations, resources has to be made to use of special technique and instruments such as eddy current, magnetic particle radiography and ultrasonic. In this work, a finite element analysis of an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) is presented. EMAT is an emerging technology that provides a non-contact process of testing materials compared with ultrasonic sensors that requires a coupling medium. The acoustic properties of the material are investigated, which involves the coupling of several physical parameters. An investigation of defect detection in ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic materials is conducted. Results obtained show that the model is capable of detecting defects in non-ferromagnetic and ferromagnetic plates of an aircraft using an EMAT.

Keywords: finite element analysis; FEA; defects; ultrasonic testing; ultrasonic sensors; EMAT; electromagnetic acoustic transducers; eddy current; NDT; nondestructive testing; aerospace industry; aircraft plates; component maintenance; defect detection.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2014.066919

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2014 Vol.9 No.3/4/5, pp.401 - 412

Published online: 16 Jan 2015 *

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