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Magneto-resistive (MR) sensor arrays are suited for high resolution eddy current testing (ET) of aerospace components due to two significant advantages compared to conventional coil systems. First, to obtain high spatial resolution they can be manufactured down to the µm-regime without losing their outstanding field sensitivity. Secondly, MR technology has a relatively frequency-independent sensitivity in the range of common ET-frequencies thus providing a benefit for low frequency applications.
This paper presents measurements using MR array probes consisting of 32 TMR-elements (tunnel magneto resistance), an ASIC, and subsequent readout components. A source for generating the eddy currents inside the material under test is also implemented onboard of the PCB. These probes were developed in the IMAGIC-project* for detection and imaging of surface breaking defects.
The performance of the new sensor system has been investigated for several mock-ups, Aluminum and Titanium plate specimens having small adjacent boreholes with diameter of 0.44 mm and micro notches in the µm-range, respectively. To compare our results we used conventional eddy current probes. The MR sensor elements have a length of around 60 µm leading to a nearly 'point like' measurement. Neighbouring boreholes (depth 0.25 mm) with a separation of 0.6 mm between their centres could be resolved with a good SNR, and more important, the boreholes could be confidently distinguished using the TMR-probes. In case of conventional probes a reliable separation was not possible. In this paper we present the MR-ET-probes of the IMAGIC consortium and a comparison with conventional techniques.
*The IMAGIC-project ('Integrated Magnetic imagery based on spIntronics Components', 2011 – 2014, project reference: 288381) was funded by the European Commission, Seventh Framework Programme. Further partners involved in the consortium beside BAM and CEA were INESC-ID and INESC-MN (Portugal), Sensitec GmbH (Germany), Tecnatom S.A. (Spain), and Airbus Group (France).
Electromagnetic methods are widely used in Non-destructive Testing industries (NDT). In order to meet the requirements, safety-relevant products and structures have to be tested reliably during production or within subsequent maintenance cycles. For this purpose industrial users call for adapted testing methods which allow the detection of relevant defects such as cracks and pore in ferromagnetic or conductive materials. Automated testing systems and the application of sensor arrays are of great interest in order to enhance inspection quality and to decrease testing time and costs. Magneto resistance (MR) sensors like giant magneto resistance (GMR) or tunnel magneto resistance sensor (TMR) have proofed their suitability in many NDT-applications due to their extraordinary properties which combine high field sensitivity, a high spatial resolution and low costs. Due to their small size these sensors can be useful – in addition to the pure detection task – for a more detailed defect characterization and defect reconstruction providing defect size, orientation and geometry. This chapter gives a brief introduction of electromagnetic testing methods, i.e., magnetic particle inspection (MPI) and eddy current testing (ET), followed by two different approaches for which MR sensor arrays were successfully adapted.