Verena Reimund

Routes for GMR-Sensor Design in Non-Destructive Testing.

GMR sensors are widely used in many industrial segments such as information technology, automotive, automation and production, and safety applications. Each area requires an adaption of the sensor arrangement in terms of size adaption and alignment with respect to the field source involved. This paper deals with an analysis of geometric sensor parameters and the arrangement of GMR sensors providing a design roadmap for non-destructive testing (NDT) applications. For this purpose we use an analytical model simulating the magnetic flux leakage (MFL) distribution of surface breaking defects and investigate the flux leakage signal as a function of various sensor parameters. Our calculations show both the influence of sensor length and height and that when detecting the magnetic flux leakage of μm sized defects a gradiometer base line of 250 μm leads to a signal strength loss of less than 10% in comparison with a magnetometer response. To validate the simulation results we finally performed measurements with a GMR magnetometer sensor on a test plate with artificial μm-range cracks. The differences between simulation and measurement are below 6%. We report on the routes for a GMR gradiometer design as a basis for the fabrication of NDT-adapted sensor arrays. The results are also helpful for the use of GMR in other application when it comes to measure positions, lengths, angles or electrical currents.

FLUX LEAKAGE MEASUREMENTS FOR DEFECT CHARACTERIZATION USING A HIGH PRECISION 3‐AXIAL GMR MAGNETIC SENSOR

High‐precision magnetic field sensors are of increasing interest in non destructive testing (NDT). In particular GMR‐sensors (giant magneto resistance) are qualified because of their high sensitivity, high signal‐to‐noise ratio and high spatial resolution. With a GMR‐gradiometer and a 3D‐GMR‐magnetometer we performed magnetic flux leakage measurements of artificial cracks and cracks of a depth of ≤50 μm still could be dissolved with a sufficient high signal‐to‐noise ratio. A semi‐analytic magnetic dipole model that allows realistic GMR sensor characteristics to be incorporated is used for swiftly predicting magnetic stray fields. The reliable reconstruction based on measurements of artificial rectangular‐shaped defects is demonstrated.

Automated inspection of surface breaking cracks using GMR sensor arrays

We present a prototype for automated magnetic stray field testing of ferromagnetic roller bearings. For this purpose NDE-adapted GMR sensor arrays (giant magneto resistance) are used for the detection of surface breaking cracks. The sensors are miniaturized down to the lower μm-regime to achieve adequate spatial resolution. In doing so, sensor arrays with up to 48 elements are used to inspect the bearing surface within a few seconds only. In contrast to magnetic particle inspection (MPI), where the global magnetization requires a further inspection step and succeeding demagnetization, the presented prototype only locally magnetize the surface area in the vicinity of the GMR Sensors. For the local magnetization, the applied sub-surface magnetic field was simulated and proofed for detecting flaws with a depth of a few 10 μm. By multiplexing the sensor array with an adapted read out electronics we quasi simultaneously detect the normal field component of about 100μm above the surface. The detection of artificial notches with a depth of 40 μm and more could be resolved with a SNR better than 20 dB. The presented testing facility is fast and provides a step towards automated testing of safety relevant steel components.

Size adapted GMR arrays for the automated inspection of surface breaking cracks in roller bearings

Their small size together with a remarkable field sensitivity are the most prominent features of present-day GMR sensors paving the way for various applications in automated non-destructive testing (NDT). This work presents a prototype for fast and automated magnetic testing of roller bearings. A local magnetization unit excites the magnetic field inside the bearing. As a result of a design study and the following wafer fabrication the probe was equipped with NDT-adapted GMR sensor arrays in which 48 elements measures the field response. The detection of artificial and 40 μm deep defects could be resolved with a SNR better than 20 dB. In addition, we report of first results of a POD (Probability of Detection) analysis using GMR sensors to investigate bearings with EDM (electronic discharge machining) notches having depths down to 10 μm. Finally, we estimate successfully the depth of a 57 μm notch from the measured data.

Local magnetization unit for GMR array based magnetic flux leakage inspection

GMR sensors are increasingly used for magnetic surface inspection due to their high sensitivity and high spatial resolution. In case of simple planar or cylindrical shaped components, the GMR-based inspection procedure can be automated easily. We present GMR measurements of real fatigue cracks. In addition, we present a probe design using a local magnetization unit and commercially available GMR sensors. The design was carried out by means of finite-element method (FEM) simulations. Using the local probe we measured bearings containing artificial reference cracks of different depths and orientations. Cracks with a depth of 40 μm could be resolved with a signal-to-noise ratio better than 6. A further reduction of the measuring time can be obtained using a sensor array. For this purpose we present a study of the optimized size of the sensing GMR-layers for a NDE-adapted sensor array. The geometric sensor parameters were investigated through simulations of the magnetic flux leakage of surface cracks using an...

Development of eddy current probes based on magnetoresistive sensors arrays

Eddy Current Technique is a powerful method for detection of surface notches and of buried flaws during inspection of metallic parts. Recent EC array probes have demonstrated a fast and efficient control of large surfaces. Nevertheless, when the size of flaws decreases or the defect is rather deep, traditional winding coil probes turn out to be useless. Magnetoresistive sensors present the advantages of flat frequency response and micron size. These sensors are hence very attractive for the detection of buried defects that require low frequencies because of skin depth effect. An optimization of the probe with magnetoresistive sensors as receivers has been made by simulations using CIVA software and finite elements methods with OPERA. EC probes for buried flaw detection have been designed. Experimental results have been compared with simulations.

MAGNETIC RESPONSE FIELD OF SPHERICAL DEFECTS WITHIN CONDUCTIVE COMPONENTS

The determination of magnetic distortion fields caused by inclusions hidden in a conductive matrix using homogeneous current flow needs to be addressed in multiple tasks of electromagnetic non‐destructive testing and materials science. This includes a series of testing problems such as the detection of tantalum inclusions hidden in niobium plates, metal inclusion in a nonmetallic base material or porosity in aluminum laser welds. Unfortunately, straightforward tools for an estimation of the defect response fields above the sample using pertinent detection concepts are still missing. In this study the Finite Element Method (FEM) was used for modeling spherically shaped defects and an analytical expression developed for the strength of the response field including the conductivity of the defect and matrix, the sensor‐to‐inclusion separation and the defect size. Finally, the results also can be useful for Eddy Current Testing problems, by taking the skin effect into consideration.