➢ Eddy currents are defined as oscillating electrical currents induced in a conductive material

by an alternating magnetic field, due to electromagnetic induction.

➢ ECT is used for sorting materials, measurement and control of dimensions of tubes, sheets
and rods, coating thickness and pre-service and in-service examination of heat exchanger
tubes for detection of defects.
➢ An alternating current (A.C) of frequency 1kHz – 2MHz is made to flow in a coil which in
turn, produces an alternating magnetic field around it.
➢ This coil when brought close to the electrically conducting surface of a metallic material to
be inspected, induces an eddy current flow in the material due to electromagnetic induction.
➢ These eddy currents are generally parallel to the coil winding. The presence of any defect or
discontinuity in the material disturbs the eddy current flow.
➢ ✓ Detection of discontinuities / surfacebreaking cracks. ✓ Conductivity measurement. ✓
Inspection of tube. ✓ Thickness measurement.
➢ Only conductive materials can be inspected x Surface mustbe accessible to the probe x
Surface finish and roughnessmay interfere x Reference standards needed for setup x Depth
of penetration is limited

Generation of ultrasound Piezo-electric materials form the basis of electro-mechanical transducers.

The original piezoelectric material used was natural quartz. Quartz is still used to some extent but
other materials, including barium titanate, lead metaniobate and lead zirconate, are used widely.
When an alternating voltage is applied across the thickness of a disc of piezo-electric material, the
disc will contract and expand, and in so doing will generate a compression wave normal to the disc in
the surrounding medium. When quartz is used the disc is cut in a particular direction from a natural
crystal, but the transducer discs made from ceramic materials such as barium titanate are composed
of many small crystals fused together, the crystals being permanently polarized to vibrate in one
plane only. Wave generation is most efficient when the transducer crystal vibrates at its natural
frequency, and this is determined by the dimensions and elastic constants of the material used.
Hence, a 10 MHz crystal will be thinner than a 5 MHz crystal. A transducer for sound generation will
also detect sound. An ultrasonic wave incident on a crystal will cause it to vibrate, producing an
alternating current across the crystal faces. In some ultrasonic testing techniques two transducers are
used - one to transmit the beam and the other acting as the receiver - but in very many cases only
one transducer is necessary. This acts as both transmitter and receiver. Ultrasound is transmitted as a
series of pulses of extremely short duration and during the time interval between transmissions the
crystal can detect reflected signals.