Wearable flexible eddy current instruments for defect inspection of curved surfaces

The utilisation of curved structural components is prevalent, despite their proneness to degradation over time. This research introduces a wearable and flexible electromagnetic non-destructive testing instrument that is furnished with an eddy current sensor, multi-channel excitation and acquisition circuits, amplifiers, as well as signal processing circuits. A unique design for the flexible Eddy Current Testing (ECT) sensor is suggested to ensure its suitability for diverse curved surfaces. By combining the sensor with gloves, it facilitates wearable inspection. Leveraging the self-developed instrument system, this sensor can detect defects with a minimum depth of 0.1 mm while also being capable of identifying crack orientation accurately. Furthermore, it quantitatively determines the depth of defects on curved surfaces with high signal-to-noise ratios. The instrument system exhibits high portability, flexibility, and efficiency, rendering it readily adaptable for various applications.