The invention relates to an eddy current sensor element for non-destructive testing of a substrate, having an assembly of at least a first and a second flat coil, wherein the first flat coil and the second flat coil each have a triangular shape with a first to third coil edge, wherein one of the edges of the first flat coil and one of the edges of the second flat coil are arranged adjacent and parallel to each other, and wherein the assembly has a quadrangular shape. The invention further relates to an eddy current sensor for the non-destructive testing of a substrate, having a plurality of the eddy current sensor elements.

A probe including a plurality of links connected together in series, wherein the plurality of links create a flexible compartment containing at least a first and second exciter means and at least one pair of detector means, wherein the exciter means are driven by an alternating current to produce an alternating magnetic field, and the detector means are configured to detect the magnetic field of an induced eddy current caused by the exciter means magnetic field.

Tubular member end area inspection systems and methods. One system includes a frame, a movable carriage including a magnetic flux generator, and inner and outer detector assemblies. The movable carriage, magnetic flux generator, inner and outer detector assemblies each have an inlet opening for accepting an end area of a tubular member therein and between the inner and outer detector assemblies. The inner and outer detector assemblies each having one or more magnetic or eddy current detectors adapted to be spaced a distance from inner and outer surfaces of the end area of the tubular member. An actuator assembly connecting the frame and the movable carriage includes a sensor adapted to sense an end of the tubular member and direct the movable carriage from a rest position to an inspection position about the end area of the tubular member.

In various aspects, 3D printers, and sensor systems coupled to or integrated with the 3D printers are disclosed. The sensor systems may include image and second sensors for detecting potential defects or print artifacts. During printing, an energy beam source forms a weld pool by melting selected regions of print material, which solidifies to produce the build piece. The image sensor may image an area including the weld pool to determine a landing location of matter ejected during the heating of print material to form the weld pool. The second sensor may detect a defect in the build piece based on the determination of the landing location. Print operation may be suspended while the sensor data is used to repair the defect, after which 3D printing resumes. In this way, for example, high quality build pieces can be produced with reduced post-processing times, and hence a higher manufacturing throughput.

In various aspects, 3D printers and recoaters incorporate sensor systems coupled to or integrated with the 3D printers. The sensor systems may include eddy current sensors and other sensors configured to measure an electromagnetic characteristic of the build piece. A three-dimensional (3-D) printer in one aspect includes a depositor configured to deposit metal, an energy beam source configured to selectively melt the metal to form a portion of a build piece, and a sensor configured to move relative to a surface of the print area and to measure an electromagnetic characteristic of the portion of the print area. The measured data can be used to detect defects and other information about the build piece that can be used to fix the defects or enhance the build piece geometry during the printing.

Disclose is a system and method for real-time measurement and feedback of metrology and metallurgical data during additive manufacturing (AM) part fabrication. This solution promises to provide higher performance, lower cost AM parts. A sensor is placed either in the rake/roller or following the rake/roller so that it has no impact on the process efficiency and can be used to provide real-time feedback and an archived digital map of the entire part volume. The solution provides non-contact sensing of AM layer's electrical conductivity in a high-temperature environment, metallurgical property verification, porosity imaging, local defect detection and sizing, local material temperature monitoring, and grain anisotropy imaging. Part geometry, the AM powder, and the laser/material interface are monitored in real-time. Dual mode sensing using magnetoquasistatic and optical sensors enhance results. Real-time nonlinear control of the AM fabrication process is performed based on the sensor data.

A resistance measurement device for measuring sheet resistance of an electrically conductive film that is long in one direction includes a probe unit disposed to face the electrically conductive film; a scanning unit that allows the probe unit to scan in a cross direction crossing the one direction over both a conveyance region and a non-conveyance region of the electrically conductive film; and an arithmetic unit that calculates a sheet resistance of the electrically conductive film based on a voltage measured by the probe unit. The arithmetic unit has a memory that memorizes a reference voltage measured in the non-conveyance region, and corrects, based on the reference voltage, an actual voltage measured by allowing the probe unit to scan in the cross direction in the conveyance region.

A system, apparatus, and method of quickly inspecting tubes of chemical plants is provided, where one or more tube inspection apparatuses are used to simultaneously perform electromagnetic testing (“ET”) of multiple tubes of a chemical plant by simultaneously lowering probes into separate tubes and transmitting the data to a processor. In some embodiments, the data from the probes can be transmitted in real or near-real time to a remote processor for analysis to determine whether any defects exist in the tubes and the extent of such defects.

Some embodiments of the invention may include an eddy current nondestructive evaluation device. The eddy current nondestructive evaluation device may include a rotating body; a motor coupled with the rotating body such that the motor rotates the rotating body; a permanent magnet coupled with the rotating body; a pickup coil coupled with the rotating body; and an integrator circuit electrically coupled with the pickup coil that integrates a voltage from the pickup coil to produce integrated voltage data.

An eddy current flaw detecting probe includes a plurality of excitation coils (3) which is configured to generate an eddy current in an inspection target and a plurality of detection coils (4) which are differentially connected to each other. The plurality of detection coils (4) includes a first detection coil (41) which is disposed on a second center line (4a) intersecting a first center line (3a) which connects a center of a first excitation coil (31) and a center of a second excitation coil (32) to each other and a second detection coil (42) which is disposed on a side opposite to the first detection coil (41) on the second center line (4a). The excitation coil (3) and the detection coil (4) are disposed to be inclined toward an inspection target surface as approaching each other.