Patent ID: 6414483
Filing Date: 2002-07-02
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method of inspecting a preselected area of an electrically conductive component to determine whether flaws are present therein, the method comprising:permanently mounting an eddy current element comprising a plurality of eddy current coils arranged in an array on the component over the preselected area, each of said plurality of eddy current coils being located at a predetermined position within the array so that each of said coils is positioned at a predetermined location in the preselected area of the component when the element is mounted thereto; attaching a conduit to the component; attaching a lead to the eddy current element for selectively connecting she eddy current element to remote eddy current inspection equipment; threading the lead through the conduit; energizing the element to generate alternating magnetic fields proximate the component thereby inducing eddy currents in the component; detecting with each of said plurality of coils in the element an electrical signal generated by a secondary magnetic field formed proximate the component by the eddy currents induced by the element; and comparing the electrical signal detected by each of said plurality of coils in the element to a reference signal to determine whether the detected signal is different than the reference signal thereby indicating presence of a flaw in the component at a particular location within the component generally corresponding to the predetermined location of the coil being compared.