Patent ID: 6079273
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method for non-destructively inspecting an arrangement of closely spaced cylindrical objects using an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT), comprising the steps of:providing for inspection an arrangement of closely-spaced cylindrical objects, each object having a circumference;providing an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) having a meander coil sensor;locating the meander coil sensor of the EMAT at a first location in close proximity to one of the closely-spaced cylindrical objects;activating the EMAT to produce a transit signal in the one of the closely-spaced cylindrical objects;sensing the presence of a flaw signal generated by the reflection of the transit signal from a flaw in the one of the closely-spaced objects with the EMAT meander coil sensor and producing a signal indicative thereof; andcircumferentially moving the EMAT meander coil sensor a distance from the first location to a second location along the circumference of one of the closely-spaced cylindrical objects in order to obtain a complete scan of the cross-section directly beneath the EMAT meander coil sensor on the one of the closely-spaced cylindrical objects under inspection.