Patent ID: 8146431

Claim:
A method for nondestructive testing of a metallic workpiece ( 11 ) using a testing head, which has an electromagnetic ultrasonic transducer ( 1 ) having a magnetic field source ( 2 ) and a magnetic field sensor ( 3 ), wherein the method comprises the following steps: an excitation pulse is transmitted using the ultrasonic transducer ( 1 ) to the workpiece ( 11 ) to generate an ultrasonic wave, a response signal is measured using the magnetic field sensor ( 3 ), testing information, preferably transit time information of the ultrasonic wave, is ascertained on the basis of an ultrasonic echo component of the response signal measured by the magnetic field sensor ( 3 ), and wall thickness information about the thickness of the workpiece ( 11 ) is ascertained therefrom, and further information, wherein wall thickness information and distance information about the distance of the testing head from the workpiece ( 11 ) is ascertained by a supplementary analysis on the basis of a magnetic field component of the response signal measured by the magnetic field sensor ( 3 ), wherein the testing head used has an excitation coil ( 4 ), using which the excitation pulse is generated, the magnetic field component used to ascertain the further information, in particular the distance information, containing an alternating field component of an alternating field generated by the excitation coil and the alternating field component being analyzed to ascertain the distance information.