ECT Inspection Technique

Setup and Calibration

Setup – Creation
 Click the Setup menu,
and then click Wizard…
 Enter a name and a
description for the setup.
 Select the equipment to
be used for the
inspection.
 Select Eddy Current
technology.
 Click Create.
Setup – Frequency selection
 Select the material to inspect in the Material list.
 Enter the wall thickness of the tube.
 The F90 frequency is automatically calculated. If you want a different
value, you can edit it yourself.
 Select Bobbin or AC in the Type list.
 Select Internal or External in the Reference list.
 Select 4pins or 41pins in the Connector list.
Setup – Channel selection
 Select the frequencies to be used by selecting the appropriate
checkboxes. By default, we normally use 4 frequencies for differential
and absolute coils.
 Select the channel for the MIX1 signal. Typically, Channel 1 is D90 and
Channel 2 is D90/2.
 If you want, type a different name for each channel.
 If you want, you can also manually edit the frequency value.
Setup – Calibration points
 Select the calibration points present in the calibration tube.
 If you are using an ASME calibration tube, the minimum
requirement is:
– Hole, ID groove, and an OD defect.
 These defects will be used to build the depth curve.

Hole used for the rotation

and gain of DIF channels

Flat bottom holes for

depth curve

OD or ID groove for
ABS channels

Support for the mix

Setup – Depth curves
 There are default codes to describe the tube condition (OBS, DNT,
PLG, etc.) and to characterize defects.
 The codes for defect characterization are associated with a depth curve
measurement. Ensure they are defined as follows:
– PIT, for small defect sizing (D90 or D180 with a /depth curve)
– WLL, for large defect sizing (A90 channel with a /depth curve)
– DSI, for defect at support (MIX1 channel with a /depth curve)
Setup – Calibration
 If you follow the ASME standard:
– The differential signal is calibrated on the Hole at 40 deg and 1 V.
– The absolute signal is set the same way.
 To avoid saturation of the absolute channel on large defect, it could be
useful to perform calibration on a large defect.
– For example, the absolute channel can be set on a larger diameter hole or
on the IDGROOVE (10 deg and 5 V).
 Click Finish to complete the setup.
Setup – Loading an existing setup
 Rather than using the
setup wizard, you can
load a previously stored
setup. To do this:
– Click the Setup menu,
and then click Load…
– Use the scroll bar to find
your setup.
– Click the setup name
you want.
– Click Load.
Main Layout description
 Select the D90 and
A90 channels by D90 A90 D90 D180
clicking in the upper-
left corner.
 In the same way,
select D90, D180,
MIX1, and A90 in the
four impedance MIX1 A90
planes.
 For the strip charts,
select the appropriate
signal component by
clicking the upper-
right corner of the
strip chart ( and ).
Calibration tube acquisition
 Insert the probe into the
calibration tube.
 Make sure it is located
where there is no
defect.
 Click the Balance icon
(    ) to balance the
probe.
 Click Start to start the
acquisition.
 Pull the probe through
the tube.
 Click Stop.
Channels and depth curves calibration
 On the toolbar, click
on the System
Calibration icon (    ).
 To calibrate a defect
signal:
– Click Channel &
depth curves.
– Select the defect
signal using the red
cursors.
– Click the appropriate
reference name in the
References list.
– Click the Match
Maximum button.
Channels and depth curves calibration
 Repeat the calibration
measurements for all
reference defects in the
tube.
 Do not forget to
measure the support
plate. This
measurement is used
for the MIX channel.
 If you do not measure
all the defects, select
the Partial calibration
check box.
 Click Calibrate.
 Click Close.
Channels and depth curves calibration
 If the calibration fails,
you can determine
the cause by
examining the
calibration details:
– Click Details…
– Click the Processed
Channels tab
– Problematic
channels will have a
gain value of 15. (If
this happens,
increase the gain in
the MS5800 or
TC5700 settings.)
Channels and depth curve calibration
 It is possible to display the phase-to-
depth curve by double-clicking Depth
Curves on the Setup sidebar.
 A curve is displayed for each channel
selected during the setup creation
(A90, D90, MIX1).
 To make a correction to a specific
defect entry:
– Select the channel curve to modified.
– For manual modification, double-click
the angle to change, and enter a new
value.
– For a new automatic measurement:
» Select the Ref. name to modify.
» Select the corresponding defect in the
strip chart.
» Click Measure.
Manual calibration
 Rotation and gain can be
manually adjusted on each
channel:
– Click the automatic
measurement icon (    ).
– Select the Hole defect by using
the red cursors.
– Move the mouse into the
impedance plane:
» To set the rotation, press and
hold the CTRL key. While
holding the CTRL key, left-click
and drag the mouse.
» To set the gain, do the same
as for the rotation, this time
using a right-click.
– During these adjustments, the
phase and amplitude are
displayed in the upper-left
corner of the impedance plane.
Depth-curve optimization
 To optimize depth-curve
measurements (because
the calibration flaws are not
always 20%, 40%, 60%,
and 80% deep):
– Double-click the Analysis
setup option in the Setup
sidebar.
– Click the Calibration Points
tab.
– Double-click on the depth
value that needs to be
corrected.
– Edit the value.
– Repeat for all defects that
need correction.
Setup modification – MS5800 (1/2)
 In the setup mode, click
ET Channels.
 To modify a parameter
related to the generator,
click the Generator tab.
 Select the generator to
modify (here, ECT #1).
 For a frequency change:
– Enter a new value.
– Click in another field.
– Click Apply.
 Repeat these steps to
change the amplitude
voltage if required.
Setup modification – MS5800 (2/2)
 To modify a parameter related to
the channels, click the
Raw Channels tab.
 For example, to change the gain
value:
– Enter a new value.
– Click in another field.
– Click Apply.
 Repeat these steps to change
other settings like the channel
name, or the channel type.
 To reduce noise, it is very
common to add a filter to the ABS
channels. To do this:
– Select a LP filter.
– Enter the cutoff frequency.
– Click in another field.
– Click Apply.
Setup modification – TC5700
 In the setup mode, click the
ECT button.
 To modify a parameter; for
example, Frequency:
– Enter a new value in the
corresponding field.
– Click Apply.
 Repeat for other
parameters if required:
– Gain
– Filter
– Drive Level
– Channel Name