Inspection method and system using multifrequency phase analysis

• US 7,206,706 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wang, Changting, McKnight, William Stewart, Suh, Ui, Ertekin, Serkan
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Washburn; Douglas N
• Application Number:
  US11/210,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20060217908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 702/57, 702/81, 702/64
• US Class Current: 702/64
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/9046 by analysing electrical signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/9086 Calibrating of recording device

Abstract

A method for inspecting a part is provided. The method includes applying a number of multifrequency excitation signals to a probe to generate a number of multifrequency response signals for the part being inspected. The method further includes performing a multifrequency phase analysis on the multifrequency response signals to inspect a subsurface of the part. An inspection system is provided and includes an eddy current (EC) probe configured to induce eddy currents in a part. The system further includes an eddy current instrument coupled to the EC probe and configured to apply multifrequency excitation signals to the EC probe to generate multifrequency response signals. The system further includes a processor configured to analyze the multifrequency response signals from the EC instrument by performing a multifrequency phase analysis, to inspect a subsurface of the part.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting a part, the method comprising:

applying a plurality of multifrequency excitation signals to a probe to generate a plurality of multifrequency response signals for the part being inspected;

and performing a multifrequency phase analysis on the multifrequency response signals,

wherein the probe is an eddy current probe, wherein the applying step induces a plurality of eddy currents in the part, wherein the multifrequency response signals are generated by the eddy currents induced in the part with the eddy current probe, and wherein performing the multifrequency phase analysis comprises;

identifying a reference dataset, wherein the reference dataset comprises at least two frequency response signals, and wherein the at least two frequency response signals comprise distinct frequency ranges;

mixing the at least two frequency response signals to determine a plurality of processing parameters;

and applying the processing parameters to a multifrequency response signal dataset to generate a noise-filtered dataset, the method further comprising;

using the multifrequency phase analysis to inspect a subsurface of the part.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising selecting a plurality of frequencies for the multifrequency signals such that Δ

θ

_d(t)−

Δ

θ

_n(t) is in a range from about 135°

to about 225°

wherein Δ

θ

_d(t) is a phase change of a flaw response, and wherein Δ

θ

_n(t) is the phase change of a noise feature.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the frequency response signals comprises a real component and an imaginary component, and wherein mixing the at least two frequency response signals comprises rotating the phase of at least one frequency response signal.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising scaling the real component and scaling the imaginary component of at least one frequency response signal.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising performing a time-shift operation on at least one of the frequency response signals.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising minimizing a residual corresponding to the processing parameters, wherein the residuals represent undesired noise features in the at least two frequency response signals.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein mixing the at least two frequency response signals comprises subtracting a first frequency response signal from a rotated and scaled second frequency response signal.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a phase analysis on the noise-filtered dataset, wherein the phase analysis comprises obtaining phase information and magnitude information associated with the noise filtered dataset.

9. A method for performing subsurface defect inspections using eddy currents, the method comprising:

applying a plurality of multifrequency signals to an eddy current probe;

generating a plurality of multifrequency response signals from the plurality of multifrequency signals, wherein the plurality of multifrequency response signals are included in a multifrequency response dataset;

identifying a reference free dataset comprising at least two frequency response signals, wherein the reference free dataset is a subset of the multifrequency response dataset, and wherein the at least two frequency signals comprise distinct frequency ranges;

mixing the at least two frequency response signals to determine a plurality of processing parameters;

applying the plurality of processing parameters to the multifrequency response signal dataset to generate a noise-filtered image dataset;

performing a phase analysis on the noise-filtered dataset, and using the noise filtered dataset to inspect a subsurface of a part.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising selecting a plurality of frequencies to generate the plurality of multifrequency signals.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein mixing the at least two frequency response signals comprises rotating the phase of at least one frequency response signal and scaling the real component and scaling the imaginary component of at least one frequency response signal.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising minimizing the residual corresponding to the processing parameters, wherein the residuals represent undesired noise features in the at least two frequency response signals.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein mixing the at least two frequency response signals comprises subtracting a first frequency response signal from a rotated and scaled second frequency response signal.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the phase analysis comprises obtaining phase information and magnitude information associated with the noise-filtered dataset.

15. An inspection system comprising:

an eddy current probe configured to induce eddy currents in a part, for performing an inspection of the part;

an eddy current instrument coupled to the eddy current probe, wherein the eddy current instrument is configured to apply a plurality of multifrequency excitation signals to the eddy current probe to generate a plurality of multifrequency response signals; and

a processor configured to analyze the multifrequency response signals from the eddy current instrument by performing a multifrequency phase analysis, to inspect a subsurface of the part, wherein the processor is further configured to;

identify a reference dataset, wherein the reference dataset comprises at least two frequency response signals, and wherein the at least two frequency response signals comprise distinct frequency ranges;

mix the at least two frequency response signals to determine a plurality of processing parameters; and

apply the processing parameters to a multifrequency response signal dataset to generate a noise-filtered dataset.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the eddy current probe is mounted on a scanner, and wherein the scanner is configured to move the probe relative to the part, for inspection of the part.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the multifrequency response signals are related to the eddy currents induced in the part by the eddy current probe.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the frequency response signals comprises a real component and an imaginary component, and wherein the processor is further configured to rotate the phase of at least one frequency response signal.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to minimize a residual corresponding to the processing parameters, and wherein the residuals represent undesired noise features in the at least two frequency response signals.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to perform a phase analysis on the noise-filtered dataset, and wherein the phase analysis comprises obtaining phase information and magnitude information associated with the noise filtered dataset.

21. A computer-readable medium storing computer instructions for instructing a computer system for performing subsurface defect inspections, the computer instructions comprising:

applying a plurality of multifrequency signals to an eddy current probe to generate a plurality of multifrequency response signals, wherein the plurality of multifrequency response signals are included in a multifrequency response dataset;

identifying a reference dataset comprising at least two frequency response signals, wherein the reference dataset is a subset of the multifrequency response dataset, and wherein the at least two frequency signals comprise distinct frequency ranges;

mixing the at least two frequency response signals to determine a plurality of processing parameters;

applying the plurality of processing parameters to the multifrequency response signal dataset to generate a noise-filtered dataset;

performing a phase analysis on the noise-filtered image dataset;

and using the noise-filtered dataset to inspect a subsurface of a part.