A Response Surface Methodology Model for Optimizing Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers’ Parameters

Abstract

Flaw detection is one of the most important problems that pipeline industries are concerned. Conventional ultrasonic method needs coupling medium, and is not more suitable for in-line inspection systems. Electromagnetic acoustic transducers can be used as a good alternative technique in the applications of in-line inspection. However, it is relatively new technique and effectively needs more research. The response resolution is directly related on amplitude of ultrasonic waves. This paper presents signal amplitude model in inspection of steel plate in terms of magnetic current, static magnetic field and thickness of plate using response surface methodology. The established equation shows that the magnetic current was found to be main influencing factor on the signal amplitude. The variance analysis for the polynomial model reveals that the interaction terms and the square terms for static magnetic field except the interaction with magnetic current were statistically insignificant. However, it could be seen that the second-order effect of static magnetic field is significant. After magnetic current, thickness of plate is the most influencing factor on signal amplitude while the impact of static magnetic field is negligible.

Keywords

• electromagnetic acoustic transducers
• response surface methodology
• flaw detection
• and inspection