Design and Study of Pulsed Eddy Current Sensor for Detecting Surface Defects in Small-Diameter Bars

The design and study of pulsed eddy current sensors for detecting surface defects in small-diameter rods are highly significant. Accurate detection and identification of surface defects in small-diameter rods may be attained by the ongoing optimization of sensor design and enhancement of detection technologies. This article presents the construction of a non-coaxial differential eddy current sensor (Tx-Rx sensor) and examines the detection of surface defects in a small diameter bar. A COMSOL 3D model is developed to examine the variations in eddy current distribution and defect signal characteristics between the plate and rod components. The position of the excitation coil on the bar and the eddy current disruption around the defect are examined. Additionally, a Tx-Rx sensor has been developed and enhanced concerning coil dimensions, coil separation, and elevation height. An experimental system is established to detect bar structures with surface defects of varying depths, and a model correlating differential signal attenuation with defect depth is proposed, achieving a quantitative relative error of less than 5%, thereby offering a reference for the quantitative detection of bar surface defects.