C-Scan Eddy Current Magneto-Optical Imaging Defect Detection System

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) materials are one of the most important components in aerospace, wind power plant, automotive, and other industries, the study of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) techniques for this advanced material has garnered increasing attention. The eddy current magneto-optical (ECMO) imaging technique, which combines the eddy current effect and the magneto-optical (MO) Faraday effect, is characterized by its lack of coupling agents, non-contact measurement, and low environmental requirements for detection. Generally, CFRP material is characterized as low conductivity, leading to low detection accuracy by using conventional ECMO techniques. This paper presents an ECMO C-scan imaging detection system designed to detect various types of CFRP defects. The spatial distribution of the magnetic field on the surface of CFRP material was determined using COMSOL finite element simulation software, which facilitated the optimization of traditional ECMO imaging defect detection methods. Correspondingly, MO imaging experiments were performed on defects in CFRP and titanium alloys. The results of the experiment proved that the developed system effectively detects various types of defects and the locations and sizes of various defects are clearly visualized in the scanned images. This study serves as a guide for developing an ECMO imaging inspection system for CFRP materials.