The Application of 3D Printing Technology to Fabricate an Imitative Crack for Electromagnetic NDTE Studies

摘要

This study evaluates the applicability of 3D printing technology for creating artificial flaws that imitate real cracks for the development of electromagnetic nondestructive testing methods. A plate containing an artificial flaw with branching and electrical contact is fabricated using a powderbed-based laser metal additive manufacturing machine. Eddy current testing using an absolute pancake probe is conducted to gather the signals due to the flaw. Subsequent finite element simulations on the basis of the results of destructive testing suggests that one should design a flaw whose signals do not change so significantly even though the profile of the flaw changes almost 0.1 mm.