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Eddy Current Inspection Formula
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Magnetic
Ohm's Law Impedance Phase Angle
Permeability

Where: Where: Where: Where:

I = Current (amp) Impedance f = Phase Angle (deg) Magnetic

Z = m = Permeability
V = Voltage (volt) (ohm) Inductance
XL =
Impedance Resistance Reactance(ohm) (Henries/meter)
Z = R = R = Resistance (ohm) B = Magnetic Flux
(ohm) (ohm)
XL = Inductance Density (Tesla)
More Information Reactance(ohm) More Information H = Magnetizing
Ohm's Law Calculator Phase Angle Calculator Force
More Information (Am/meter)
Electrical Electrical
Relative Conductivity &
Conductivity Conductivity
Magnetic Permeability Resistivity
(%IACS) (%IACS)
When resistivity is When conductivity in
S/m or mS/cm is known

known or

Where: Where: Where:

Relative Electrical Electrical Where:
mr =
Magnetic s = Conductivity s%IACS = Conductivity
Permeability Siemens/m (% IACS) Electrical
(dimensionless) r = Electrical s%IACS = Conductivity
Electrical
Any Given Resistivity (% IACS)
r = Resistivity
Magnetic (ohm-m) (mohm-cm) Electrical
m =
Permeability sS/m = Conductivity
Electrical
(H/m) (Siemens/meter)
smS/cm = Conductivity
Magnetic
Permeability in
(mSiemens/cm) smS/cm Electrical
= Conductivity

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 mo = Free Space More Information (mSiemens/cm)
(H/m), which is
1.257 x 10-6 H/m More Information More Information

More Information
Standard Depth Standard Depth Standard Depth
Current Density
of Penetration of Penetration of Penetration
When electrical When electrical When electrical
conductivity (S/m) is conductivity resistivity
known. (%IACS) is known. (mohm-cm) is known.

In In
mm mm
Where:
In inches In
Where: inches
Current Density
Jx =
(amps/m2) Standard Where: Where:
Jo Current Density at d = Depth of
= Surface Penetration (m) Standard Depth of Standard Depth of
(amps/m2) p = 3.14 d = Penetration (mm or d = Penetration (mm
Base Natural Log Test Frequency in)
e = f = or in)
= 2.71828 (Hz) Test Frequency
f = Electrical
Distance Below Magnetic (Hz)
x = r = Resistivity
Surface Permeability Relative Magnetic (mohm-cm)
d = Standard Depth of (H/m) (1.257 x mr = Permeability
m = Test Frequency
Penetration 10-6 H/m for (dimensionless) f =
(Hz)
nonmagnetic Electrical
More Information Relative Magnetic
mat'ls) s = Conductivity mr = Permeability
Electrical (%IACS) (dimensionless)
s = Conductivity
(Siemens/m) More Information More Information

More Information
Depth of Pen Calculator

Standard Depth of Penetration Versus Frequency Chart

Eddy Current Eddy Current Eddy Current Eddy Current

Field Phase Lag Field Phase Lag Field Phase Lag Field Phase Lag
When electrical When electrical When electrical

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 In conductivity (S/m) is conductivity resistivity
Radians known. (%IACS) is known. (mohm-cm) is known.

In In In
Degrees mm mm
In
In
inches
inches
Where:
Where: Where:
Where:
Phase Lag (Rad
q = Phase Lag
or Degrees) q = Phase Lag Phase Lag
(degrees) q = q =
Distance Below (degrees) (degrees)
x = Surface (in or Distance Below Distance Below
x = Distance Below x =
mm) Surface (m) x = Surface (inch)
Surface (mm)
d = Standard Depth of p = 3.14 Electrical Resistivity
Test Frequency r =
Penetration (in or Test Frequency f = (mohm-cm)
f = (Hz)
mm) (Hz) f = Test Frequency (Hz)
Relative
Relative Magnetic Relative Magnetic
More Information mr = Magnetic mr =
Permeability mr = Permeability
Permeability (dimensionless) (dimensionless)
s = Electrical Electrical
Conductivity s = Conductivity More Information
(Siemens/m) (%IACS)
More Information More Information
Material Thickness Frequency Selection Frequency Selection
Standard Depth of Requirement for for Thickness for Flaw Detection
Penetration and Resistivity or Measurement of Thin and Nonconductive
Phase Angle Conductivity Materials Coating Thickness
Measurement Measurements
Relative When measuring Selecting a frequency that Defect Detection
Std. Phase resistivity or produces a standard A test frequency that puts
Strength
Depth Lag conductivity, the depth of penetration that the standard depth of
of EC
0 rad = thickness of the exceeds the material penetration at about the
0 e0=100% o material should be at thickness by 25% will expected depth of the
0
least 3 times the produce a phase angle of defect will provide good
1 rad = depth of penetration approximately phase separation between
d e-1=37%
57.3o to minimize material 90obetween the liftoff the defect and liftoff
2 rad = thickness effects signal and the material signals.
2d e-2=14%
114.6 o thickness change signal.
3 rad =
3d e-3=5%
171.9 o Where: Nonconductive Coating

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 4d e-4=2% 4 rad = Material Thickness Measurement
t =
229.2 o Thickness To minimize effects from
5 rad = Standard Depth the base metal the highest
5d e-5=0.7% d= practical frequency should
286.5 o of Penetration
be used.
More Information
More Information

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About the Site
Partial support for this work was provided by the NSF-ATE (Advanced Technological Education)
program through grant #DUE 0101709. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not
necessarily those of the National Science Foundation.

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