An Eddy-Current Testing Method for Measuring the Thickness of Metallic Plates

Abstract

Thickness measurements of metallic plates are mandatory in many industrial scenarios. Methods based on eddy-current testing (ECT) are ideal for fast and accurate online contactless thickness measurements, making them very attractive in the Industry 4.0 scenario. This contribution is focused on a specific and robust ECT technique proposed in the past by the scientific community. The main limitation is its applicability to thin materials only, where the thickness of the material is much smaller than the overall size of the ECT probe. Extending the range of applicability to thicker materials introduces a progressive and severe degradation of the measurement accuracy. In this article, we analyze the theoretical foundation of this method with an entirely original approach based on the celebrated Buckingham π theorem. In doing this, we draw the complete theoretical picture of the method, providing a simple, clear, and rigorous view of its performance and intrinsic limitations. Moreover, we propose two solutions, one analytical and the other iterative, to accurately estimate the thickness of the materials from thin to thick values. Finally, a numerical analysis combined with an experimental campaign confirms the effectiveness of the proposed solutions, making the method suitable for industrial and other applications.