DEVELOPMENT OF A HAND-HELD, FLEXIBLE EDDY CURRENT PROBE FOR INSPECTION OF CURVING SURFACES

To enable GE Aircraft Engines to meet stringent engine inspection requirements a new eddy current inspection technology has been developed — the Eddy Current Array Probe (ECAP) [1]. The ECAP is based upon flexible micro-fabricated eddy current sensor elements that are capable of conforming to complex geometries. The technology has been used quite successfully by GE Aircraft Engines to inspect fracture critical aircraft engine components in a manufacturing environment.