A LabVIEW-based real-time acquisition system for crack detection in conductive materials

Abstract Large number of measurement techniques involves the scanning of a probe, while a physical quantity is measured. Data acquisition therefore requires high acquisition rates, together with an accurate synchronization between the probe control and the measurement. LabVIEW-based graphical programming language provides the flexibility of integration of data acquisition software/hardware for automated test and measurement applications using National Instruments (NI) high-speed data acquisition boards. This paper describes a new LabVIEW-Based automatic test system that can be used for eddy current testing (ECT) tests and measurements. The system deals with a pancake type coil, placed above a flat conductive plate with a crack. In order to achieve the crack detection, the probe scans the target and signals are collected by a NI data acquisition board. The software of the system has been developed using LabVIEW in order to realize the real time data acquisition of coil’s impedance. To verify the experimental results, simulations were performed using 3D finite element method. The system designed can be used for both education and specific research purposes.