Electromagnetic tensor imaging for in-process welding inspection

焊接是当今制造业中最常用的制造技术之一。特别是，在核工业中，用铁素体和奥氏体钢制造重型容器，需要高质量的焊缝和接头焊接，以确保部件的完整性和安全性。在线焊接无损检测和评估（NDT/E）技术的发展不仅对保证此类部件的安全性至关重要，而且还显著提高了核制造的生产率。目前，为了最大限度地减少焊缝和接头的返工，在专用NDT/E舱中进行昂贵、耗时且具有潜在危险的制造中期射线照相用于NDT/E。制造过程中的检查需要在将焊接部件转移到专用NDT/E舱之前冷却，通常长达4小时。过程中焊接检查能够提供缺陷或异常的真实的时间指示，允许立即进行进一步调查，并在必要时采取纠正措施。这将对设施运营效率产生积极影响，避免后期昂贵的补救措施，从而降低整体测试和返工成本并提高生产率。目前，还没有这样的商业技术可用。如果该项目中提出的仪器成功，将在这一领域实现一个飞跃，并将对英国重型核容器制造商的生产力及其在全球市场上的竞争力产生重大影响。

Welding is one of the most commonly practiced fabrication techniques within manufacturing today. In particular, the manufacture of heavy 5 vessels such as in the nuclear industry from ferritic and austenitic steels is dependent on high quality welding of seams and joints to ensure component integrity and safety.The development of in-process welding Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation (NDT/E) technologies is vital to underpin the safety of such components, but also provide a significant improvement in nuclear manufacturing productivity. Currently, in order to minimise the need for rework of the welded seams and joints, costly, time-consuming, and potentially hazardous mid-manufacture radiography in a dedicated NDT/E bay is used for NDT/E. Mid-manufacture inspection suffers from the need to allow the welded components to cool down, typically up to 4 hours, before transferring to a dedicated NDT/E bay.In-process weld inspection would be able to provide real time indication of defects or abnormalities with the weld permitting immediate further investigation and if necessary corrective actions to be taken. This would have positive impact on facility operation efficiency, avoid costly remedy actions at a later stage, and consequently deliver a reduction in overall testing & rework costs and increased productivity. Currently, there are no such commercial techniques available.The instrument proposed in this project if successful would make a step change in this area andwould have significant impact on the UK manufacturers' productivity for heavy nuclear vessels and their competiveness in the global market.