Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers for Nondestructive Evaluation

This article describes the basic features of electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) and discusses their existing and some potential uses within the field of ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (UNDE). It provides sufficient basic and practical information to make an informed choice when considering the transducer to be used for any particular UNDE application. The article describes how different types of EMATs operate and presents their fundamental and some practical limitations. It summarizes the representative literature for electromagnetic acoustic transducer UNDE applications. Some successful uses of EMATs are mentioned to illustrate the depth, range, and potential of commercial EMAT applications. The article concludes with information on the commercial sources for EMAT systems and components.