Eddyfi® TSC Amigo2 and PACE Units
Alternating current field measurement (ACFM) is an electromagnetic technique used for the detection and sizing of surface breaking cracks in metallic components and welds. It combines the advantages of the alternating current potential drop (ACPD) technique and Eddy Current Testing (ECT) in terms of defect sizing without calibration and ability to work without electrical contact respectively.
The Alternating Current Field Measurement – or ACFM – technique was specifically developed to detect and size surface-breaking defects on and around rough welds through several millimetres of non-conductive coating. This is a key advantage because just the costs associated with paint removal, post-MPI re-blasting, and recoating are typically four or five times more expensive than the MPI itself.
While the main failure point in storage tanks is corrosion in the floor plates, from either the top surface or from the underside, the welded sections are also a direct source of damage mechanisms. ACFM is proving itself as the most cost-efficient and trusted method for inspecting storage tank welds to supplement corrosion mapping, successfully detecting large cracks often missed by MPI.
You can’t deny the cost savings of ACFM over MPI; overall, ACFM jobs are typically six times less expensive than their MPI counterparts while providing the added value of a more reliable inspection with data-rich information to pass along to the asset owner.
