Computer optimization of electromagnetic acoustic transducers

Electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) are well known devices that are commercially available. Their advantage is that they do not require a coupling medium and/or contact to the part being inspected; the disadvantage is their low transduction efficiency. In order to optimize their efficiency, the EMATs are best customized to their particular application with special attention to the material properties and geometry of the part to be inspected. Here we report-apparently for the first time-on numerical simulation of electromagnetic acoustic transduction for both the transmitting and receiving case. The emphasis in this paper is on guided wave generation and reception in thin plates. We have adapted the finite element/boundary element program entitled CAPA to computer simulate the electromagnetic acoustic transduction process