Non destructive testing for cracks in perforated sheet metals

The production and deformation of perforated sheets introduces high levels of mechanical stress into the material. In a significant fraction, such stress levels lead to crack formation in the processed sheets. Additionally, the material might be thinned and weakened in the exposed areas; these areas tend to crack at any later dates. Currently no measuring device for the detection of such material cracks or narrowing in perforated sheet metals is in practical use. Such device should be able to test the deformed circumference of the processed sheets within the very limited time of the production cycles. This paper describes the physical principles and a metrological implementation of a potential method for fast crack detection in perforated sheet metals. Even a critical material thinning - prior to the formation of a crack - can be observed. The measuring task appears to be solvable on the basis of high frequency electromagnetic fields.