Ultrasonic Assessment of Permanent Joints of Powder Metallurgy Parts Obtained by Pulsed Electromagnetic Field

Abstract

Radial pressing by a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) is a fast and effective way of rigid connection of thin-walled powder parts. The quality of joining depends on well-chosen intensity and uniformity of the applied PEMF. The difficulty of non-destructive tests of joints by standard ultrasonic flaw detectors is often caused by a curved shape and a small radius of parts. The coarse-grained structure and porosity of powder parts cause a strong attenuation of ultrasound at frequencies above 3 MHz. Two ultrasonic methods were compared for sensitivity to weak and tight connections of “bush-on-bush” and “bush-on-rod” joints – pulse-echo and time-of-flight (TOF). Bushes were made of powder bronze graphite. The pulse-echo method was implemented using a commercial flaw detector with a 3MHz dual-element probe. A custom setup with quasi-point transducers at 2MHz was used in the TOF method. Weak joining between parts resulted in increased reflection of ultrasound from the bonded zones between the parts and the corresponding changes in the ultrasonic patterns. Both methods are potentially applicable to quality assurance in PEMF joining, where TOF is preferable for testing small curved parts.