Eddy
Current Inspection Unit
by Flare Technology, Inc.
"it MAGnifies your inspection"
Eddy
Current Inspection Unit
FLARE TECHNOLOGY is the company that designed, developed and manufactured the visual plustm unit. They are a small and highly technical company and they specialize in eddy current inspection equipment. Flare is a customer oriented and understand the needs, problems, and frustrations of small business. Flare supply instruments, probes, and technology to aerospace, automotive, the military, the energy sector and many other markets as well as the scuba market.
VISUAL EDDY eddy current inspection is a test method that very effectively locates sustained load cracking (SLC) in high pressure aluminum cylinders such as scuba and scba tanks. These are the so-called neck cracks you may have seen during visual inspection. These cracks can cause leaking and ultimately lead to catastrophic failure (explosion).
Eddy current testing is a method that uses electromagnetic waves
to measure certain material characteristics of metals.
Electrical currents are caused to flow in the metal under test by
placing a suitably connected probe near the material.
The closer the better. Certain material characteristics affect the
flow of these currents and the changes are detected
by an electronic instrument, which is something like a sophisticated
radio. The probe is not unlike an antenna as it both
sends energy and receives signals from the metal. With this method,
one can detect various types of flaws, probe to
material spacing, certain characteristics of the material and numerous
other things. Of course, for aluminum tank
inspection, we are mainly interested in the detection of what is
commonly referred to as SUSTAINED LOAD
CRACKING (SLC).
In SLC, small radial cracks start at the base of the threaded neck
area of a cylinder and propagate toward the shoulder (the cylinder body)
and up into the neck (threaded area) as the cracks grow deeper. Eventually,
these cracks can become quite deep and can lead to tank rupture. Eddy current
techniques can detect these cracks in the initial stages of formation long
before there is any real hazard.
It is very easy with the VISUAL EDDY unit. You turn the unit
on, and it will remember the previous setup and set
the internal controls to the previous values with an internal
computer. You then check the calibration of the unit by
rotating an aluminum ring over the sensitive area on the probe
and note if the pulse that is generated on the graphic display is the proper
size. Next, the probe is threaded completely into the neck area until the
active area of the probe is no longer in contact with any metal. This is
determined by noting, on the graphic display, a shift in the balance or
base line position. As the probe rotates out of the neck, the probe's active
area will cross over the crack once during each 360-degree rotation. Each
time it crosses the crack, a pulse is displayed on the screen. As the probe
rotation is continued, the next scan over the adjacent thread will generate
another pulse if the crack extends to that region. The rejection criterion
has been set by the manufacturer to be a two thread crack.
You can use this feature if you wish to store defect information
for your records and give your customer a
PRINTED REPORT showing him the results of your VISUAL EDDY
inspection. It shows him that you have
performed the inspection, and if the cylinder has passed,
he can see that he has a "clean baseline". If a defect is
present, you can show it to him visually as well as the signals
on the report. If you do not want to use this feature,
you can just ignore it and do not connect your computer to
the VISUAL EDDY unit.
Well, it depends whether you think Microsoft Windows is easy to use.
A working knowledge of Windows is necessary. Other than that, it's
use is straightforward. This feature works with most PC's but not MAC's
at this time.
You need this inspection to service your customer and insure that
all the cylinders that you are approving are defect free using the best
and most current technology. Cracked cylinders need to be removed from
service before they start to leak. Short tight cracks are very difficult
to see with visual means and are easily missed, but are readily detected
with the VISUAL EDDY eddy current technology. No guessing anymore with
this technique.
All kinds! If we don't have it, we will make it for you. SCUBA, oxygen
bottles, SCBA, specialty gases,. straight and
tapered threads, beverage, paint ball bottles, fire extinguishers,
spare air, etc.
The price of a complete VISUAL EDDY package is $899.00 FOB.
For this price you will get the following:
*The VISUAL EDDY electronic unit with an EIGHTEEN month WARRANTY.
* One probe for whatever size cylinder you wish
* One test Standard
* One six-foot probe cable
* One wall Power supply
* One computer interface cable and software
* One instruction manual
* 500 VISUAL EDDY stickers. These are used to inform refillers that
the cylinder has been inspected by the
eddy current method.
*An optional extended WARRANTY will cover service on the unit for
an additional 30 months for a total of forty eight months of insured worry
free inspection. The cost of the extended warranty is only $175.00 at the
time of purchase of a unit. It may be purchased anytime the normal warranty
is active, for a cost of $175.00.
*We recommend the purchase of an additional probe. Most probes cost
$150.00 at the time of purchase and $175.00 later for owners of a VISUAL
EDDY and Visual Plus unit.
Prices subject to change without notice.
The unit is easy to use and straightforward in operation. Your local
factory representative will assist you in learning how to use the unit.
Flare Technology will be conducting training classes at the Elk Grove location
from time to time and you have FREE tuition for one of these classes if
you purchase a unit. The class times will be posted on the Flare website
or call us at our toll free number.
We accept cash of course. Most approved credit cards are accepted for full payment. If you wish to spread the payment out over time, we have several plans that you can choose from to ease the payment burden. For further information, call us at our toll free number 1-877-847-6351.
Contact Information
| Corporate Headquarters
Flare Technology, Inc.
|
Florida Keys Dealer:
Quiescence Diving Services, Inc.
|
