The electromagnetic technique based on magnetic Barkhausen noise (MBN) can be used to control the quality of ball screw shafts non-destructively, although identifying any slight grinding burns independently of induction-hardened depth remains a challenge. The capacity to detect slight grinding burns was studied using a set of ball screw shafts manufactured by means of different induction hardening treatments and different grinding conditions (some of them under abnormal conditions for the purpose of generating grinding burns), and MBN measurements were taken in the whole group of ball screw shafts. Additionally, some of them were tested using two different MBN systems in order to better understand the effect of the slight grinding burns, while Vickers microhardness and nanohardness measurements were taken in selected samples. To detect the grinding burns (both slight anddata intense) with varying depths of the hardened layer, a multiparametric analysis of the MBN signal is proposed using the main parameters of the MBN two-peak envelope. At first, the samples are classified into groups depending on their hardened layer depth, estimated using the intensity of the magnetic field measured on the first peak (H1) parameter, and the threshold functions of two parameters (the minimum amplitude between the peaks of the MBN envelope (MIN) and the amplitude of the second peak (P2)) are then determined to detect the slight grinding burns for the different groups.

This paper presents a model to anticipate the impact of Eddy Current Brakes (ECBs) installed in high-speed trains on the readouts of rail-side wheel sensors. The purpose is to anticipate false positive readouts of train wheels when traversing, one of the main obstacles for full ECB deployment. The ECB type EWB 154 from Knorr-Bremse and Wheel Sensor types RSR180 and RSR123 from Frauscher Sensor Technology are represented in a comprehensive model, integrating LTSpice and CST Microwave Studio. The wheel sensor predicted readout error is 4% compared to measurements when DC current is not applied to the ECB (passive case). It is demonstrated that the RSR180 is not compatible with ECBs, whereas the RSR123 is. The impact of active (DC current fed) brakes is analyzed when performing running tests with a high-speed ICE 3 train equipped with ECBs. The model is adjusted to study the saturation of the rail and ECB pole cores. The extra damping of the wheel sensor fingerprint is modeled by an extra 6% drop that may well be applicable to passive tests in a laboratory setting to shift to active tests without actually performing them. In this way, cost and time would be saved. Based on the model outcomes, a test bench is recommended for laboratory tests to emulate active behavior.

Using nondestructive techniques to quantitatively estimate residual stresses along the depth is necessary to improve the ability to predict the real fatigue life of pieces for many applications. Magnetic Barkhausen noise has been proven to successfully estimate the residual stress at the surface produced by machining, plastic deformation, phase transformation or surface treatments such as shot peening, also allowing one to obtain information of the residual stress depth-profile in shot peened pieces which presented similar depth-profile shapes. However, residual stress depth-profiles with nonmonotonic or different shapes have not been successfully estimated. In the present study, an extended approach is developed in order to estimate these stresses independent of the shape of the residual stress depth-profile. The approach proposed here improves an existing model of the Barkhausen noise spectrum (Kypris-Jiles model) by adding the effect of the attenuation of the applied magnetic field on the Barkhausen noise. This extended approach is used to estimate the residual stress depth-profiles of samples with different depth-profiles using a calibration process. The approach is validated by estimating the residual stress depth-profiles, with errors smaller than 70 MPa in a depth of 130 mu m, in all the samples studied.

The quality of the ball screw shafts used in the aeronautical sector has to be controlled and certified with the most advanced non-destructive techniques. The capacity of magnetic Barkhausen noise(MBN) as a non-destructive technique to control the quality of ball screw shafts by assuring the appropriate induction hardened layer depth and detecting local overheated regions, known as grinding burns, which may occur during grinding processes is shown in the present work. Magnetic Barkhausen noise measurements were made with a system designed and implemented by the authors and the derived parameters were compared with microhardness measurements made at various depths after the different induction hardening treatments and the grinding processes were applied. A multiparametric study of the MBN signal as a function of the magnetic field in the surface of the sample is done in order to estimate the thickness of the hardened layer and to detect the grinding burns produced during grinding processes. The hardened layer thickness can be characterized with an error of +/- 200 mu m in the range between 150 and 2500 mu m by the position of the first peak of the MBN envelope in terms of the tangential magnetic field measured at the surface and the grinding burns can be detected with the position of the second peak of the MBN envelope in terms of the tangential magnetic field measured at the surface.

The use of magnetic Barkhausen noise (MBN) signal to non-destructively characterize the in-depth residual stress state of machined steel was investigated. The effect of the frequency of the magnetic field applied and of analysing the resulting MBN signal in different frequency bands for an in-depth residual stress characterisation is discussed. The effect of the residual stress on each of the parameters derived from the MBN signal is analysed comparing with the result of the XRD method.

The capacity of magnetic Barkhausen noise (MBN) measurements to characterize recovery and the onset and evolution of recrystallization processes occurring during the annealing of cold rolled low carbon steel is analyzed. Cold rolled low carbon steel samples were isothermally annealed at laboratory under different conditions in order to promote various degrees of recovery or recrystallization. The effect of recovery and recrystallization processes on the MBN envelope, the amplitude of the peak of the MBN envelope, the time integral of the MBN envelope and the MBN energy is discussed and related to the microstructural changes produced by these softening processes. The obtained results prove that several parameters derived from the MBN are able to follow the progress of recovery and recrystallization.

The efficacy of some magnetic inductive parameters and of the maximum differential permeability derived from magnetic hysteresis loop measurements is studied in terms of nondestructively monitoring recovery and the onset and the progress of recrystallization in a cold-rolled low carbon steel. The remnant induction, which is known to be affected by the dislocation density, proved useful to monitor recovery, whereas the induction values measured at higher magnetic fields are not sensitive enough. In order to differentiate between contributions from crystal orientation and from changes in microstructure, the effect of texture evolution during recrystallization is analyzed in terms of the average magnetocrystalline energy. All the magnetic inductive parameters considered have proven to be able to characterize the recrystallized fraction when the usual weakening in the intensity of alpha fiber components and the enhancement of gamma fiber components took place during recrystallization.