A Brief Introduction To Magnetic Particle Inspection

Posted by James Blake on January 21st, 2016

Magnetic particle inspection or MPI is basically a non-destructive testing procedure, which is employed for identifying surface and subsurface discontinuities in ferromagnetic materials like nickel, iron, and cobalt. In this testing procedure, a magnetic field is artificially generated in the part of the material sample, which has to be analyzed for discontinuities. Thereafter, an electric current is passed through the sample. After the passage of current, the object is magnetized and a magnetic field is generated inside it. The sample can also be magnetized indirectly by application of magnetic field from an external source. The magnetic lines of force are in a perpendicular direction to the direction of the electric current, which can either be alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC).

The presence of discontinuities in the surface and subsurface leads to magnetic flux leakage. The cause of this leakage is basically the air, which is trapped between the subsurface and surface. This air cannot support the magnetic field per unit volume. Thereafter, the ferrous iron particles are applied on the sample, which has to be tested for discontinuity in a dry or wet suspension. If there is any flux leakage in the sample then it is analyzed and repaired to get rid of the discontinuities. This non-destructive testing process is quite effective in assessing minute and major faults in ferromagnetic materials. Following are few fields of application of this testing procedure:

  • Nuclear industry - This non-destructive testing procedure is employed for testing objects made of austenitic stainless steel.
  • Aerospace industry - This testing process is also used for analyzing airplane parts made of materials like lithium-aluminium alloys, aluminium, and titanium.
  • Industrial units - Magnetic particle inspection is also used for testing high-reliability machines and products.
  • Railways - This testing process is also used for checking the aluminum duplex carriages of TGV and AGV high-speed trains.
  • Automotive industry - Magnetic particle inspections is also employed for testing automotive parts made of materials like plastics, composites, and aluminum alloys.


If you own a manufacturing unit of high-reliability products then you should invest in magnetic particle training course. This course is necessary for training the employees of an industrial unit, who work in the quality testing process. You can easily get in touch with companies that offer magnetic particle inspection training course in cities like Houston. So, you can easily hire one for providing a training course in this non-destructive testing procedure to the quality testing team of your organization. This course will surely help the quality testing team of your organization in identifying minor and major faults in the manufactured products.

Author’s Bio - In this article, the author has talked about magnetic particle inspection, which is a nondestructive testing process. For more info log onto:-Ndeguru.com.

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James Blake

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James Blake
Joined: September 14th, 2015
Articles Posted: 13

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