Parametric design methodology for yoke-magnetization in magnetic flux leakage detection systems

Magnetic flux leakage (MFL) testing is a widely employed non-destructive testing (NDT) method, particularly for ferromagnetic materials. This paper proposes a systematic design procedure for the yoke-magnetization component in MFL systems utilizing permanent magnets. The dimensions of the yoke-magnetization are parameterized, and the design methodology is formulated in the form of analytical equations based on fundamental engineering principles and optimization techniques. The proposed design procedure outlines all the required parameters and metrics to establish a yoke-magnetization configuration tailored for a specified application, thereby facilitating scalability. The theoretical framework identifies the optimal operating point that maximizes leakage flux while minimizing the magnetic field amplitude. A genetic algorithm is employed to minimize the dimensions of the permanent magnets while maintaining a sufficient magnetic field strength for specimen magnetization. An experimental setup is constructed to validate the accuracy of the proposed design procedure. The experimental results exhibit consistency with finite element method (FEM) simulations conducted using a case study. Specifically, the findings reveal that the thickness of the magnetic bridge significantly impacts the leakage fluxes at defect sites within the specimen. When the thickness of the magnetic bridge is 10 mm, slightly smaller than the optimal thickness of approximately 11 mm, the leakage flux at the defect site leaks out towards the surrounding air insignificantly. In contrast, a thickness of 15 mm is observed to strongly improve the leakage flux at the defect site. •A systematic parametric design procedure for the yoke-magnetization of magnetic flux leakage (MFL) systems is presented.•A ratio of leakage flux at defect sites to non-defect sites is defined to determine the optimal magnetic field strength.•A genetic algorithm is employed to minimize the dimensions of the permanent magnets while maximizing the B–H product.•The proposed design procedure is validated through finite element method (FEM) simulations and experimental tests