ECT Application Guide

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51
INTRODUCTION
This document presents how to use an ECT probe with Magnifi 5 on an Ectane test instrument.
Eddyfi offers four types of ECT bobbin probes. The following was made using a standard bobbin
probe (ECT-BBST), but can also be applied to all other types of ECT bobbin probes.

EQUIPMENT
ECT probes use a 4-pin connector that can be connected to an Ectane with the ‘’E’’ option. The
absolute and differential signal from the probe will provide Strip charts and Lissajous.
As these probes need to fill an optimal portion of the tube inner diameter, a wide range of probe
diameters are offered (see the tubing probe catalog for more details). A wide range of
frequencies is also available to allow inspections of tubes of different thickness and material.
From the following tables, the best standard probe for your application can be selected. Note
that Eddyfi also offers custom products that are not shown in these tables.

Table 1 – ECT-BBST probes diameter selection table

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 Table 2 – ECT-BBST probe frequency range selection table

Table 3 – ECT-BBST Frequency range

The ECT calibration tube used in this document includes the following flaws:
• Internal groove, 10% of wall loss
• External groove, 20% of wall loss
• Hole, 100% of wall loss
• OD Flat Bottom Hole (FBH) at 40%, 60% and 80% depth
• OD 4 x FBH 20% depth
Other combinations of flaws can be used to calibrate the probe and to build sizing curves.
Note: Fill factor and selection tables may differ for other types of bobbin probes. Please refer to
the tubing probe catalog on our website to find out more.

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PROJECT AND INSPECTION FILES
In this section, we will create a folder structure that will manage the saving location of your
setup, data and report. This management is operated through the creation of a Project.
Magnifi suggests two levels of files. The first level is the Project. It is meant to include different
inspections that are related in some way. For instance, it can include all the inspections done
at a refinery shutdown and be named Refinery_Shutdown_May_2018. The second level of file is
the Inspection folder. Inspection folders are saved in the project file. An inspection folder can
include the data specific to the inspection of a tube bundle with a specific technology and could
be named SS316_075x0.065_ECT, for instance. This inspection folder groups the setup, the tube
list, the data files and the Magnifi report.

PROJECT
(ex: Refinery 04-17)

INSPECTION 1
INSPECTION 2 INSPECTION X
(ex: Bundle No A1D3FX)

... ...
SETUP

TUBE
DATA
LIST

REPORT

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When you open Magnifi, the first page displayed is called the Backstage.

To create or open a project, click on Open/Add Project in the backstage. You can select an
existing project/folder or you can create a new folder.
1. Create a folder by right-clicking on the location where you want to add your project
file. Select New, Folder and enter the chosen name. You can then select the newly
created folder and click on Select Folder.

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 2. Click on Inspection Sub-folder in the backstage, then click on Add and enter the name
of your inspection.

3. Click Select. This will define the position where the setup(s) and data will be saved.

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SETUP WIZARD
In this section, we will show how to create a setup using the Setup Wizard in Magnifi.
Before going further, you can change the measurement unit. To do so, click on Preferences. In
the System tab, you can change the measurement units from metric to imperial and vice versa.
For the metric units, you can choose to use meters, centimeters, or milimeters in the General
tab. The default measurement for imperial units is inches. When finished, click on Preferences
again to go back to the General window.

To create a new setup, it’s strongly suggested to use the Setup Wizard process. Click on Create
Setup to start the Setup Wizard.

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COMPONENT DEFINITION
The first page shown by the Setup Wizard is the Component Definition.
Click on the Material field to open the drop-down menu. Select the material of the tube to be
inspected. If the material is not in the list, you can click on Manage… to open the List of
Available Material window.

To add a new material to the list, click on Add. A new line will appear in the list. Give the material
a relevant name and set the material resistivity and permeability to its theoretical value. The
ultrasound velocity is used to set IRIS parameters only, and doesn’t need to be set if an IRIS
inspection is not performed on this material.
It’s possible to add a note about the material to specify information such as its application or
composition. When you are done, click OK.
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You will be back to the Component Definition window. If you added a new material, it will now
be available in the material list.
Adjust the tube wall thickness by entering the value in the Wall thickness field or by moving the
slider. Enter the tube's outer diameter and length.
These tube properties will help Magnifi to suggest the optimal scan parameters.
Click Next when everything is set correctly.

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PROBE SELECTION
In the Probe Selection window, select the probe you will be using for your inspection.
You can filter the probe list by choosing an inspection technique from the Technique drop-down
menu. More precise filtering can be done by using the Model drop-down menu. You can then
select your probe by its catalog number (PRBT-ECT-BBST) and then click Next.

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SCAN DEFINITION
The Scan Definition window is used to configure the axial position measurement method, the
acquisition rate and the typical probe speed.

The position along the tube can be defined by using either the internal clock of the system, or
by using an axial encoder. If you use the internal clock, the default position will be given
assuming that the probe is always pulled at the typical probe speed. If the typical probe speed
is set to 300mm/s, and the time since the acquisition began was 2 seconds, then the system
will indicate a position of 600mm. Using an encoder will give you the exact position of the probe.
Note that the position can also be obtained by using the landmark tool, but this feature will be
shown later.

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The acquisition rate is the number of acquisition points taken per second. By default, the
acquisition rate is set to 2000 Hz for ECT, but depending on the drive frequency used to inspect,
the actual acquisition rate may differ. The system will automatically readjust this value if
needed. For standard eddy current probes, the acquisition rate can always be set at 2000 Hz.
The axial resolution will depend on the combination of the acquisition rate and pulling speed.
For an acquisition rate of 2000 Hz, the pulling speed needs to be less than 1m/s to have at least
2 points per millimeter. If you do not use a pusher-puller device such as the Probot, the pulling
speed won’t be constant. Therefore, it is recommended to target a lower pulling speed to be
able to reach your axial resolution target. The typical probe speed should be set as close as
possible to the real value - this will help the algorithm that automatically detects landmarks
(this will be explained in the Landmarks section). The recommended pulling speed for ECT is
approximately 300mm/s.
If you select to measure the position from Encoder, different fields will appear, and a second
Scan Definition page will become available.

On the first page, the Typical probe speed, Maximum probe speed and the Density will have to
be entered. The Maximum probe speed is the maximum acceptable speed for your probe and
the Density is the number of acquired points per millimeter (axial resolution). These values will
be used to set the acquisition rate and to optimize the acquisition processes used by the Ectane.
Note that if your probe is pulled at a speed exceeding the Maximum probe speed, there will be
gaps in the data.
The second page includes the type of encoder and its resolution. A preset can also be specified
if your acquisition doesn’t start at 0 mm.
Click Next when you’re finished.

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DATA DEFINITION
The Data Definition window is used to set the hardware gain, frequency and drive voltage for
the Absolute and Differential channels. It is important to set these parameters correctly before
acquiring the data since they are driven by the instrument and cannot be modified during the
analysis.

By default, Magnifi suggests four frequencies theoretically calculated with the parameters
previously entered:

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 Prefix Frequency
F1 2 x F90
F2 F90
F3 F90/2
F4 F90/8

The frequency and drive voltage can be changed by replacing their values in the Required
frequencies table. Up to 4 frequencies can be set at the same time, and the sum of their
amplitudes cannot exceed 10V.
Make sure that the frequencies are within the probe limits that you can find in Table 3. If one
of the suggested frequencies is not within the recommended probe frequency range, you can
either remove it by clicking on the X or change it within the recommended range.
Click on Next when the desired parameters are entered.
The next window is used to build mixed channels. Mixes are processed channels that are mainly
used to detect indications close to support plates. They are built with 2 frequencies of the same
channel type to attenuate the effect of the support plate and to be able to size an indication
at this location more accurately.

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If you do not wish to use mixed channels, click on Next.
To add a mixed channel, click on the Add button. A new line will appear. Choose from which
input you want to use the mixed channel. Note that Input Channel 2 must have a lower
frequency than Input Channel 1. Mixed channels can be built for both absolute and differential
channels.
You can rename the mixed channel output by modifying the Output Mixed Channel field.
The Mixed Reference Signal (usually a support plate signal) will be used to calibrate the mix
channel. The system will apply processes to the chosen input channels and will subtract them
to eliminate the reference signal.
Click on Next.

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DATA PROCESSING
The Data Processing window is used to configure the signal processing to apply to the channels.
You can choose to configure every frequency individually or you can apply the same filters to
every channel with the Individually configure all the channels check box.
Note that the signal processing is done after the data acquisition. An inappropriate parameter
choice can be changed without any problem during data analysis, while wrong parameter
choice for the data acquisition can mislead the analysis. It is possible to change the filter
parameters after data acquisition, so it is always possible to fine tune the filter parameters
during analysis.

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The low pass filter eliminates part of the signal that is above a certain frequency. As an example,
it is useful when your defect signal has a lower frequency content than the background noise.
In this case, using a filter will remove part of the noise without removing the defect’s signal.
This may help with data analysis. However, a cutoff frequency that is too high won’t remove
much noise, and a cutoff frequency that is too low will filter out the defect’s signal.
The median high pass filter is used to filter out low frequency noise or drift such as lift-off
variations of the probe within the tube, changes in material, geometry or thickness. As a rule-
of-thumb, the width of the high-pass median filter should be set to at least three times the
axial length of the longest flaw that may be encountered. Data should be examined in both its
filtered and unfiltered states. It is important to keep in mind that the median high-pass filters
can distort phase. More information about median filters for NDT analysis can be found on
Eddyfi’s blog.
Click Next when you are done.

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CALIBRATION POINTS
The Calibration Points page is used to define the points in your calibration tube. These
indications will later be used to calibrate your probe and to build sizing curves.
The units of measurement can be set in percentage or in depth (millimeters or inches).
You can add calibration points by clicking on the Add button. Specify the calibration point name,
side and size. The side and size of the flaw will be used to position the calibration point on the
sizing curve(s).
Calibration points can also be imported with the Import button.

Click Next when you have set the required calibration points for your calibration(s) and sizing
curve(s).

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CALIBRATION
The Calibration page is used to define reference signal(s) that will be used to set the
amplitude(s) and phase(s) of each channel using the selected measurement method.
By default, the calibration is performed on the Hole signal by adjusting it to 1V and 40° on both
the absolute and the differential channels. However, the calibration can be done differently on
each channel type. It can also be done individually for each frequency by selecting the
Individually configure all the channels option. Different reference signals can be set to calibrate
the phase and the amplitude independently.

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When you select the reference signal, the system will use the selected measurement method to
apply a rotation and a gain. Here is a short description of the available options:
14. Absolute (A):
Uses a straight line from the Lissajous origin to the main cursor position to measure
amplitude.
15. Absolute Horizontal (AH):
Uses only the horizontal component, from the Lissajous origin to the main cursor
position to measure amplitude.
16. Absolute Vertical (AV):
Uses only the vertical component, from the Lissajous origin to the main cursor position
to measure amplitude.
17. Absolute Peak (AP):
Uses a straight line, from the Lissajous origin to the peak value of the data selection,
to measure amplitude.
18. Absolute Peak Horizontal (APH):
Uses only the horizontal component, from the Lissajous origin to the peak value of the
data selection, to measure amplitude.
19. Absolute Peak Vertical (APV):
Uses only the vertical component, from the Lissajous origin to the peak value of the
data selection, to measure amplitude.
20. Average Peak (MP):
Takes the distances from points at the extremity of the cursor to the peak of the data
selection to build an average vector. Only used and recommended for absolute signals.
21. Average Peak Horizontal (MPH):
Uses the horizontal component of the distances form points at the extremity of the
cursor to the peak of the data selection to make an average vector. Used for absolute
signals.
22. Average Peak Vertical (MPV):
Uses the vertical component of the distances form points at the extremity of the
cursor to the peak of the data selection to make an average vector. Used for absolute
signals.
23. Peak to peak (PP):
Uses the combination of the vertical and horizontal component to measure the
maximum amplitude.
24. Horizontal (PPH):
Uses only the horizontal component to measure the amplitude.
25. Vertical (PPV):
Uses only the vertical component to measure the amplitude.
26. Peak to peak First Transition (PPF):

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 Uses the combination of the vertical and horizontal components of the first transition
of the signal to measure maximum amplitude. The first signal transition is from the base
of an indication to its peak.
Click on Next went the parameters in the table are set according to your requirements.

SIZING CURVES
The first page of this section is the definition of your sizing curves. A curve will be built for each
line in this table.

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The sizing curve will allow you to estimate the size of a defect based on the calibration point
signals (amplitude or phase) obtained with your calibration standard. Magnifi will give you the
interpolated flaw size based on the built sizing curves.
Sizing curve names are customizable. The channel source and measurement type can also be
changed. You can add sizing curves by clicking on the Add button.
Click Next when you are done.
For every sizing curve created in the last window, a window will appear to configure the curve
properties. The name of the curve will be shown in the upper left corner of the page (ABS-F1 in
the example below).

The measurement method options are the same as what is described in the calibration section
of this document. By default, the average peak option is set for absolute channels, and the
peak-to-peak option is used for the differential channels.

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The interpolation method can be selected with the Shape dropdown menu. Here is a short
description of the available options:
1. Best Fit (Dual linear) (for phase measurement only):
A curve with two linear segments representing ID and OD (or Near and Far) side
calibration points with respect to phase.
2. Best Fit (Dual Slope) (for phase measurement only):
A curve with two segments representing ID and OD (or Near and Far) sides. The ID
section is linear, and the OD section is polynomial. The OD side of the curve will need
at least three points (including the hole) in order to trace a polynomial curve.
3. Best Fit (Polynomial) (for phase and amplitude measurements):
Best polynomial (degree 2) interpolation within the measured calibration points
(requiring at least three points).
4. Connected Points (for phase and amplitude measurements):
Simple, point-to-point curve.
5. Best Fit (Linear) (for phase and amplitude measurements):
Best linear interpolation within the measured calibration points
6. Best Fit (Dual Polynomial) (for phase and amplitude measurements):
Polynomial (degree 2) interpolation with two segments for both ID and OD sides of the
curve. Need at least three points.
The linear options are mostly used when few data points are available, while the Best fit (Dual
Polynomial) option is a more precise method when your calibration tube has multiple defects.
Once the measurement method and the interpolation curve shape are chosen, you can select
the curve points for each sizing curve previously created. The order in which the points appear
in the list may influence your sizing cure. Make sure that the measured values of the calibration
points are in ascending order on the list. You can set Magnifi to show the remaining wall instead
of the defect size by checking the box Report as remaining wall thickness.
Click Next when you are done.

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INDICATION CODES
The Indication Codes page is used to define the entries that can be added to the report when
analyzing the data.

When an indication is added, its abbreviation (code) is shown in the code pane, next to the
data.
You can modify the default indications codes list by changing the parameter in the table. New
indications can be defined by clicking on the Add button.
Click Next when you are done

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DISPLAY
The first Display window is used to set how the data is displayed during and after the acquisition.

The scroll direction is the direction in which data appears on the screen. If you choose downward,
the signals will go from the top to the bottom of the screen. If you choose the upward direction,
the signal will go from the bottom to the top of the screen.
You can enable/disable the miniature strip chart under the Lissajous by checking/unchecking
the box.
The strip chart duration is the length of a Strip chart window when the data is acquired.
Click Next.

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The second Display window is used to set the layouts. Checking the tick boxes in this window
will make the proposed layouts available in your setup. You will be able to switch from one to
the another via the layout tab. The " S " stands for Strip chart, " L " for Lissajous and “C” is for
the defect Code indication zone.
The layout with the blue background will be the one opened by default, which can be changed
to your desired option.
Layouts can be readjusted at any time.

Click Next to complete the setup wizard process.

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SETUP MODIFICATIONS
Some parameters or preferences may need to be modified after the Setup Wizard process. To
modify the parameter previously entered, you can go to the Setup tab in the Frontstage and
click on the button associated with the parameter you want to change.

This will open one of the windows previously described, where you can change the values you
originally entered If applicable, go through the process by clicking on Next, and then click on
the Finish button. This will apply the modification to the setup.
Advanced settings can be found under the Advanced tab of the Frontstage. If parameters are
changed using the advanced settings, the information shown using the Setup tab may not
match your actual setup.

SMART SETUP TOOLS

Additional functions, which facilitate data analysis, can be set up under the SMART Setup tab.

LOGBOOK
The first button on the left side under the SMART Setup tab allows you to enable or disable the
logbook.

The logbook stores information about the analysis in addition to allowing the following
functions: batch screening, seeing results at a glance from the data list pane and saving manual
modifications made to the landmarks during the analysis.
The logbook stores the following information: landmarks (type, position, dimension, including
manual modifications), indications (AI and conventional, label, position, dimension, etc.),
indication grouping, and data quality validation results. When enabled, an additional column
is added to the data file list to allow seeing results and to filter, sort, or analyze according to
these results.

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The following table shows the possible icons and their meaning:

Icon Description Meaning

No logbook entry associated with this file
(empty) Empty
because it has not been screened yet.
Logbook entry associated with the file
contains information such as landmark
detection or regions.
Dashed outline circle,
The absence of additional information on the
without a number
icon reveals that no indication detection
engine or DQV tests were enabled when the
logbook was written.
Logbook entries associated with the file
contains information such as landmark
detection as well as detected indications. The
Dashed outline circle, with
number displayed inside the circle shows the
a number
quantity of potential indications detected.
No DQV tests were enabled when the logbook
was written.

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 Dashed outline circle, with The green check mark indicates that the DQV
a green check mark test(s) passed on this file.
Dashed outline circle, with The red cross indicates that at least one DQV
a red cross test(s) failed on this file.
The logbook entries associated with this file
Dashed outline circle, with
indicates that potential indications have been
a number, with a green
detected by the detection engine and that the
check mark
DQV test(s) passed.
The logbook entries associated with this file
Dashed outline circle, with suggest that potential indications have been
a number, with a red cross detected by the detection engine and that at
least one DQV test(s) failed.
The AI detection tools identified an unusual
situation. In this case, the level of confidence
Orange warning triangle in the detection findings could be very low.
Therefore, users should pay special attention
when reviewing the detection results.

The logbook is saved within the inspection folder. Its data is written when a file is screened using
the dedicated buttons in the Analysis ribbon. It is also automatically written when a file is loaded
while the logbook is enabled, and no logbook entry existed for this file yet.
It is worth mentioning that the logbook also includes defects and landmarks, even if these have
been detected with detection tools that do not use AI (conventional landmark detection and
indication boxes). Also note that the automatic indication detection tools are not available if
you use the acquisition license (ACQ).

WIZARD
AI-ECT detection of landmarks and indications can be enabled through the SMART Setup tab.
To configure this tool, click the Wizard button.

Before the Wizard is displayed, a warning message appears:

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When AI is added to your setup, Magnifi applies minor changes for the detection algorithms to
work:

1. Channels will be copied and renamed with the prefix “AA_.” These are additional
channels that the AI engine will use for processing. The original channels in your setup
will not be modified.
2. If conventional landmark detection was previously set up, it will be disabled and replaced
by the AI landmark detection.
3. If conventional region detection was previously configured, it will be replaced by a set of
read-only regions that are required for AI detection.
Once AI is added to a setup, it cannot be reverted. Make a copy of your installation before
continuing if you want to keep a backup.

AI PACKAGE
The first window of the wizard gives the option of choosing the appropriate algorithm for the
type of equipment being inspected. In version 5.0, only one algorithm is available.

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If the setup for the acquisition was done with the Setup Wizard, the probe configuration will
automatically be selected. For legacy setups, the Technique, Model and Probe must be selected
from the drop-down menus.

AI LANDMARKS
The second window allows you to set the landmark detection parameters. Landmarks are
important to detect defects. They allow the system to automatically create regions (e.g., tube
sheet, support plates, in tube) in the tube. This allows the detection of defects in these pre-
defined regions.

The fields in the upper right corner of the window allows one to enter the morphology of the
exchanger and the way it is inspected. This information will be expected by the AI during its
analysis.
The type of bundle inspected must be selected. The AI supports three configurations:
Straight: The tubes are straight and tube sheet signals can be acquired.

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Straight restricted: A restriction is present which prevents the sensors of the probe from coming
out of the tube completely. Select this inspection type if the exit is restricted on some of the
tubes or all of them.

U-bend: Inspection of the straight parts only, so the scan includes only one tube sheet signal.

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Tube length value is optional and does not affect the AI detection performance. This
information is relevant if an estimate of the axial location of indications is expected. Entering
the appropriate length will result in more accurate values and a better-quality report, especially
if you are using TubePro™ 5.X with 3D models to visualize the defect location.
Names for the types of detected landmarks can be customized if required. Here are the
abbreviation descriptions for each type:

AI INDICATIONS
The last window allows one to enable AI indication detection and customize the label of these
detected indications. The label will be displayed in the Code view as well as in the Indications
pane of the Front Stage interface.
Type Description
AIR In: Only used for detection in calibration tube data. Signal acquired by
AIRI
the probe when it leaves the air and enters the tube.
Tube Sheet In: Signal acquired by the probe when it leaves the air and enters
TSI
the bundle.
Last Support Plate: Only used with Straight Restricted and U-Bend One Leg
inspection types.
LSP
LSP replaces TSI when a restriction prevents the probe from acquiring the full
TSI signal.
SP Support Plate signal.
Tube Sheet Out: Signal acquired by the probe when it leaves the bundle and is
TSO
then in the air.
AIR Out: Only used for detection in calibration tube data. Signal acquired by
AIRO
the probe when it leaves the tube and is then in the air.

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Data processing such as filtering can induce a spatial or temporal delay in the data, meaning
that the whole signal in the strip charts can be slightly shifted up or down. Since the AI channels
and user’s channels don’t necessarily have the same data processing, there can be some
misalignment between them. This could translate into detected indications, represented as red
marks in the Code view, appearing slightly offset compared to the indication signals observed
in the strip charts of the user’s channels. This is where the Position correction channel option is
applicable. This parameter realigns the indications shown by the AI with the user’s channel
signals by applying a position correction to the AI channels.
The applied correction is calculated automatically when calibrating on the through-wall hole.
This compensation is applied on every tube. If the filters are modified during the analysis, it is
recommended to calibrate again to readjust the compensation.
Typically, the most used channel for reporting indications should be selected as the reference
for the position correction.

LANDMARKS
The Landmarks button is used to setup the parameters for landmark detection with
conventional tools (not AI). This function is not accessible if you are using the AI landmark
detection tool that is set with the AI wizard.

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The Landmark Detection window is used to configure the automatic detection of features such
as tube sheets and support plates. Landmarks are not mandatory and don’t need to be set to
have functional setup. They can however give a reference for the axial position in a tube. They
can also be used by the software to trigger automatic acquisition sequences.

Three landmarks are created if you press on the Suggest button. The channel selected to detect
these landmarks should be the lowest frequency absolute channel. The R_ before the channel
stands for Raw. This is the signal of the channel without software filter, rotation, or software
gain applied.
You can base the position of your landmarks either on the location where you start to record
(usually the tube entrance, opposite from the operator position) or on the place you stop to
record (usually the operator side).

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In the above example, the Exit landmark is detected when the probe exits the tube at its outer
end. It has a negative position because this event happens before entering the tube. It is
enabled only when doing the acquisition.
TSI is the first tube sheet encountered when the probe is pulled. TSO is the last tube sheet
encountered at the end of the acquisition.
Landmark detection can be set up manually by describing the shape, component, and voltage
threshold that will trigger the detection. The Shape describes the appearance of the signal when
the landmark is reached. If a differential signal shape is chosen, the Peak-to-Peak distance
(“P2P”) will also be needed. The Direction is the projection axis (horizontal or vertical) of the
Lissajous signal that will be taken to trigger the landmark. And the Threshold is the voltage
amplitude threshold.
Landmarks can be calibrated on real signals; in this case, there is no need to change these
parameters as they will be automatically measured by the software. It’s important to set the
landmark positions as accurately as possible. If the position is not accurately set, the software
might prevent their automatic detection since it won’t be at an expected position.
The Type field is a name that associates the calibration point with the landmark. If landmarks
share the same Type, they will be calibrated at the same time using the same point and process.
To associate two landmarks with the same Type, their signal must be the same. If support plates
of the same geometry are present in a bundle, they can share the same Type. In the above
example, TS1 and TS2 don’t share the same Type because one is triggered when the probe goes
inside the tube and the other is triggered when the probe exits the tube.
The Detection Engine drop-down menu can be set to Legacy or Extended. With the Legacy
mode, all the landmarks need to be entered with the right position. The system will look for the
exact number of landmarks entered at positions close to those entered in the table. With the
Extended mode, the system will look for a number of landmarks between the Qty max and the
Qty min. With this mode, the exact number of support plates don’t need to be constant or
known.

REGIONS
The Regions option allows the user to define inclusion/exclusion zones based on Landmarks. This
is used to categorize the data to process correctly. For example, they can be useful for
restricting the detection of channel saturation to an area within the tube or specify an
automatic analysis type for a given region (e.g., under the tubesheets).

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When using the AI Wizard, the parameters of the Region Detection window are set
automatically and most of them cannot be modified. You will only be able to change the
thickness of the landmark and the number of support plates. Changing these values will modify
the schematic in the regions page to help visualize the exchanger.

If you are using the conventional detection tools (not AI-based), you can set up the regions
according to the automatic analysis tools you will use with the Indications and DVQ buttons
(described later).

INDICATIONS
The Indications module allows the user to define various zones or even waveform types to trigger
a certain detection threshold.

These detection zones can be applied to conventional channels and C-scan channels. The Label
is the name that will appear in the Code view (described later).

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There are five zone types:

Absolute pie
Differential pie
Centered rectangle
Rectangle
Over or under a horizontal or vertical threshold
And seven waveform types:
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 Up
Down
Down-up
Any direction
Up-down
Down-up-up
Up-down-up-down

Each zone or waveform can be linked to a defined region, and thresholds can be set. The zone
types also include the boundary setting to prevent signal oscillation from triggering unnecessary
detections.
Detection zone parameters can also be set by clicking on the Lissajous of the used channel and
activating the Edit Alarm option on the Current View tab.
The detected indication can be found in the Indication window, which can be activated in the
Layout tab.

Clicking on an indication in the pane instantly positions the cursor on the selected indication in
the Strip chart view. If you click on an indication in the code view (described later), the
associated indication is highlighted in the Indications pane.

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Note that conventional indication detection boxes can be used along AI detection tools. It is
recommended to configure them after AI activation to have access to regions automatically
defined when going through the AI Wizard.

DATA QUALITY VALIDATION (DQV)

Data Quality Validation (DQV) allows defining tests to validate the quality of the data.

Five test types are available. To add a test, click on the Add button on the DQV page and select
the test type with the drop-down menu. Parameters associated with this test can be changed
in the Details section of the DQV window.

• Dead Channel: Verify that channels are reading a signal whose amplitude is above a
defined threshold. An amplitude that remains below the threshold throughout the scan
indicates a dead channel.
• Landmark Detected: Verify the presence of all the selected landmark names in the
Details section. To validate full tube-length of straight bundles for ECT bobbin data using
AI detection, select this option and check the TSI and TSO landmarks. When AI setup for
landmarks is completed and the TWH calibrated, the DQV test will automatically use
the AI results to perform the test.
• Hardware Saturation: Verify if signal saturation appears on raw channels. The merge
field allows grouping a zone together for which the test has failed. This function avoids
having many notifications if the test fails several times in one area. This test can be
limited to a specific region, for example, the areas inside the tube.

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 • Channel Saturation: Verify if signal saturation appears on calibrated channels. The
merge field allows group a zone together for which the test has failed. This function
avoids having many notifications if the test fails several times in one area. This test can
be limited to a specific region.
• C-scan Saturation: Verify if signal saturation appears on C-scans. The merge field allows
grouping a zone together for which the test has failed. This function avoids having many
notifications if the test fails several times in one area. This test can be limited to a
specific region.
The results of the DQV tests can be found in the DQV window, which can be activated in the
Layout tab.

GROUPING
The grouping tool can help the analyst find critical indications for review as it categorizes and
groups the automatically detected indications. This tool is compatible with the AI-based
detection engine as well as with conventional rule-based and user-defined indication detection
boxes or waveforms.

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The Grouping menu offers a default configuration with three predefined categories:

• Support Plates
• Critical
• Less Critical

The Details section of each group shows the parameters defining the conditions that must be
met for a detected indication to be classified in this group. The user can modify all parameters.
By default, the Support Plates group is configured with the mix channel with a Peak-to-Peak
(PP) measurement method, and Max/Min threshold values are set for amplitude and phase.
For this group, the criteria are limited to indications detected under the SP regions. As a result,
the indications detected under support plates for which all conditions are true will fall into this
category.
Critical and Less Critical are two other groups predefined in the Grouping window. Both groups
are set on DIF-F2 channel, but with different Amplitude/Phase measurement settings. In both

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cases, the grouping criteria is restricted to In Tube and Air to Air (for calibration tubes) regions,
which covers the full-tube length data.
It should be noted that each automatically detected indication can only be categorized in a
single group. Also, the grouping operation is executed according to the order of the groups
defined in the Groups list. Therefore, if a given indication meets all the criteria of the first group,
it will be categorized in this group. If not, it will be passed to the following group. If it meets all
the criteria of the second group, it will be categorized into this one. If not, it will again be passed
to the next group, and so on. If an indication does not meet the criteria of any group, it will be
placed in the Unclassified group. This implies that every single indication will be categorized,
and none can appear simultaneously in more than one group.
New groups can be created with custom parameters.

It is also possible to remove a group or use the up/down arrow keys to change the group priority
within the list.

In the Front stage interface, the Grouping results will be displayed in the Indications pane.

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REPORT SHORTCUT
Keyboard shortcuts can be used to make entries in the report. By opening the shortcut window,
it is possible to select a channel with a measurement method and to associate an indication
with it.

For example, we could use the differential channel F2 with a Peak-to-Peak measurement
method to enter pits in the report.

To select a key, press the Shortcut field and press the desired key on your keyboard. It is possible
to use a single key or a combination of keys such as ALT+D, for example.

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When a report entry is made with the keyboard shortcut, the abbreviation of the type of
indication displays momentarily on the corresponding Lissajous.

DATA SCREENING
Data screening set up with the SMART Setup tools can be performed by the two buttons on the
left under the Analysis tab.

It is possible to run analysis on a selection of files or all files. The analysis is typically performed
on all files when the setup and calibration are adequate. The results are recorded in the logbook
and can be viewed in the Data window.

DATA LIST
Magnifi will save a file for each inspected tube. The file names are defined by creating a list of
tubes.
This list can be created in the Data List of the General tab of the Backstage.

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Four options are available to set the filename format:
1. Free format:
Each file has a custom name. Can also be defined from the Data tab of the Front
Stage.
2. Prefix:
The file name includes a defined prefix followed by a sequential number.
3. Row, Col:
Row number, Column number. Mostly used for tubing inspections.
4. Zone, Row, Col:
Zone number, Row number, Column number. Mostly used for tubing inspections.

Click on the Create New List button. The displayed window will be different depending on the
chosen filename format.
For the Row, Col option, enter the number of rows, the starting row number and row interval.
You can then enter the number of tubes per row in the Nb. of Columns fields of the table. Click
on Create to generate the list of tubes. You can also use the Create & New button to add
another set of tubes to your list.

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The same principles apply to the other file formats, except for the Free format option for which
the file name(s) needs to be entered manually in the Data window of the Frontstage.
The tube list can also be imported from another project using the Import List button. The tube
list file can be found in the Inspection folder. It is also possible to import a list created in the
Tubepro software (available from Eddyfi).

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PERFORMING AN ACQUISITION
1. If you are in the Backstage, move to the Frontstage by clicking on Start/Resume
button.
2. Click on the Connect button under the Instrument tab. This will open the Instrument
configuration page. Click on the line showing the instrument to which you want to
connect, and then click Connect.

Note: Your Ectane firmware version may not match the version of Magnifi you are using. If this
is the case, a red and white X icon will be shown in the Status field of the Instrument connection
window. To download a matching version to your Ectane, click on the Config. button and then
click the Send firmware to the instrument button of the Instrument configuration window.

Two (2) acquisition modes are available in Magnifi: Setup Mode and Acquisition Mode. Setup
Mode is used to scan your calibration tube and make the necessary adjustments on your setup
without saving the data automatically. Acquisition mode is used for the inspection - in this

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mode, the software automatically saves the acquired data using file names based on the tube
list.
3. For the calibration phase, go to Setup Mode by clicking on the Setup Mode button
under the Home tab. This mode is active when the Setup Mode button is grayed.

4. Plug the bobbin probe on the Ectane 4-pin connector.

5. Bring the probe head in a clear area in your standard and balance the probe by clicking
on the Null button under the Home tab, or press F6 on your keyboard.
6. Push the probe head all the way through the tube so that it exits the tube.
7. Start the acquisition by clicking on the Acquire button under the Home tab or by
pressing the F2 on your keyboard.
8. Pull the probe at approximately 12’’/s (300 mm/s)
9. When it’s done, press the Stop button or F2 again on your keyboard.

Note that a red zone in the code pane means that at least one of the raw signals is saturated.
This is usually the case when your probe is out of the tube.

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VISUALIZING THE DATA
Multiple options are available to select your data and to measure it. The following describes
useful functions to do so:

DISPLAYED CHANNEL
There are four buttons at the upper right corner of the Strip charts and Lissajous windows. These
buttons are used for the channel selection.

1. Links Strip charts and Lissajous to the same channel. For instance, if a Lissajous and a
Strip chart are both set to 1, setting the Lissajous to DIF-F1 will also set the associated
Strip chart to this channel.

2. Clicking on the corner with the black triangle gives the list of available channels. Click
on the desired channel to select it. Right-click or Left-click on this button to switch to
the following or previous channel in the list.

3. Same principle as 2., but for the type of channel only (absolute or differential).
4. Same principle as 2., but for the frequencies only.

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STRIP CHART AXIS ORIENTATION
The Strip charts are projections of the Lissajous on the vertical or horizontal axis. To switch from
one axis to another, click on the box showing an arrow at the upper right corner of the Strip
chart.

ZOOMING
On the strip chart, hold the right button of your mouse and drag on the zone of interest to
zoom in this section.

To zoom out, right-click on the Strip chart and select Previous Zoom or Full Extent.

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ADJUSTING THE CURSOR LENGTH
On a Strip chart, the cursor is divided by 3 lines. The dotted lines represent the limit of your
cursor and the full line is the center of what you have selected.
Only the portion of data between the dotted lines will be shown in the Lissajous.
To adjust your cursor length, hover your mouse over the dotted line, and click and drag the left
mouse button. This will adjust the 2 dotted line symmetrically. To adjust only one dotted line,
do the same operation, but with the right button of your mouse.

ADJUSTING THE SCALE

The scale of a window (Lissajous or Strip chart) can be modified by clicking on the scale button
with the left button (decrease scale) or the right button (increase scale) of your mouse.

Another way to modify the scale is to click and drag (up or down) the right button of your
mouse on the scale button.

MEASUREMENT METHOD
The buttons at the lower left corner of the Lissajous windows are used to select the
measurement method. A short description of the measurement methods can be found in the
above calibration section of the setup wizard.

1. Clicking on the corner with the black triangle gives the list of measurement method for
the amplitude of the signal. Click on the desired method to select it. Right- or left-click
on this button to select the next or the previous method in the list.
2. Same as 1., but for the phase measurement.
3. Remove 180° to the measured phase. This option can be used if the software doesn’t
measure the phase with the right orientation.
4. Take the same two points in time to take the measurement in the other Lissajous.
5. Allow a manual measurement of the signal. Click and drag the left button of your
mouse to draw a vector on your Lissajous.

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LISSAJOUS ROTATION AND PANNING
The signal in a Lissajous can be rotated by holding CRTL on the keyboard while holding the left
button of your mouse and dragging it around the rotation axis. Note that this operation cannot
be performed on the raw channels since these channels have no gain or rotation applied, by
definition. Also, rotating the signal will affect your calibration. If you perform this operation,
make sure to recalibrate afterwards.
The origin point can also be moved by holding the left button of your mouse on the Lissajous
background and by dragging it in the desired direction.

DATA CENTERING
To center the data in the different windows, put your cursor at a point where you want the data
to be centered and use the spacebar on the keyboard.

CALIBRATION AND SIZING CURVES

CALIBRATION
The following section describes how to calibrate your probe.
1. Go to the Calibration tab and click on the System icon.
2. Select Channel in the calibration window.
3. In the Strip chart, select the signal to calibrate and adjust the cursors to see only the
desired signal.
Note: The system calibrates the signal with a measurement method that is defined in the
calibration part of the setup (previous step). It is recommended to read the data with the same
method as the system when you selected your calibration point. This will allow you to see what
the system is using to make its calibration. If, for some reason, the measurement is not taken
properly, you may be able to readjust your cursor to have the right measured values.

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 4. Select the signal name in the list.
5. Click on the green arrow button to associate the measured signal to the calibration
point.
6. If more than one calibration point is present in the list, repeat step 3, 4 and 5 for each
one.
7. When all your calibration points are check-marked, click on the Calibrate button.

SIZING CURVES
The following section describes how to build your sizing curves.
1. Go the calibration tab and click on the Sizing curve button.
2. Select Channel and Sizing Curves in the Calibration window.
3. Select the signal in your Strip chart and adjust the cursors to see only the desired
signal.
Note: The system calibrates the signal with a measurement method that is defined in the
calibration part of the setup (previous step). It is recommended to read the data with the same
method as the system when you selected your calibration point. This will allow you to see what
the system is using to make its calibration. If, for some reason, the measurement is not taken
properly, you may be able to readjust your cursor to have the right measured values.
Also, when points are entered in the sizing curves, the interpolated value is displayed on the
Lissajous to show the defect size. To have the correct interpolated point, the measurement
method also needs to be the same as the one used for the sizing curve. To change the
measurement method, click on the icons at the bottom left of the Lissajous.
4. Select the signal name in the list.
5. Click on the green arrow.

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 6. Redo the previous steps for all the other indications in the list.
7. Click on the Calibrate button.

Error messages after creating the phase sizing curves may appear. The main cause of these
errors is the measurement direction.
The image below shows two different measurements. On the left, you can see that the
measurement arrow is pointing towards the liftoff signal. In this case, the measured phase is
rotated of 180˚ from the right value. When one or more points were measured in the wrong
direction, Magnifi cannot build the sizing curve and will generate an error message. Note that
you won’t have this issue with an absolute channel if you’re using the average peak
measurement method.
In the image on the right, the arrow is pointing from the liftoff signal to the defect signal, which
is correct. However, in this picture, the arrow starts quite far from the middle of the liftoff
variation signal, which will cause an error in the measurement. In this case, we suggest you
move the cursors until your measurement is taken from a point near the base of the signal.

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To adjust your sizing curves and remove the error messages, go the Calibration tab, and click
on View Curves.

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The sizing curve window will appear. Each sizing curve you asked Magnifi to create will be listed
in the drop-down menu. If an invalid notification is present on the curve, it means that you
either haven’t entered the sizing points yet, or that Magnifi failed to create the curve. To adjust
the sizing curve manually, enter the value in the table.
In the above example, the entered phase angle for the 40% defect is 300˚, but the correct phase
angle for the 40% defect is 120˚. The 40% defect has an 180˚ bias due to an incorrect
measurement direction. In this case, we can simply change the angle value from 300˚ to 120˚
in the table to fix the sizing curve.
To validate the curves, you can bring the measurement cursor over one of the calibrated flaws
in the Lissajous and get an estimation of the depth (shown in the lower right corner). If the flaw
size does not appear, it means that you are not in a channel where a sizing curve was set.

LANDMARKS
The following section describes how to calibrate your landmarks.
Go to the calibration tab and click on the Landmark icon. Calibrate the landmarks shown in the
Landmarks window the same way you calibrated the sizing curve(s) points. You can use the
Land channel to do so. The positions of TS1 and TS2 are described in the Landmark window in
the Setup tab (TS2 is the farside tubesheet, that is, the first one encountered by the probe
during data acquisition; TS1 is the nearside tubesheet).

Once the landmarks are calibrated properly, the system should be able to recognize them
automatically.

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Note that in order to calibrate the default Exit landmark, a datafile that includes the probe exit
at the far end of the tube is needed.

SAVING YOUR SETUP

Once all your setup adjustments are done, you can save your setup by clicking on the Save
Setup button under the Home tab. The displayed window will allow you to give an appropriate
name to your setup and to save it at the desired locations. The save location is, by default, your
inspection file. Note that when data is saved, the setup is also saved with it.
You can also save the data of your calibration standard by clicking on the Save As button under
the Home tab.

INSPECTION

STANDARD ACQUISITION
The following section describes how to perform an inspection.
1. Connect Magnifi to your instrument.
2. Enter into Acquisition Mode by clicking on the Setup Mode button under the Home tab.
Acquisition Mode is activated when the Setup Mode button is not grayed.
3. Plug the bobbin probe into the Ectane 4-pin connector.
4. Bring the probe head to a clear area in your standard and balance the probe by
clicking on the Null button under the Home tab, or press F6 on your keyboard.
5. Push the probe all the way through the tube until it exits the far end.
6. Start the acquisition by clicking on the Acquire button under the Home tab or by
pressing the F2 on your keyboard.
7. Pull the probe towards you at a constant speed until it exits the tube.
8. When finished, press the Stop button or again F2 on your keyboard.
9. Repeat steps 4,5,6 and 7 for all the tubes to inspect in your bundle.

MANUAL SEQUENCE
An inspection can also be done by using the manual sequence. This feature is based on the
landmarks and can trigger the acquisition start/stop and the data recording automatically. At
least two (2) landmarks are needed to use this feature. These landmarks can be created by
using the Landmarks button under the SMART Setup tab.
To set the manual sequence:
1. Click on the Manual Sequence button under the Calibration tab.
2. If a warning message is shown in this window, change the parameters until no
warnings are shown. The system will progress through the different windows to guide
you.
3. Click on Settings …

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 4. Select Landmark in the Type section.
5. In the drop-down menu, choose the Landmark that will initiate the data recording. If
you keep the default landmarks, you can select the Exit landmark that will be triggered
when the probe goes out of the tube when the probe is pushed.
6. You can enter a delay to start the acquisition after the first landmark is detected
(Start Recording Delay) and a delay to stop the acquisition when the last landmark is
detected (Stop Acquisition Delay).
7. Two options are available to restart the acquisition: The user can either push a button
or use a timer. Select the desired option in the Restart section.
8. Click on OK.
To use the manual sequence:
1. Connect Magnifi to the instrument.
2. Enter into Acquisition Mode by clicking on the Setup Mode button under the Home tab.
Acquisition Mode is activated when the Setup Mode button is not grayed.
3. Plug the ECT probe into the Ectane 4-pin connector.
4. Bring the probe head to a clear area in your standard and balance the probe by
clicking on the Null button under the Home tab, or press F6 on your keyboard.
5. Open the Sequence window by clicking on the Manual Sequence button under the
Calibration tab.
6. Put your probe in the tube to inspect and click on the Launch button. This will start the
data acquisition.
7. Push the probe until it exits the far end of the tube. If set correctly, Magnifi will
recognize the landmark and this will initiate the data recording.
8. Pull the probe towards you until it exits the tube. This will trigger the last landmark
detection that will stop the data recording.

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 9. Acquisition restart:
a. If you selected User Input in the settings of the Manual Sequence Configuration,
the system will wait for the user to enter information on the tube to restart the
acquisition. Click on NDD or Review. This will add a tag to the inspected tube and it
will restart the acquisition. Repeat steps 6, 7 and 8 for all the tubes to inspect.
b. If you selected Timer in the settings of the Manual Sequence Configuration, a
countdown will trigger after the last tube acquisition was taken. The acquisition
will start after this time has elapsed. Redo step 6 and 7 for all the other tubes to
inspect in the bundle.
When doing your inspection, you may encounter some tubes that can’t be scanned completely.
If this is the case, you won’t be able to catch the landmark that triggers the data acquisition
at the end of the tube. In this situation, you can click on the Target button in the Sequence
window to start the data recording.

DATA LIST MANAGEMENT

For each acquisition, Magnifi can automatically save a file using the file name defined previously
in the Data list section of this document. To do so, checkmark the Automatic File Recording
option that can be found under the General tab of the Preference menu of the Backstage.

The list of tubes is also shown in the Data window.

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A common practice is to rescan your calibration tube and balance the probe periodically. You
can save this new calibration tube data by adding a new tube in your tube list (999 001 for
example). Or you can go out of acquisition mode, scan your tube, and click on the Save Cal
As… button under the Calibration tab to save your data. You can then go back to acquisition
mode to continue your inspection and to automatically save the acquired tubes in your bundle.
Once a tube has been scanned, the "play" icon next to the file name will be replaced with a
checkmark icon.
You can rescan a tube by selecting its name in the list and by clicking on the Rescan button in
the Home tab.
A tube name can be changed by right-clicking on its name and by selecting the Rename option.

LOADING A FILE
1. First disconnect your computer from the Ectane by clicking on the Disconnect button
under the Home tab.
2. You can load a file by double-clicking on the file name in the Data window. It can also
be done by selecting the file in the list and by clicking on the Load button under the
Home tab. Note that double-clicking on a tube when you are still connected to an
instrument will initiate data acquisition.
3. You can open the next or the previous file in the list by clicking on the Previous or Next
button of the Home tab.
The data files can be filtered by using the Filter button of the Data window.

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REPORT

INDICATIONS
The two Indication buttons at the lower corner of the Lissajous windows can be used to add an
entry to the report. These two buttons indicate the code that is associated with the defect being
entered. Both buttons are identical, but can be set to identify different flaws.
To add an indications to the data:
1. Select the defect signal in the strip chart and adjust the cursor so that the signal in the
Lissajous includes only the defect signal.
2. Then, click on the red triangle in the corner of the Indication button to select the type
of defect to enter.
3. Click on the defect button to add an entry to the report.

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Report Entries can also be added with keyboard shortcuts. How to set up these keyboard
shortcuts is explained in the SMART Setup section of this manual.
Indications can also be added to a tube to indicate, for instance, that it has no flaws or that it
is plugged.
To add an indication to a tube:
1. Load the file
2. Click on the appropriate indication button available under the Analysis tab

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REPORT TABLE
To access the list of indications entered:
1. Make sure that the Report option is selected under the Layout tab.

2. Click on the report ribbon at the bottom of the screen to make the list visible.

Entries in the report can be modified by changing the value in the table. You can also delete an
entry by clicking on the X next to it.

REPORT GENERATION
Magnifi can automatically generate a full report with the report table.
To generate this report:
1. Go to the Backstage by clicking on the arrow at the upper left corner of the
Frontstage.
2. Click on the Generate Report button under the Report section of the General tab.
3. Choose your preferences and enter the required parameters. The # of tubes in
component is used to show the percentage of tubes in each category.

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 4. Click Finish to generate the report.
This will create a PDF report that will show information such as the list of indications in your
bundle and a report summary with a pie chart.

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The report logo can be modified by clicking on the Select Company Logo that can be found
under the System tab of the Backstage.

The report table file in the Inspection folder can also be imported into other reporting software
such as Tubepro.

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