A new apparatus for detecting flaws of a seam in a shielded enclosure

A prototype flaw detector was designed and constructed, with results showing the apparatus´s promising applicability in detecting flaws of a seam in a shielded enclosure without exciting the seam from the opposite side. The apparatus provides a convenient means to check a seam formed between two contact surfaces of metallic conductors from DC to over 1 GHz. The apparatus can be designed so that it can be used on various types of beams. The prototype flaw detector is designed to be used on a flat or bilevel surface, but a fairly simple design change will allow the apparatus to be used on seams at a curved surface or at a right angle. Preliminary test results on the performance of the flaw detector are presented