Filtern
Erscheinungsjahr
- 2012 (4) (entfernen)
Dokumenttyp
Sprache
- Englisch (4)
Schlagworte
- Thermography (4) (entfernen)
We report on recent developments in the detection of surface breaking cracks using
flying laser spot thermography. Application of an infrared camera for mapping the
thermal radiation after excitation with a diode laser equipped with an optical scanner
allows us to examine a surface containing cracks in an entirely non-destructive,
contactless and fast way, without even moving the camera. We developed an efficient
and robust algorithm that can be applied directly to the recorded thermal sequences,
and that derives a single image containing all crack signatures. For this crack detection
technique, no specific synchronisation between laser and camera is required. Hence,
our approach is suitable for an upgrade of existing thermographic systems. The
feasibility of the proposed procedure is proven by testing an artificial test sample and a
piece of rail that comprises roll contact fatigue cracks and by comparing the results
with magnetic particle testing.
Spot welding is one of the most important technologies for joining sheet metal. While there are lot of approaches to non-destructive testing, quality assurance still mainly relies on welding parameter monitoring and destructive testing, leading to significant failure rates. In this paper an approach to spot weld testing using flash thermography is presented. The main focus of attention is on the identification of two typical error classes: stick welds and welds at the splash limit. Besides investigating the principal feasibility of thermography for zinc plated samples the results of a series test of spot welds joining 1 mm thick TRIP steel are shown. Based upon these results a statistical criterion is developed which allows a reliable classification of the named error classes.
Active thermography is a nowadays widely used NDT method making use of thermal material properties for defect detection. Basically, the sample is heated and the resulting surface temperature is recorded by an IR camera. For laser thermography a laser is used to heat the sample locally. The resulting spherical heat flow allows the detection of voids in arbitrary orientation. In this work, a method is presented which is suitable for the quantitative characterization of depth and angle of surface cracks. The main idea is to evaluate the crack-caused asymmetries of the laser's thermal footprint. The heat is introduced at fixed reference positions relative to the crack. In this paper a data analysis procedure is presented which allows the crack depth and angle to be described by only two characteristic scalar parameters. By investigating artificial test specimens with spark eroded notches, the feasibility of this method is validated. Furthermore, the behavior of the characteristic parameters with variations of crack angle, depth and experimental conditions is studied systematically by FEM simulations, showing that these parameters are well behaved.