Thermography with point source heating

Abstract

This report discusses the feasibility of carrying out non-destructive testing (NDT) method infrared thermography by 2 different types of thermal heating sources use on composite materials such as Pyrex glass and carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CRFP) which are chosen as the samples. From the literature review, there are three types of heat transfer modes supplying heat to the inspected sample in active thermography. Radiation heat transfer mode is selected in this study and both halogen lamp and carbon dioxide laser are selected as the thermal heating sources. Step heating technique is chosen as one of the thermal stimulation methods to heat the samples and to monitor its surface temperature variation during the transient heating or cooling period. The laser thermography technique has proven to have a higher defect thermal contrast during the heating period. Simulations are used to help users understand the situations of uniform and non-uniform heating that influence the thermal contrast of the defect.