Defect detection for remanufacturing engineering through non-destructive testing

Abstract

Due to advancement in technology, remanufacturing has been widely considered as a viable alternative in many applications due to its cost savings and environmental friendliness, saving energy and raw material at the same time. In this report, Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (SAM) is explored as a feasible tool in defect detection of materials that have gone through two remanufacturing processes that add on a new coating layer to an existing component whose surface has worn out; laser cladding and thermal spraying. It contains a brief overview of these two processes as well as principles used in acoustic microscopy and its measurement methods. It also includes the experimentation process as well as a study of the results obtained and a discussion on the implications of these results. The information gathered can be used to predict product service lifetime after undergoing remanufacturing and provide an understanding of how defects deteriorate the strength and useful life of the part. The review concludes with a recommendation on future research directions. This project is part of an industry collaboration with A*STAR, where the student will work in a team with other researchers.