INFRARED

THERMOGRAPHY
ON AIRCRAFT

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Basic kit for the IRT control

Measurement chain

(1)

heating

(2)

Calibration
piece

INSTRUMENTATION
1- IR camera
2 control panel of the camera
3 Direct view on the screen

COMPAQ

V70
V70

(4)

4 Signal processing of the acquisition

(3)

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Instrumentation used in IRT

Choice of the camera :
Multiple use of the detector : IR night vision,
thermal control of active sources, military
application, .
Thermal sensitivity : (0,1 till 0,01C)
Acquisition frequency (25 till 300
image/s)
Line acquisition mode or Focal Plane Array (FPA)

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Instrumentation used in IRT

Heating choices :
Different techniques : hot air blower, tubes, flash
lamps, hot water, pulsed heating, laser, sun for
space shuttle, heating blanckets

Surface heating or linear heating

Homogeneity, reproductibility, calibration,
characterization

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IRT CONTROL ON COMPOSITE

transmission technique :

Without defect

With defect

rubber

Applied
Heat
Transmitted
Heat

T
carbon

14 mm

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IRT CONTROL ON COMPOSITE

Reflexion technique :

Without defect

Emitted
Heat
Reflected
Heat
Absorbed
Heat

With defect

rubber

T
carbon

14 mm

THERMOGRAM

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Temperature variation in a point

Reflexion technique :
Without defect
T

With defect
(isolation)
heating
time

Transmission technique :
T
heating
time
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Thermographic Inspection
Advantages of the method :
Global examination of part
Only ONE SIDE access is required for the examination
Real Time inspection
Apply for all composite structure and materials even porous
not very sensitive to part geometry, well suited for large surfaces

Disavantages :
Sensitive to heating mode (type,duration,position)
Response time must be studied
Exact composition of the pieces and the thicknesses must be known
Less definition than Ultrasonic C-Scan and Radiography

Inhomogeneous heating on complex part

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DEFECTS ENCOUNTERED

Lack of adhesion of cohesion, bubbles

Delamination
Defects on surface coatings
Inclusions of foreign materials
Liquid ingress

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Pulse heating method

Detection of defects inside a

honeycomb composite part

Reflexion method
Heating pulse : 0.1 sec

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Pulse method reflexion inspection on part M88

1

7 defects visible
Contrast is
decreasing after
optimum image
Picture of part
3

Optimum image

First image
4

Heated part at T0
5

5 Sec after

10 sec after

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Transmission Vs Reflexion method

Reflexion face 1

Transmission face 1
Defects seen as dark spots
7 defects are detected

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Reflexion face 2

Modulated thermography

rubber
370 mm

carbon

440 mm

14 mm

Test sample, composite bonding Carbon/Elastomer

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Modulated thermography

Phase Image

Amplitude image

Method : reflexion heating, rubber side

Frequency : 0.006 Hz
Modulation : 1000 images

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Modulated thermography

Amplitude image

Phase image

Method : transmission heating, rubber side

Frequency : 0.003 Hz
Modulation : 1000 images

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Modulated thermography

Cross section AA
aluminium
A

bonding
kevlar
rubber

Disbonded area

Test sample, composite bonding Metal/Elastomer/Kevlar

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Modulated thermography

Amplitude Image

Phase image

Method : transmission heating, kevlar side

Frequency : 0.006 Hz
Modulation : 3000 images

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Conclusions
Global method, quick, well suited for detection on composite
and complex shaped surface, and for large areas
Easy to set up on site (maintenance, expertise, production
control)
Quick evolution of the technology, lower price of detectors,
new powerfull software for analysis tools will increase :
maximum inspected thickness

spatial and thermal resolution

velocity of inspection

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