INFRARED

THERMOGRAPHY
ON AIRCRAFT

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 Basic kit for the IRT control

Measurement chain

(1) (2)
INSTRUMENTATION

Calibration
heating
piece 1- IR camera
2 – control panel of the camera
COMPAQ 3 – Direct view on the screen
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 0,01°C)

• 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 With defect

rubber

Emitted
Heat T
Reflected
carbon
Heat
Absorbed
Heat

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 2
• 7 defects visible
• Contrast is
decreasing after
optimum image
Picture of part First image Heated part at T0

3 4 5

Optimum image 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 Reflexion face 2

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 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 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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