Surface crack detection in welds using thermography

• Thermography can be used for detecting surface cracks.
• Surface cracks are heated with IR radiation and detected with an IR camera.
• A laser and flashlamp were tested as sources for IR radiation.

Thermography is today used within non-destructive testing for detecting several different types of defects. The possibility for using thermography for detecting surface cracks in welded metal plates has here been investigated. During testing the weld is illuminated using a high power infrared light source. Due to surface cracks acting like black bodies, they will absorb more energy than the surrounding metal and can be identified as a warmer area when imaged using an infrared camera. Notches as well as real longitudinal cold cracks in a weld are investigated using the presented method. The results show that thermography is promising as a method for detection cracks open to the surface.