Automated Dynamic Inspection Using Active Infrared Thermography

Active thermography is a proven technology used in a wide variety of applications. In the most common approach using a static configuration, the elements involved in the inspection do not move. This presents serious drawbacks when it is applied to the inspection of large products and machines. An alternative approach is the dynamic inspection, which enables the inspection of large and complex products with better resolution, but it is also extremely challenging as data reconstruction is necessary. This work analyzes two methods for dynamic inspection using active infrared thermography: the thermal photocopier and the line scan. Automatic robust methods are proposed to calculate the temperature-time history, producing a pseudostatic sequence that can be further processed using advanced data processing algorithms to improve defect detection. Results demonstrate the robustness of the proposed methods and the ability to inspect large products with excellent results.