Defect Characterization Using Pulsed Thermography

Infrared Thermography is one of the advanced NDE methods that is becoming attractive due to its ability to inspect non invasively large areas in short times and provide full field images in a non contact nature. While initially the method started as a qualitative technique for defect detection alone, with the advent of lock in and pulsed techniques, quantitative defect detection was made possible. While these techniques have been applied in case of ceramics and composites for defect quantification, defect sizing and quantification using these methods have not been systematically attempted in case of stainless steels. A systematic study has been undertaken to evaluate the accuracy of these empirical Pulsed Thermography (PT) techniques for defect size and depth estimation in type 316 L austenitic stainless steels. Theoretical modelling based on finite difference analysis using Thermo Calc 6L software has also been done and the results compared.