Application of the Pulse Infrared Thermography Method for Nondestructive Evaluation of Composite Aircraft Adhesive Joints.

Tomáš Kostroun,Milan Dvořák

doi:10.3390/ma14030533

Tomáš Kostroun, Milan Dvořák

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14030533

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Abstract

In this article, we examine the possibility of using active infrared thermography as a nontraditional, nondestructive evaluation method (NDE) for the testing of adhesive joints. Attention was focused on the load-bearing wing structure and related structural joints, specifically the adhesive joints of the wing spar caps and the skins on the wing demonstrator of a small sport aircraft made mainly of a carbon composite. The Pulse Thermography (PT) method, using flash lamps for optical excitation, was tested. The Modified Differential Absolute Contrast (MDAC) method was used to process the measured data to reduce the effect of the heat source’s inhomogeneity and surface emissivity. This method demonstrated a very high ability to detect defects in the adhesive joints. The achieved results are easy to interpret and use for both qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the adhesive joints of thin composite parts.

Highlights

In this article, we examine the possibility of using active infrared thermography as a nontraditional, nondestructive evaluation method (NDE) for the testing of adhesive joints
A is program was created formeasured this purpose in the NDE
Sponding color (Figure 17A), which can be interpreted as the voids in the adhesive joint

Summary

Introduction

We examine the possibility of using active infrared thermography as a nontraditional, nondestructive evaluation method (NDE) for the testing of adhesive joints. The Modified Differential Absolute Contrast (MDAC) method was used to process the measured data to reduce the effect of the heat source’s inhomogeneity and surface emissivity. This method demonstrated a very high ability to detect defects in the adhesive joints. The achieved results are easy to interpret and use for both qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the adhesive joints of thin composite parts

Methods

Results

Conclusion