Material analysis
AssigneeAirbus UK Limited
InventorDaniel Bates
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In thermography apparatus, a lamp 102 is modulated sinusoidally and a camera 106 captures thermal images at the modulated frequency, but delayed by an adjustable preset delay. A signal delay box 107 is connected between a sinusoidal modulation signal function generator 104 and the camera 106. The delay box introduces a delay to the function generator signal so that the thermal image is captured after a period of time, resulting in an enhanced image.
Claims25
Material analysis apparatus for analyzing a material sample having two opposing sides separated by a thickness of material to be analyzed, said apparatus comprising:
- heat pulse emitting means for emitting a series of sinusoidally modulated heat pulses at one side of said material sample at a modulation frequency;
- thermal imaging means for viewing and capturing a series of thermal images of one of said two opposing sides of said sample at a capture rate greater than said modulation frequency;
- and
- delay means for introducing a delay between said emission of each one of said series of sinusoidally modulated heat pulses and capture of each of the respective series of thermal images at said viewed side, said delay sufficient to capture passage of said heat pulses rough at least a portion of said sample.
A method of analysing a sample to detect imperfections therein, said sample having two opposite sides separated by a thickness of material, said method comprising steps of:
- emitting a series of sinusoidally modulated heat pulses towards one of said two sides of said sample at a frequency, and
- viewing and capturing a series of thermal images of one of said two sides of said sample at a capture rate frequency greater than heat pulse frequency, wherein a delay is introduced between said emission of said series of sinusoidally modulated heat pulses and capture of said respective series of thermal images, said delay sufficient to permit passage of at least a portion of energy from said heat pulses through a portion of said sample to said side of said sample from which said thermal image is viewed and captured.
Material analysis apparatus, comprising:
- heat emitting means for emitting a series of sinusoidally modulated heat pulses at one side of a material sample, at a predetermined modulation frequency;
- thermal imaging means for capturing a series of thermal images of the same side of said sample at a capture rate having a frequency greater than said modulation frequency;
- and
- variable delay means for introducing a pre-adjusted delay between said emission of each one of said series of sinusoidally modulated heat pulses and capture of each of the respective series of thermal images, the value of the pre-adjusted delay being such that the energy of a heat pulse is reflected from a selected point within the thickness of the sample to the surface of the sample.
A method of analyzing a material sample to detect imperfections therein, comprising the steps of:
- emitting a series of sinusoidally modulated heat pulses at a predetermined frequency towards one side of the material sample;
- capturing a series of thermal images of the same side of said sample at a capture rate having a frequency greater than said predetermined frequency;
- introducing a variable delay of pre-adjusted value between the emission of each one of said series of sinusoidally modulated pulses and capture of each of the respective series of thermal images, the value of the delay being adjusted such that the energy of a heat pulse is reflected from a selected point within the thickness of the sample to the surface of the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.