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System and method for nondestructive evaluation of a test object

  • US 10,191,014 B2
  • Filed: 08/23/2016
  • Issued: 01/29/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for nondestructive evaluation of a test object, the system comprising:

  • a platform;

    an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) mounted on the platform and positioned to generate a magnetic field in the test object to create acoustic vibrations that travel along a surface of the test object;

    an infrared detector mounted on the platform and positioned to record thermal images of a plurality of test areas on the surface of the test object to detect flaws in the surface of the test object within the plurality of test areas as at least one of the platform and the test object move relative to each other;

    a velocity interferometer system for any reflector (VISAR) mounted on the platform and oriented to detect a presence of one of the vibrations in the test object caused by the EMAT in one of the plurality of test areas aligned with the infrared detector; and

    a controller connected to the EMAT, the VISAR, and the infrared detector, wherein the controller actuates the EMAT to create the vibrations in the test object the VISCAR, and the infrared detector, wherein the connection synchronizes the creation of the vibrations by the EMAT with the recording of the thermal images of the plurality of test areas by the infrared detector, wherein the controller receives signals from the VISAR indicating the presence of the vibrations in the one of the plurality of test areas aligned with the infrared detector, and the infrared detector is triggered to record each of the thermal images of the one of the plurality of test areas aligned with the infrared detector in response to the VISCAR detecting the one of the vibrations in the one of the plurality of test areas, wherein the controller receives a signal from the infrared detector indicative of the thermal images of the surface of the test object, and the controller records locations of the flaws appearing on the thermal images of the plurality of test areas, wherein the controller receives and records as at least one of the platform and the test object move relative to each other.

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