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Infrared imaging of ultrasonically excited subsurface defects in materials

  • US 6,236,049 B1
  • Filed: 09/16/1999
  • Issued: 05/22/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A thermal imaging system for detecting defects in a component, said system comprising:

  • a sound source;

    a thermal imaging camera directed towards the component and generating thermal images of the component; and

    a controller electrically connected to the sound source and the camera, said controller causing the sound source to emit at least one pulse of a sound signal at a predetermined frequency and for a predetermined duration, and causing the camera to generate sequential images of the component, wherein the frequency of the sound signal has a substantially constant amplitude, and wherein vibrational energy from the sound source causes the defects in the component to heat up and be visible in the images generated by the camera.

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