Laser Scanning Thermal Probe: A Novel Approach to Non‐Destructive Evaluation

Structural defects such as cracks have recently been identifiable through a new nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technique know as sonic IR or thermosonics. However, these defects are depicted through thermal imagining system as localized “hot spots” indicating a general location of a defect without an accurate portrayal of the dimensions or shape of the defect. This paper demonstrates a new technique called Laser Scanning Thermal Probe, LSTP, which utilizes thermography with the use of heat application in strategic locations to observe spatial heat flow patterns. The LSTP records heat propagation across a defect area previously identified through the thermosonic technique. Thermal gradients will occur as heat traverses the crack and provide information to characterize the crack such as its length and shape.