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A Robotized Non-destructive Quality Device for the Inspection of Glue Joints by Active Thermography

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Abstract

Due to its flexibility for use in various applications active thermography is of interest for non-destructive evaluation of defects in various materials. In particular, active thermography allows for identification of imperfections inside glue joints like delaminations, air pockets or inclusions of foreign particles. The contribution of this work is the development and validation of a small and portable device that can inspect large glue joints of fiber composites components like aircraft fuselages and wind turbine blades. The thermography device consists of a heat source and an infrared camera mounted to a mobile industrial robot system that guides the device along a trajectory above the inspection object. At the same time, images are acquired by the infrared camera and the current position of the device is monitored. The images are processed via LabVIEW to automatically detect irregularities and save the coordinates and an image of the defect in a log. This enables tracking, closer analysis and eventual repairs. Compared to previous thermography procedures this method allows downsizing of the heat source and flexible adjustments to the size and contour of the test component. As a result, it is possible to reduce testing times and divide the complete surface into small areas which allows detection of sub-millimeter defects during the manufacturing process and for example inspection of wind turbines already in operation. Therefore, this device is a powerful tool for quality management in the industry 4.0.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ZeMA - Zentrum für Mechatronik & Automatisierungstechnik gGmbH, Saarbrücken, Germany

    M. Hill

  2. Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes, Saarbrücken, Germany

    B. Faupel

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  1. M. Hill
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Hill, M., Faupel, B. A Robotized Non-destructive Quality Device for the Inspection of Glue Joints by Active Thermography. J Nondestruct Eval 39, 72 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10921-020-00712-2

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