Thermography evaluation of metal bonding materials

The thermographic technique used for the nondestructive evaluation of bondline integrity in metal and silicone rubber bonded material is described. An AGEMA model 880 IR thermographic scanner combined with a 20-deg lens was used to detect the IR radiation from the test panel. A video tape recorder was used to record the live temperature distribution at 25 picture frames per second. A personal computer with an AGEMA TIC-8000 digital image processor was used to record and plot the temperature vs time. The technique was found to be capable of detecting subsurface disbonds as small as 0.0625 sq in. in 0.187-in.-thick thermal protection system bonded materials. The thermography technique meets all the requirements of other approved NDT techniques, and it works well with complex structures and is noncontaminating, noncontact, real-time, and portable.