Patent — available for licensing
Advanced Thermal Inspection with Pulsed Light Emitting Diodes (PLED) Technology
A NASA invention available to explore as a licensing opportunity.
About this technology
Overview
Thermal nondestructive evaluation (NDE) is a widely used method for detecting defects such as cracks, corrosion, and dis-bond layers in metallic and composite structures. Traditional thermal inspection methods rely on a high-intensity, broadband light heat source (e.g., flash lamp, quartz lamp) that generates heat that is absorbed by the material, and an infrared camera captures the transient thermal response to generate inspection data. However, inspecting low emissivity surfaces (such as unpainted aluminum and titanium alloys) poses challenges including high reflection of the heat source light that can cause inaccurate measurement of the surface temperature response, produce false defect indications, and potential sensor damage due to high-intensity reflections. In response to this challenge, engineers at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) have developed a cutting-edge thermal inspection technology that enhances defect detection on low-emissivity surfaces by eliminating false readings caused by infrared reflections. By using a spectrally narrow, visible-band pulsed light emitting diodes (PLED) heat source and optical filters, this system prevents interference with infrared camera measurements, delivering a higher accuracy, improved defect contrast, and more cost-effective alternative to conventional flash thermography.