Optimisation of a Heat Source for Infrared Thermography Measurements: Comparison to Mehler Engineering + Service-Heater

Abstract

Featured Application: In order to optimise dynamic line scan thermography, one should use an optimised line heating source. The more the heat is concentrated in a single line, the higher the moving speed of samples could become in order to get the same amount of energy inserted in the sample. Higher movement speeds are needed in order to use the technique of dynamic line scanning in manufacturing processes inspecting the objects while they move over the conveyor belt.Abstract: Using an optimised heating source in active thermography can facilitate the processing of measurement results. By designing a custom heat source for dynamic line scan thermography, we reduced the excitation power needed to heat the sample and decreased the unwanted side effects originating of a wide-range heating source. The design started from a regular halogen tube lamp and a reflector is composed to provide the desired heating power in a narrow band. The reflector shape is optimised using ray-tracing software to concentrate the electromagnetic radiation along with the heat in a slim line. A comparison between the optimised heat source and a commercially available line-heater is performed. The width of the heated region from the Mehler Engineering + Service-heater is larger than prescribed in the datasheet. The optimised line heater has several advantages over the comercially available heat source.

Dynamic Line Scan Thermography Optimisation Using Response Surfaces Implemented on PVC Flat Bottom Hole Plates

“…The size of the heated region is derived from the heating region of a commercially available line heater: Mehler Engineering Services [16]. The heated region has a width of 10 mm at a height of 15 mm above the sample to be inspected, as measured in [17].…”