Patent attributes
The invention provides an apparatus and method for detecting flaws in an object. The method includes the step of heating a portion of a surface of an object wherein the surface is defined by a plurality of individual surface elements. The method also includes the step of recording a plurality of thermal images of the portion over time with a thermal imaging device. Each of the plurality of thermal images is defined by a plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of pixels has an individual pixel address and corresponds to one of the plurality of individual surface elements. The method also includes the step of determining a pixel intensity for each of the plurality pixels in each of the plurality of thermal images. The method also includes the step of integrating the pixel intensity of each of the plurality of pixels having the same individual address from respective thermal images to establish elements within an array of integrated pixel intensity. The method also includes the step of using the array of integrated pixel intensity to detect a flaw in the object.
