Abstract: Thermal response of a turbine component to application of thermal stimuli is automatically analyzed by regions of interest. Each region may be analyzed for conformance for a number of thermal response metrics, in an absolute sense, and/or relative to each other. The thermal response metrics may include the temperature threshold a particular region (e.g. the reference/primary region) exhibits a critical response size, and that the sub-region achieving the critical response size at the temperature threshold also has a critical shape. The analyses may be performed using the pixel values of the constituting pixels of a picture frame of the turbine component's thermal response. A binary passed or failed conclusion may be reached based on the results of the automated analyses.

Abstract: A plurality of system checks on a turbine component inspection system are monitored, and an end user interface element to cause an inspection of a turbine component to commence is enabled only upon determining based on the monitored system checks that the inspection system is in a predetermined state of readiness, thereby ensuring each turbine component inspected is stimulated with thermal stimulus having the same characteristics. Further, a binary passed or failed indicator is displayed to unequivocally inform the operator whether a turbine component being inspected passed or failed the inspection. In a preferred embodiment, thermal images of a turbine component's response to applied thermal stimulus, as well as status of automatically launched quantitatively analyses on the turbine component's response to the applied thermal stimulus are also displayed.

Abstract: An improved infrared (IR) imaging arrangement for a turbine component inspection system includes a platform having a turbine component base feature to receive a turbine component for inspection. Disposed on the platform are a number of mirrors around the turbine component feature. The number of mirrors simultaneously reflects a number of sides/edges for detection by an IR imager. As a result, the IR imager simultaneously view more than one sides/edges of a turbine component.