Abstract: A system for locating a failure event in a sample is disclosed. The system includes at least one sensor configured to detect acoustic energy corresponding to the failure event in the sample. The system also includes an infrared camera configured to detect a thermal release of energy corresponding to the failure event in the sample.

Abstract: A method and system for determining thermal diffusivity and porosity of an article are provided. The method comprises heating a surface of the article, capturing image data corresponding to an evolution of lateral heat flow from the surface of the article, applying a thermal time of flight analysis on the image data and determining thermal diffusivity and porosity values of the article using the thermal time of flight analysis for the lateral heat flow.

Abstract: An inspection system is provided to examine internal structures of a target material. This inspection system includes a generation laser, an ultrasonic detection system, a thermal imaging system, and a processor/control module. The generation laser produces a pulsed laser beam that is operable to induce ultrasonic displacements and thermal transients at the target material. The ultrasonic detection system detects ultrasonic surface displacements at the target material. The thermal imaging system detects thermal transients at the target material. The processor analyzes both detected ultrasonic displacements and thermal imagery of the target material to yield information about the target material's internal structure.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for determining thickness and thermal conductivity for an insulative coating disposed on a substrate in an object. The apparatus includes a source for rapidly applying a multiple optical pulses on a surface of the object, where the surface comprises the insulative coating. The system further includes a recording system configured to collect data representative of the propagation of the optical pulses in the object. The apparatus further includes a processor coupled to the recording system and configured to receive the data from the recording system and configured to determine a thickness value and a thermal conductivity value for the insulative coating.

Abstract: A non-destructive evaluation system and method is provided for detecting flaws in an object. The system includes a lamp for impinging the object with optical pulses and a focal plane array camera configured to capture the images corresponding to evolution of heat due to an impact of the optical pulses in the object. The system also includes an image acquisition system for capturing data corresponding to the images from the focal plane array camera. Both transmission mode imaging and reflection mode imaging techniques are used in an exemplary embodiment. A time of flight analysis system is also provided for analyzing the data from both transmission mode imaging technique and reflection mode imaging technique. The data from transmission mode imaging is used to determine thickness values at different points in the data and for determining location of flaws using the thickness values. The data from reflection mode imaging is used for determining depth of these flaws.

Abstract: Systems and methods for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) surface analysis. Exemplary embodiments include systems and methods for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) surface analysis, including a SOFC having a ceramic surface, a scanner adjacent the ceramic surface for collecting data related to the ceramic surface, a structure for retaining the SOFC with respect to the scanner, a device for collecting a processing the ceramic surface data and a process residing on the device, the process for analyzing and presenting the ceramic surface data.

Abstract: An inspection system is provided to examine internal structures of a target material. This inspection system combines an ultrasonic inspection system and a thermographic inspection system. The thermographic inspection system is attached to ultrasonic inspection and modified to enable thermographic inspection of target materials at distances compatible with laser ultrasonic inspection. Quantitative information is obtained using depth infrared (IR) imaging on the target material. The IR imaging and laser-ultrasound results are combined and projected on a 3D projection of complex shape composites. The thermographic results complement the laser-ultrasound results and yield information about the target material's internal structure that is more complete and more reliable, especially when the target materials are thin composite parts.

Abstract: A system for locating a failure event in a sample is disclosed. The system includes at least one sensor configured to detect acoustic energy corresponding to the failure event in the sample. The system also includes an infrared camera configured to detect a thermal release of energy corresponding to the failure event in the sample.

Abstract: A flexible imager, for imaging a subject illuminated by incident radiation, includes a flexible substrate, a photosensor array disposed on the flexible substrate, and a scintillator. The scintillator is disposed so as to receive and absorb the incident radiation, is configured to convert the incident radiation to optical photons, and is optically coupled to the photosensor array. The photosensor array is configured to receive the optical photons and to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the optical photons. A digital imaging method for imaging subject includes conforming flexible digital imager to subject, the subject being positioned between flexible digital imager and a radiation source. The method further includes activating radiation source to expose the subject to radiation and collecting an image with the flexible digital imager.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for detecting a hot rail car surface comprises: an infrared sensor for acquiring an infrared signal from a rail car surface of a rail car and transducing the infrared signal into an electrical signal; a rank filter for filtering the electrical signal to produce a filtered array; a first peak detector for detecting a maximum filtered value of the filtered array; and a first comparator for comparing the maximum filtered value to a detection threshold to produce a filtered alarm signal.

Abstract: A flexible imager, for imaging a subject illuminated by incident radiation, includes a flexible substrate, a photosensor array disposed on the flexible substrate, and a scintillator. The scintillator is disposed so as to receive and absorb the incident radiation, is configured to convert the incident radiation to optical photons, and is optically coupled to the photosensor array. The photosensor array is configured to receive the optical photons and to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the optical photons. A digital imaging method for imaging subject includes conforming flexible digital imager to subject, the subject being positioned between flexible digital imager and a radiation source. The method further includes activating radiation source to expose the subject to radiation and collecting an image with the flexible digital imager.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for detecting a hot rail car surface comprises: an infrared sensor for acquiring an infrared signal from a rail car surface of a rail car and transducing the infrared signal into an electrical signal; a rank filter for filtering the electrical signal to produce a filtered array; a first peak detector for detecting a maximum filtered value of the filtered array; and a first comparator for comparing the maximum filtered value to a detection threshold to produce a filtered alarm signal.

Abstract: An IR transient thermography imaging system includes high-power flash lamps fitted with spectrally tuned optical filters and a focal-plane array camera for IR image data acquisition. The image data processing control computer analyzes acquired IR image data frames and provides a color-keyed display of an imaged object that correlates to object thickness over the imaged surface area. Acquisition of IR data is initiated at a firing of flash lamps used to heat a surface of the object along with a reference standard. A predetermined number of IR image frames are acquired and recorded over a predetermined period of time after firing of the lamps to develop a temperature-time (T-t) history of the object surface and the reference standard. A contrast curve is calculated for each pixel in the image frame, each pixel corresponding to an elemental region on the object surface.