Infrared optical inspection methods for in-line testing

Dipl.-Ing. Sören Dierks

Since April 2013

In industrial production, particularly in the automotive industry, more and more significance belongs to quality assurance. The aim is the examination of each component manufactured in order to ensure a reliable detection of faulty parts and thus to ensure the quality of the delivered parts. Optical test methods are well suited for this since the components are nondestructively tested. Another aspect is that not much time is necessary for the examination and thus almost no intervention in the production process takes place. In some applications, however, the desired reliability is not achieved by the test in the visual spectral range. Especially after manufacturing steps which introduce heat into the components, a visual examination in the infrared spectral range using thermography makes sense.
The aim of the project is the research of improved methods and systems for a camera-based in-line inspection in the production of automotive parts by means of thermography. In addition to the use of single images in case of thermography also image series are of interest in order to observe thermal processes. Based on the observations conclusions to the successful implementation of manufacturing steps can be drawn.