Transient Temperature Near a Void in a Material Heated by a Moving Laser Beam

Thermal methods in nondestructive testing utilize the fact that the thermal properties of a defect differ from those of the host material so that temperature distortions result when the material is heated. If the temperature distortions are measured (e.g., by an infrared camera), the data can be analyzed.to possibly locate and/or size the defect. Heating materials having defects has been accomplished in the past by using heat sources such as halogen lamps, hot air, or pulsed lasers