Open Access Conference Proceedings

In precise casting, the important parameters of multi-layered ceramic forms are their thickness and porosity. Defects, e.g. in the form of cracks, are determined visually. However, the remaining defects of the molds are not revealed before liquid metal pouring, which means that many defects may occur in the castings. The only way to determine the quality of molds in their volume seems to be non-destructive testing. One of the investigations is active thermovision, which involves observing temperature changes of the excited object using an external heat source.The paper presents the results of thermovision tests of a ceramic form with the use of various heat sources used for its heating. A research stand equipped with a FLIR thermal imaging camera, heater, radiators and a laboratory dryer was used for the research. The results were developed using the dedicated FLIR Reaserch IR software. The presented results in the form of thermograms show the temperature differences of individual mold elements, which may indicate their differences in thickness and porosity. Thermovision can thus be used to eliminate defective forms from further stages of production, which translates into lower costs and higher quality of products.

Keywords: Active thermovision, aviation industry, NDT applications

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