Effective Nondestructive Imaging of Defects in Engineering Components

Imaging of defects in engineering components is gaining importance and wider acceptability. Imaging enables automation of measurement process by the use of sensor, enhanced detection and characterisation of defects. Further, it helps in assessing incremental damage in a critical region by performing periodic imaging and comparing. Raster-scan based single sensor imaging and line-scan based array sensor imaging are increasingly employed and ultrasonic, eddy current, magnetic flux leakage and microwave techniques have exploited these modalities. This paper discusses some recent trends in effective NDE imaging of defects and highlights image fusion modalities for high probability detection and enhanced characterisation of defects by combining images of same regions by different NDE sensors.