Inductive thermography – review of a non-destructive inspection technique for surface crack detection

Inductive thermography is an excellent inspection technique for detecting defects in metallic materials. The technique has been greatly improved over the last few decades, from laboratory experiments to industrial applications. Many researches have studied the theory and the physical processes behind inductive thermography and also how the experimental setup and the evaluation of the results can be improved. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the theory and also of the most important technical points which should be taken into consideration for the usage of this technique. However, if inductive thermography can be used to locate various types of defects, this paper focuses on the detection of surface cracks in metals. In addition, several examples are given of how this inspection technique is used nowadays in industrial applications.