Laser Technology in Nondestructive Testing — An Introduction

摘要

The oldest nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques are arguably optical and still exist today in the form of visual inspections. The incredible combination of that awesome detector, the human eye, and that awesome data processor, the human brain, is hard to beat. There have been many technological innovations in the area of optical inspection over the years — starting with the simple flashlight, which is still a primary tool of inspectors today. The function of the flashlight was to enhance the ability of the human eye to acquire imaging data so that judgment could be rendered on the acceptability of the device being inspected. In the early 1960s laser technology appeared on the scene and upped the ante by introducing coherence and brightness to light sources. The characteristics of coherence and brightness have permitted the development of new NDE technologies in the optical arena. This issue of Materials Evaluation features emerging NDE techniques that rely upon laser technology.