Automatic Thinning Detection through Image Segmentation Using Equivalent Array-Type Lamp-Based Lock-in Thermography

Sensors (Basel). 2023 Jan 22;23(3):1281. doi: 10.3390/s23031281.

Abstract

Among the non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques, infrared thermography (IRT) is an attractive and highly reliable technology that can measure the thermal response of a wide area in real-time. In this study, thinning defects in S275 specimens were detected using lock-in thermography (LIT). After acquiring phase and amplitude images using four-point signal processing, the optimal excitation frequency was calculated. After segmentation was performed on each defect area, binarization was performed using the Otsu algorithm. For automated detection, the boundary tracking algorithm was used. The number of pixels was calculated and the detectability using RMSE was evaluated. Clarification of defective objects using image segmentation detectability evaluation technique using RMSE was presented.

Keywords: array-type lamp; automatic detection; detectability evaluation; image segmentation; lock-in thermography; morphology operation.